I brought the auto express magazine today (1000th issue ) and inside there was a section about how to spend £1000. One of the options was the cooking oil converter.
I showed my dad (he is the boss after all ) to try and convince him but apparently he heard that over time it can ruin the engine.
I, a petrolhead, has never heard this before. Is it true?
I wouldnt normally bother asking but this is a chance to save us 50p per litre when we go through 500 pw.
Also if anyone has an issue there, can you post the website for the company cos i want to look and left mine at work

Where can you buy veggie oil at ten bob a litre ?

The supermarkets have certainly cranked their prices since the relaxation of the duty rules on road fuel.

This lot here were going on about how they were running their diesel cars on cooking oil with no bother, mixing it a bit with straight diesel. No converter is necessary and I'd be trying it in my JCB.

I was going to use a supplier for chip shops and the like as they won't be so gready as the supermarkets.



[Edited on 22/2/08 by Mr Whippy]

quote:

---

Originally posted by zilspeed
Where can you buy veggie oil at ten bob a litre ?

---

if its an old diesel, no problem, chuck it in and enjoy a cheap way of driving,

however if its a new(ish) diesel, then the cooking oil can break injection pumps very often, and i speak from experience here, injection pumps are horrible things to replace, (ok it was possibly worse on a movano than on a normal car)

if you want cheap fuel for a new(ish) diesel engine, have a look at making your own biodiesel....


you can then go and laugh at the green people when the criticise you for using your car

Yep, I use it in my old Land Rover. I mix it 50:50 with diesel - runs fine with no issues, smells a bit sweeter to.

Just went through it's MOT with no issues.

I had a mate who had a bio plant for his wagon yard (may still have it). He was buying waste chip oil. Worked great but a couple of times there was animal oil in the drums which shagged the job up somewhat. Plant needed big clean down and wagons stopped. The key is getting a good reliable supply.

He stopped using it after a while.


I understand there is a difference between usingstraight veggie oil as a fuel and making bio diesel.

Dont forget to declare the duty if you use over a certain amount.

quote:

---

Originally posted by novacaine
if its an old diesel, no problem, chuck it in and enjoy a cheap way of driving,

however if its a new(ish) diesel, then the cooking oil can break injection pumps very often, and i speak from experience here, injection pumps are horrible things to replace, (ok it was possibly worse on a movano than on a normal car)

if you want cheap fuel for a new(ish) diesel engine, have a look at making your own biodiesel....


you can then go and laugh at the green people when the criticise you for using your car

---

I used to repair petrol pumps and found that cooking oil wore out standard pump units in less that 2 months normally they last for years. The filters clogged so badly the owners removed them so all the debris went straight into the veichles fuel tank. In cold weather it thickened like diesel used to because addatives to stop it were too expensive. I WOULDNT TOUCH IT WITH A BARGE POLE. Bio diesel from major manufacturers are reasonably good but it may invalidate any warranty. The fuel filters will need to be changed frequently and some vehicles suffer from water being detected in the fuel.


Some one I know got some from a 'BAD BATCH' it completly blocked the fuel pipes, filters, pump and injectors. It cost £700 to strip replace clean the fuel system. The garage closed down shortly after this and many more of the same. Only some people were compensated

[Edited on 22/2/08 by Bigheppy]

have a look at greenfuels. they do the fuel pod that was on 5th gear.

afaik, it makes DIN standard diesel fuel like their bigger plants.

i've spent the last 12 weeks working on an enterprise project to set up a biodiesel company so i've been through all the legislation and crap. it's brilliant fun..........i'd best get a good mark!

anyway, the cap for duty is 2500litres. after that you need a permit to produce and owe the government 28.35pence per litre. i can't fathom how they'd know when you've made 2500 litres though.

the main problem with straight veg oil is the viscosity and the glycerin. the main problem with crap biodiesel is the methanol. a proper plant will remove the methanol and glycerin though and the fuel pod 2 even auto titrates the mixture so it gets dosed correctly with methylate.

there's good money to be made if you can get the waste oil for free. of the chips shops i spoke to, all have organised collection services, but a couple said if you can offer a better service, come have a word.
tom

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bigheppy
I used to repair petrol pumps and found that cooking oil wore out standard pump units in less that 2 months normally they last for years. The filters clogged so badly the owners removed them so all the debris went straight into the veichles fuel tank. In cold weather it thickened like diesel used to because addatives to stop it were too expensive. I WOULDNT TOUCH IT WITH A BARGE POLE. Bio diesel from major manufacturers are reasonably good but it may invalidate any warranty. The fuel filters will need to be changed frequently and some vehicles suffer from water being detected in the fuel.

---

Here is a good site DieselVeg

and using this calc it has made me wanna buy a diesel and do it

Calc

What a saving!!!!!

O

LPG is so much simpler.

Fill up at Morrisons. (49.9p / litre)
Drive.

Repeat as required.

quote:

---

Originally posted by indykid

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bigheppy
I used to repair petrol pumps and found that cooking oil wore out standard pump units in less that 2 months normally they last for years. The filters clogged so badly the owners removed them so all the debris went straight into the veichles fuel tank. In cold weather it thickened like diesel used to because addatives to stop it were too expensive. I WOULDNT TOUCH IT WITH A BARGE POLE. Bio diesel from major manufacturers are reasonably good but it may invalidate any warranty. The fuel filters will need to be changed frequently and some vehicles suffer from water being detected in the fuel.

---

biodiesel has better lubricity than mineral diesel, and scania and VW honour warranties for vehicles run on 100% biodiesel. citroen and peugeot up to 30%

so many people seem to confuse biodiesel with straight veg oil. it's like comparing a car to a lump of old iron

tom

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by zilspeed
LPG is so much simpler.

Fill up at Morrisons. (49.9p / litre)
Drive.

Repeat as required.

---

My kit was 400 quid - plus the tank.
That's for sequential injection.

Have you tried tinleytech ?