Does anyone have experience with converting a diesel vehicle to run on waste vegetable oil (WVO)?

Question

I have a 2003 diesel VW Beetle and have been thinking about doing this. Can anyone who has actually had a vehicle converted offer any advice on this? How difficult is it to get oil? For example would talking a 1000 mile road trip be out of the question? How much does the conversion cost? How do these fuel systems do in cold weather. I'm in NE Pennsylvania...do you know of a reputalbe WVO distributor/converter? Thanks for any advice -

Answer 1

The engine will NOT blow up by running WVO! It is the same thing as the Soy Diesel that you can get in most cities in the US.

First you need to make or buy the converter. It separates the solids that can clog fuel filters and cause fuel to gel up in cold weather. This is a link for kits to do it. You can make your own, I used to have the instructions for it but lost them and don't remember where I found it.

http://www.veggiefuelsystems.com/

This is in reality better than petro-diesel, because it adds lubricants to the fuel that the government has required the fuel companies remove.

Your engine will NOT need to be modified.

Another trick is propane! You inject a VERY SMALL AMOUNT of propane into the engine it will act as an accelerant and will enable your engine to completely burn all fuel and virtually eliminate "black smoke". Your mileage should increase 2-6 MPG. Google it to find a kit for your car.

Answer 2

my step dad used to do it......her would mix it then drain it threw a sock soo no bad or thick liquids could get threw ........

Answer 3

best engine are om616 and om617 diesels.Indirect injection.I do it heat fuel before I.P. to 170 degrees.Homemade conversion not over $160 spent.Heat chamber coolant and glow plug heaters with thermostat.Second tank in summer for two tank.Start and shut down on diesel.I buy oil from restaurants at $1.00 a gals. It forces the grease vendors out.

Answer 4

Many diesel engines do not need to be converted or changed at all to run on biodiesel.

Biodiesel can be made from waste vegetable oil - no diesel engine can run on WVo directly.  Making biodiesel from WVO is cheap and easy, but it does take some time.  

Search for "making your own biodiesel" on google, and you will get plenty of relevant links.

Answer 5

Hi, go to greasecar.com or greaseon.com or lovecraft.com they all have kits to let you run wvo in your VW

Answer 6

i know someone who did this it was a different car tho.....now he doesnt drive anymore because he doesnt have a car his engine blew up!

Answer 7

Willie Nelson knows how

Answer 8

Engines can be modified to run on straight vegetable oil (SVO) but they need frequent tinkering. A better way to run on used oil is to convert the oil to bodiesel. Biodiesel can be used anyplace you can burn #2 fuel oil without modifying anything. To make biodiesel you can build your own processor or buy one. The chemicals needed to make biodiesel will bring your production costs to about $1/gallon. Its not something you will be able to do on the road, but you can do it for your everyday driving. When you need fuel on the road, just buy petrodiesel. For more information get the book "From The Frier to the Fuel Tank. " You can order it from biodiesel solutions. Biodiesel can be burned by oil furnaces , too. SVO can't.

Biodieselsolutions.com