Can I use Rape Seed Oil and Diesel in my car?

Question

I have a 1998 Peugeot 406 HDI, can I use Rape seed oil as a fuel in my car, or a combination of diesel and Rape seed oil.

If so in what ratio would it be safe so as not to cause any damage.

Any information would be much appreciated.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Not withstanding any idiocy in countries other than the US regarding taxes for vehicular use of vegetable oil, or the personal prejudice of answerers who have an agenda to blame the west for famines, here are some ideas:

1.  the best way to use canola or rape oil as a fuel for your diesel motivated vehicle is to 'transesterify' the oil into a diesel substitute.  You will need some simple armamentaria go to the 'biodiesel' website, one method requires the addition of ethyl alcohol, and lye, and the products are biodiesel and glycerin...

2.  I am not specifically familiar with your vehicle, however, I can tell you that the mixing of diesel with oil is done, but must be done on a case by case basis, there is no formula I can give you to tell you what amount will work...just start mixing, and try it out..

3.  IF THE OIL HAS BEEN USED FOR COOKING, DO NOT TRY TO USE IT AS A FUEL WITHOUT PROCESSING...sorry I did not mean to "yell" but you will clog filters and ruin injectors...Make sure you triple filter the used oil before use, and  make sure you have a water seperator on your vehicle that is in good shape...

4.  Using straight oil without transesterification, after de-hydrating and filtering the used oil can be done, the simplest way is to use a simple preheater, and a separate tank for the cooking oil-start the vehicle on diesel, and then switch to the oil...good article on that on biodiesel site...try it , it does work, I have used it on several generators and vehicles...I have also ruined some injectors, plugged some filters, and had to do some serious maintenance..

Good luck, and do not give up, it does work....

Answer 2

I currently run Bio Fuel (straight vegetable) in a 1999 Dodge 3500 truck. But all Cummins engines were modified from the factory to run on BioD since around 1992 without any modification.

Biofuel is recognized by both the US Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy as an alternative fuel, and qualifies for mandated programs under the Clean Air Act Amendments and the Environmental Protection Act of 1992 (EPAct).

USDA Clears Air with Biofuel: Buses and other diesel-burning vehicles run cleaner if they mix biofuel with regular diesel fuel, said the US Department of Agriculture at a biofuel fuel seminar at a USDA research center.

Conversely most major automotive manufacturers (Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors, etc) recommend the use of bio fuels, and nearly every car manufacturer in the world approves ethanol blends in their warranty coverage.

In fact your probably even driving an ethanol car and didn't even know it.

The trick is finding fuel.

I've been producing biofuel for about 3 years now, it's not extremely difficult. Basically you need general household ingredients, a processor (or still for ethanol) and some used oil. Blend it, let separate, screen and use. I complied a guide a while back to help walk you threw the process step by step, just email me or check out..

http://www.agua-luna.com/guides.html

• 1 liter of new vegetable oil, whatever the supermarket sells as cooking oil

• 200 ml of methanol, 99+% pure

• lye catalyst -- either potassium hydroxide (KOH) or sodium hydroxide (NaOH)

• blender or mini-processor

• scales accurate to 0.1 grams, preferably less -- 0.01 grams is best

• measuring beakers for methanol and oil

• half-liter translucent white HDPE (#2 plastic) container with bung and s***w-on cap

• 2 funnels to fit the HDPE container

• 2-litre PET bottle (water or soft-drinks bottle) for settling

• two 2-litre PET bottles for washing

• duct tape

• thermometer

Use the "Methoxide the easy way" method -- it's also the safe way. Here's how to do it.

Measure out 200 ml of methanol and pour it into the half-liter HDPE container via the funnel. Methanol also absorbs water from the atmosphere so do it quickly and replace the lid of the methanol container tightly. Don't be too frightened of methanol, if you're working at ordinary room temperature and you keep it at arm's length you won't be exposed to dangerous fumes.

Carefully add the lye to the HDPE container via the second funnel. Replace the bung and the s***w on the cap tightly.

Shake the container a few times -- swirl it round rather than shaking it up and down. The mixture gets hot from the reaction. If you swirl it thoroughly for a minute or so five or six times over a period of time the lye will completely dissolve in the methanol, forming sodium methoxide or potassium methoxide. As soon as the liquid is clear with no undissolved particles you can begin the process.

