Zee, Could we talk about your El Diablo?

[John Watson]

Zee, sounds like you have had some fun pimping out your El Diablo.


If you don't mind answering a few questions, maybe this might be the first in a series of what owners have done to improve and personalize their machines and give a little help to those looking to buy a unit. This is not a pissing contest..

Is this your first TM? What other type of unit do you have?

When did you get it? Was it New or Used?

What was the hardest thing for you to get used to on your new set up?

How long did you have it before the changes?

What is your experience with your dealer? Pros and cons.

What is your experience with the manufactor?

After running your machine for a while, what changes do you think the manufactor should change for new models?

What changes did you make? Please go into detail so others if interested might copy or improve and learn on your changes.

What are the biggest differences you have found from the before and after changes you did?

A few years ago, at one of Craig Jaspers class, I saw my first ElDiablo, What a sweet small hot sucking machine. I liked what I saw, but being a shaft drive guy, I did make the comment that If I bought a slide in I would look seriously at this unit as my #1 choice, then last year I saw CU's Judson and would really have to make a comparrison to see.

Is there any other changes you plan or hope to do in the future?

 

[Mikey P]

Zee, I let Marc @ Masterblend know about your truck, expect a call.

 

[Zee]

Zee, sounds like you have had some fun pimping out your El Diablo.

If you don't mind answering a few questions, maybe this might be the first in a series of what owners have done to improve and personalize their machines and give a little help to those looking to buy a unit. This is not a pissing contest..

Is this your first TM? First one I own personally. What other type of unit do you have? I used Jimmy Olas' equipment for a few years- Duane's propane fired SledgeHammer, Steamway9100, and his new setup http://www.mikeysboard.com/forum/viewto ... =1&t=14608

When did you get it? I bought it October 2007 Was it New or Used? It was new. Bought it at Adcopro (masterblend in Denver)

What was the hardest thing for you to get used to on your new set up? It's a very straight forward design- simple and easy to use.

How long did you have it before the changes? I used another El Diablo for 600 hours when I worked for a company in Denver without any changes to it. Stock setup 2' hoses to 25' whip line to standard 2 jet 1.5"wand. No glide. After I bought my machine I used it factory set for 150 hours and then I started making changes.

What is your experience with your dealer? Pros and cons. I personally had a great experience with Adco. They really made sure that everything was the way I ordered it.

What is your experience with the manufactor? Adco=Masterblend same thing.

After running your machine for a while, what changes do you think the manufactor should change for new models? Change the vac ports to one 2.5 opening. Sell it with a bigger waste tank. Get rid of the cheap waste tank valve and put a nice ball valve instead. Put a higher quality vac gauge on the machine. I would definitely get a better flow switch underneath the diesel burner! Those that run emulsifiers thru the unit would know why.... It gets stuck every couple of hours! I only run acid rinses and Judsons O2 rinse- no problems with the flow switch.
I honestly would like to see this machine built with a bigger engine and bigger blower with the same heat- It could be an amazing unit!
Would be nice if a steady working apo was coming with the small waste tank.

What changes did you make? Please go into detail so others if interested might copy or improve and learn on your changes. I didn't change anything major... Started with adjusting the engine throttle-now I run it around 3200-3300rpm (factory was set 2800rpm). That blower needs to run a little faster! Opened up the second vacport and permanently put two 2"hose coming off to the ground into a 2.5" Y. I run the first 80' of hose 2.5" and I use 50' of 2" to the wand. Wand is custom made by Greenie 6" longer 14" head 5 jet Greenhorn (10fl). I got rid of the bullet filter and now just using the basket inside the waste tank- I clean it between each job. Very easy to take it out so not a big deal to clean it.

What are the biggest differences you have found from the before and after changes you did? Lot more airflow! If I put the old whipline on the hose it has a very uncomfortable scream! Lot more flow obviously with the Greenhorn- and heat is not a problem with the El Diablo. I can run over 230-240 all day. When I cool down after each job I let the water out and it's usually showing over 250.

A few years ago, at one of Craig Jaspers class, I saw my first ElDiablo, What a sweet small hot sucking machine. I liked what I saw, but being a shaft drive guy, I did make the comment that If I bought a slide in I would look seriously at this unit as my #1 choice, then last year I saw CU's Judson and would really have to make a comparrison to see.

Is there any other changes you plan or hope to do in the future? I will be adding more 2.5hose. Get rid of the inverter and make the engine a generator. (I believe the newer units are already coming with the generator.) Smaller changes that I can't think of right now...

 

[Nate The Great]

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=14608[/url]

When did you get it? I bought it October 2007 Was it New or Used? It was new. Bought it at Adcopro (masterblend in Denver)

What was the hardest thing for you to get used to on your new set up? It's a very straight forward design- simple and easy to use.

