Veggie oil.

[r_chez_08]

Hi,
I want to get my first car this summer, as I am 16, and I can drive in 10 months. Need to work on it!

I would like to get a diesel mk1 golf (rabbit), like the one in my avatar. I need to drive 50 miles a day and the diesels are way more efficient than the petrols. The diesel 5 speeds can get around 50mpg (that's the proper imperial gallon, 4.5l or something, none of the American crap )

Diesel price here is around £1.40-1.50 per litre. I can get unused veggie oil for 93p per litre and used for a lot cheaper that that.
I would like to run it on svo (straight veggie oil) and a mix with a little diesel for easier starting in the winter.
I understand that svo is far thicker (more viscous) than diesel. Therefore it requires preheating when cold. I was considering having a small 12v inline heater as well as a plate heater which uses waste heat from the heater matrix. What other modifications may be required? I would like to run a singel tank, due to the simplicity and cost.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Rob

 

[OzFab]

Does that even work? I've never heard of vegie oil being used as a substitute for diesel. Where did you get that idea?

 

[r_chez_08]

Really? Yeah it works fine on many old cars, especially vee dubs and mecs. But needs a certain fuel pump, and be shed to start in the cold. On new cars it is harder to work as well.
Just type in svo car on google.

 

[r_chez_08]

any opinions?

 

[Doc Sprocket]

A few years ago I was researching homebrew biodiesel and WVO systems. I did come across one particular system that used straight WVO. All you had to do was filter it. It used two heaters, one in the tank and one inline. I do not remember a lot of detail, but try searching using WVO as a search term...

 

[newrider3]

If you do plan to start collecting and running WVO or WMO, I wouldn't even bother setting up some kind of filter setup with a pump and automotive filters like some people do, I would just save up and spring for a centrifuge designed to clean used oils. Do a search on Ebay, they run about $1500, but running free fuel this could pay itself off quickly.

 

[robbie]

I knew a guy who used veggie oil to run a diesel generator to power his mechanic shop. He told me that the larger the engine, the easier it is to run it on straight vegetable oil. His generator was powered by a large Cummins truck engine. He had also run Volkswagens, but he said they were more particular in their requirements. The generator would run without preheating at any temperature above 55 F.

A different friend told me about his Mercedes, which had two tanks and a fuel heater connected to the engine cooling system. It sounded pretty easy. The second tank was placed in the trunk. The fuel line was equipped with a T fitting, and there was an oil temperature gauge on the dashboard. The engine was started on diesel fuel, and when the oil tank reached the proper temperature, the T fitting was switched to use vegetable oil. When the car was to be parked long enough to cool off, it was switched over to diesel fuel again to clear the lines, and then shut down. I know you said you aren't interested in a 2-tank system, but it really does sound like the most practical way to set up a vegetable oil car.

Don't forget to filter your used motor oil and throw it in the tank, too.

 

[Bluethunder3320]

id get a block heater and use it in the winter, does a VW engine have glow plugs?

 

[full throttle]

you have to use a ratio though depending on how much you love your car probably 75% diesel 25% veggie oil otherwise you will hit problems if you use to much oil

 

[robbie]

you have to use a ratio though depending on how much you love your car probably 75% diesel 25% veggie oil otherwise you will hit problems if you use to much oil

Have you tried this? I've heard that you can burn 100% vegetable oil, but if you have found that this isn't true, I'd love to have more data on it. I'd like to set up my tractor to burn oil.

 

[rachelleB]

Does it work? It's pretty interesting. Tell me more about it.

 

[r_chez_08]

You can run 100% through some cars, depends where you live and what car, as well as wvo, svo and modifications.