Anybody ever convert a diesel car to bio-diesel????

Question

A diesel car will run solely on cleaned up , filtered used cooking oil or vegetable oil. I need pros and cons.

Answer 1

Yeah I do at 25% until I buy injection line heaters. fattywagons.com

Answer 2

No conversion is required to run a diesel car on biodiesel.

You seem to be under the impression that SVO (straight vegetable oil) is biodiesel but it is not.

What conversion you need before running your diesel depends on where you live. If you live in Phoenix you won't need as much tank heating as you would if you lived in Minneapolis.

Pro Biodiesel is no conversion, can purchase instead of make, can make if you want

Con Biodiesel is can be messy to make, can be expensive or difficult to find

Pro SVO is fuel can be free, it's cool

Con SVO is you have to figure out how to file and pay fuel taxes, can be messy, requires at least some to a lot of modification to your car

Answer 3

absolutely, everyone with spare time is doing it, engines really run better with little polution, so they brag.

Answer 4

I began runniing mine and my son's work trucks on veggie oil a little over a year ago. used some a buddy was using and then went out and bought a really nice filtering setup.

I have no problems of any sorts, yet. My only output is electricity for the strainer. Made a deal w/ a local restaurant, he has two places and I get all one produces. Other than smelling like fried fish, it is great. U don't have to change over or mix anything or a use first diesel and end w/ diesel or anything. that is making a simple system complicated.

pour clean, used vege oil into the tank, w/ or w/o regular diesel already in the tank and go for it.

we both pull heavy work trailors, campers and an occasional boat. same power ... as before. I just hope others don't catch on, I may have to start paying for the used oil.

Answer 5

I have not but am very interested in this process and have read about it.  They do not run soley on vegetable oil as they have to be started on diesel and then switched to vegetable oil.  Also when turning it off, it should be switched back to diesel to clear the lines.

I'll be checking back here for MORE answers.

GOOD luck.

Answer 6

These are two different things:

- filtered vegetal oil

- bio diesel (e.g. raps methyl esther)

The second one has been chemically converted from vegetal oil in a biodiesel refinery and can already be used in most modern diesel motors.

Answer 7

One thing you should realize is that some of the natural oils are slowly converted as they sit in deep fryers and other heaters for extended periods of time.  The vehicles which can take this type of oil is not much different from regular diesel vehicles.

The concept of taking peanut oil from your supermarket and feed your diesel vehicles means many more changes need to be integrated into your vehicle before it can run for a lengthy duration (2,000+ miles.)  Without the modifications, you may be able to run for some time, however, you will burn out the engines eventually.

Answer 8

process the cleaned up vegetable oils to bio diesel

stay away from un processed oils

make sure O-rings, seals, etc. are compatable.