Does anyone have any information on using vegetable oil as an alternative to diesel in a small car?

Question

It strikes me as an incredibly simple and cheap way to run a diesel car (until the Government tax vegetable oil to the hilt!!!).

Is using vegetable oil just as efficient as diesel in terms of mileage and would it harm the engine in any way?

I am seriously considering it. As well as being cheaper, presumably it is a lot better for the environement.

Answer 1

Don't you need to have a conversion done to the engine though, same as a few years ago when you could have a 4* petrol engine converted to run on unleaded petrol

Answer 2

I use a 60/40 diesel/oil mix in my Nissan Terrano - most diesels will run on anything up to 100% veg oil with no modification. Mine gives same mpg or a bit more, a bit quieter & noticeably better power - just buy oil off the supermarket shelf & pour it in the tank.

You can use straight veg oil (svo), waste oil (wvo) or make your own biodiesel using chemicals, you're not liable to pay duty on anything up to 2,500 litres per year.

Email me with your vehicle details & I can be more specific about what you can & can't use.

Answer 3

add 1 cap full of white spirit per litre to thin it down in cold weather and filter second hand oil before using ,other wise nothing else to do ,my self and brother have used just about every kind of cooking oil going for years ,buy in 5 gallon cans from wholesaler.

Answer 4

http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_ma...

Answer 5

It can be done but i think its 3 to 1 ratio and there is mileage limitation,by law,if the right mix is used i dont think and harm will be done,i know many people using it not me personally.

Answer 6

Sorry, I cannot help much, but I've seen on Top Gear that if you do it in the UK, you have to inform the government how many litres of diesel you are producing and then you need to pay taxes on them… (that is if you want it legal… they'll never find out :p)

I know it's easy to make, but also easy to make a mistake. You can turn your vegetable oil into soap instead of into diesel, by mistake. Ofcourse you can't use that ;-) But I'm not really sure how you make it… Maybe you can google for a recipe ;-)

I also know that your exhaust will smell like the food that was cooked in the oil. Mmm french fries…

good luck ;-)

[edit] No, you don't need a conversion of any type! [/edit]