The more you swirl the container the faster the lye will dissolve. With NaOH it can take from overnight to a few hours to as little as half-an-hour with lots of swirling (but don't be impatient, wait for ALL the lye to dissolve). Mixing KOH is much faster, it dissolves in the methanol more easily than NaOH and can be ready for use in 10 minutes.

Using a blender. Use a spare blender you don't need or get a cheap secondhand one -- cheap because it might not last very long, but it will get you going until you build something better.

Check that the blender seals are in good order. Make sure all parts of the blender are clean and dry and that the blender components are tightly fitted.

Pre-heat the oil to 55 deg C (130 deg F) and pour it into the blender.

With the blender still switched off, carefully pour the prepared methoxide from the HDPE container into the oil.

Secure the blender lid tightly and switch on. Lower speeds should be enough. Blend for at least 20 minutes.

Using a mini-processor. Follow the instructions below and improvise where necessary -- there are many ways of building a processor like this.

Proceed with processing as above, maintain temperature at 55 deg C (130 deg F), process for one hour.

www AGUA-LUNA com

Hope this helped, feel free to contact me personally if you have any questions if you’d like assistance in making your first self sufficient steps, I’m willing to walk you step by step threw the process. I’ve written several how-to DIY guides available at  www agua-luna com on the subject. I also offer online and on-site workshops, seminars and internships to help others help the environment.

Dan Martin

Alterative Energy / Sustainable Consultant, Living 100% on Alternative & Author of How One Simple Yet Incredibly Powerful Resource Is Transforming The Lives of Regular People From All Over The World... Instantly Elevating Their Income & Lowering Their Debt, While Saving The Environment by Using FREE ENERGY... All With Just One Click of A Mouse...For more info Visit:  

www AGUA-LUNA com

Stop Global Warming!!!

Answer 3

why is it when people like you ask sensible questions you always get the GREEN PRATT'S butting in and banging the environment drum

Answer 4

You may wish to check the law as well as your gas tank.

In some countries such as the UK using rapeseed (AKA canola) oil instead of diesel can be classified as a criminal offense under laws governing fuel tax. You may need to come to a special arrangement with the IRS to pay the tax on the oil that you are not paying on the diesel.

Answer 5

Any oil can be made to run your car. Some oils cost more to clean up than the energy a home owner can get out of it. That is why I believe in life long ownership of products. Tires, old engine oil, floaters at the sewage treatment plant can be turned into fuel. If you add plastic, wood, paper... the USA could be self dependent of imported oil by 2030-but only if we build renewable energy to go along with our plan plus energy conservation. Check out CoolingEarth.org

Answer 6

i think so

Answer 7

You better make sure if the engines fuel system will be able to handle this. If you have rubber fuel hoses and not polyurethane type, bio type fuels will eventually eat through them. Some diesels will do fine on bio fuels, some were never meant to be run on them.  I would seriously find out if anyone has done this with any of the Peugeot diesel engines that are like yours. I miss Peugeot not being in the United States, they were great cars!

Answer 8

I think most politicaly correct people are calling it Canola oil these days .And yes it will run on it. How much of a supply of the stuff do you have .I,d mix it at least 3 to 1  RSO/deisel .

An inline fuel heater will realy help too.what would be realy interesting would be have a second fuel tank and Start and warm up on deisel then switch to 100% RSO

Answer 9

Why don't you try driving your car less? Biofuels are leading to mass starvation in the third world as food crops are sacrificed to grow biofuels. Once again the West asks the developing world to pay the price for OUR lifestyle choices, eh?

Answer 10

I have a 306d and have run it on Bio-diesel for the last 56 months.

Mine has the Bosch injectors and pump so can run any vegetable oil, others with the XUD 1.9 diesel engine will have proiblems using veg oil as it does not lubricate the pump sufficiently and the vanes seize up.

The 406Hdi has a totally different system for fuel delivery, sadly with this system if you use vegetable oil, the main problem is the fuel lift pump in the tank. The bushes on the motor dry out and small particles of phospher bronze get into the pipes, pump and injectors causing a total failure and need to replace the lot.

Having said that though, if the rapeseed oil was converted to Biodiesel, it can be mixed with dino-diesel up to 10%.

Converting Veg oil to bio diesel removes the glycerol from the oil. Do some research.

Answer 11

Of course you can- many people even use condoms in their cars very successfully!

Answer 12

Less driving or driving in groups would be better conservation.  Using any other fuel does not reduce global warming, besides it could create other health hazards as well.   Using the public transport system more efficiently could be a solution to global warming.