How long did you have it before the changes? I used another El Diablo for 600 hours when I worked for a company in Denver without any changes to it. Stock setup 2' hoses to 25' whip line to standard 2 jet 1.5"wand. No glide. After I bought my machine I used it factory set for 150 hours and then I started making changes.

What is your experience with your dealer? Pros and cons. I personally had a great experience with Adco. They really made sure that everything was the way I ordered it.

What is your experience with the manufactor? Adco=Masterblend same thing.

After running your machine for a while, what changes do you think the manufactor should change for new models? Change the vac ports to one 2.5 opening. Sell it with a bigger waste tank. Get rid of the cheap waste tank valve and put a nice ball valve instead. Put a higher quality vac gauge on the machine. I would definitely get a better flow switch underneath the diesel burner! Those that run emulsifiers thru the unit would know why.... It gets stuck every couple of hours! I only run acid rinses and Judsons O2 rinse- no problems with the flow switch.
I honestly would like to see this machine built with a bigger engine and bigger blower with the same heat- It could be an amazing unit!
Would be nice if a steady working apo was coming with the small waste tank.

What changes did you make? Please go into detail so others if interested might copy or improve and learn on your changes. I didn't change anything major... Started with adjusting the engine throttle-now I run it around 3200-3300rpm (factory was set 2800rpm). That blower needs to run a little faster! Opened up the second vacport and permanently put two 2"hose coming off to the ground into a 2.5" Y. I run the first 80' of hose 2.5" and I use 50' of 2" to the wand. Wand is custom made by Greenie 6" longer 14" head 5 jet Greenhorn (10fl). I got rid of the bullet filter and now just using the basket inside the waste tank- I clean it between each job. Very easy to take it out so not a big deal to clean it.

What are the biggest differences you have found from the before and after changes you did? Lot more airflow! If I put the old whipline on the hose it has a very uncomfortable scream! Lot more flow obviously with the Greenhorn- and heat is not a problem with the El Diablo. I can run over 230-240 all day. When I cool down after each job I let the water out and it's usually showing over 250.

A few years ago, at one of Craig Jaspers class, I saw my first ElDiablo, What a sweet small hot sucking machine. I liked what I saw, but being a shaft drive guy, I did make the comment that If I bought a slide in I would look seriously at this unit as my #1 choice, then last year I saw CU's Judson and would really have to make a comparrison to see.

Is there any other changes you plan or hope to do in the future? I will be adding more 2.5hose. Get rid of the inverter and make the engine a generator. (I believe the newer units are already coming with the generator.) Smaller changes that I can't think of right now...

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Thanks for the response Zee.

 

[John Watson]

Thanks Zee, Anyone else with an El Diablo want to add anything??

 

[The Magician]

I don't own one but would like to see another model added. Bigger Kollar with a 47 or 56 blower. bigger waste tank ,one that locks in case of accident or rollover.

 

[Steve in Omaha]

Have a similarly pimped out Diablo. Have not had the flow switch problem, i do use soft water w/Kleenit through the steam line. Assuming the burner is either not shutting off and overheating or not coming on and no heat at all. Is this right? There may be other causes if the burner is not firing.

 

[Zee]

The flowswitch gets some build up and that makes it stuck- which means in my case is always the on position. It would get the flame burning as soon as I turn the dial to set the heat level (without having any water running thru). I would reach under the burner get the flowswitch out, clean it up and it's good to go in 2 minutes. I don't have this problem too often every couple of hundred hours maybe. I know then, that i need to run thru some acid rinse on a few job or just do a descale. Not a big deal...
By the way I almost always use the O2 rinse(Judson) as my rinse. That should not cause the deposit build up in my lines. It is most likely the bad CA water.

Zee

 

[Steve in Omaha]

In your first post, the flow switch was failing every couple of hours. Thought that sounded wrong. Every couple of hundred hours I'll buy.

 

[Zee]

I meant to say IF you are using emulsifiers, then you know how your flowswitch would get stuck with all the crap build up- every couple of hours.
My burner is fine for a couple hundred hours and then it's descale time. For all the heat we get out of that machine-it's not a big deal to do some small maintenance.

 

[-JB-]

UPDATE PLEASE.


Still lovin it?

 

[Zee]

Yes still runs great! Got 800 hours on it right now. I have replaced the pump belt at 600 hours- it didn't break i just saw some cracks on it so i decided to get the new one on before it breaks halfway thru on an important job.

I always cool it down before shutting it down let all the hot water run out of it.

Only thing is the powdercoat is chipping off on the bottom of the unit where its bolted down to the floor.

Did perform two full on descale. at around 350 hours and 650 hours. I'm getting ready to descale in the next week or so. Right now I'm so busy I'm putting in 12-16hours a day. Only thing I draw thru the chemdraw is judson rinse so no more issues with the flowswitch getting stuck under the diesel burner.

Normal maintenance was at 500 hours I had the catpump oil changed and the blower oil as well.

Zee

 

[-JB-]

Thankx.