Converting diesel vehicles to run on vegetable oil

Does anyone know how to do it or have any information? I read a little something about it today, but I am having trouble finding more information.

Thanks
Mindy

 

I've heard about that.. I don't think that anyone ever finished this idea yet tho..

 

but hey, if I'm wrong, let me know cause that would be pretty amazing

(I think they were using that yellow flower stuff, some kind of beet or turnip?)

 

http://www.greasecar.com/ is a good link.

Actually the conversion is quite simple. The diesel engine was designed to burn fuel like vegetable oil. The only conversion necessary is to heat the veggy oil so that it flows easier. Many systems use an electric heater to start the process and then use engine heat once it is warm enough. If you want to use "raw" used oil, you will also need some filtration systems, but I would recommend filtering the veggy oil before hand.

 

so.. would my moms 98 vw beetle work? i'm confused about all of this

 

I just saw a show the other day about this, it seems people have been doing it for awhile. It doent take much in the way of convertion but there is a loss of power. They did'nt say anything about the cost however, but i noticed they lost alot of oil during the refining, and it does require heat to do it, which brings us back to the same problem

 

Why not just convert the oil to biodiesel?

 

thats cool.. I wonder what would it be like if everyone could do this thing

 

Cool site, thank you. I really think I am going to do this for my next car.

 

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Used oil is not classified as "hazardous waste". Yes, you can run any diesel on veg. oil as long as you start it on reg. diesel or biodiesel, however, you better filter the oil well, get rid of stray protien, and balance the pH.

It is a nice project for curiosity, but this technology does not have a chance of really changing the nature of our oil-dependent societies. Bet on hydrogen!

The free supplies of cooking oil are quite limited. Biodiesel producers are using the same resources, so as these alternative fuel ideas catch on, the supply will dry up. It is not cost effective to raise oil crops for fuel. methanol from biomass would be a much better option. Methane from sewage and compost is also technology to considder.

In the end, only hydrogen has a chance to help truly change things!

Jim

 

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http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html

http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel.html

 

http://www.voiceyourself.com/article.php?section=11&more=1&id=1456

 

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I seen report's from 1 trucking company in iowa that showed 60% of the fuel they burned was while the truck's were idling.

 

First off, i totally disagree with the assertion that there are any significant technological barriers to full implimentation of Hydrogen vehicles. There is absolutely no reason why we should not be driving primarily hydrogen powered vehicles within 5 years or less. Some of the specific technology, i am directly involved in perfecting.

vegetable oil can not be dumped down the drain, but it is not classified as hazarous waste, or they could not give it to you for disposal without breaking the law. It is a waste product that is usually collected for free by various companies that use it as a feed stock. The availability of free oil in our area is rapidly declining.

Biodiesel is a diversion technolgy to pacify the masses while the oil companies keep taking profits. Biodiesel synthesis requires methanol, but methanol itself is currently made primarily as a petroleum byproduct. Methanol itself is actually a better fuel in many respects, but it is too expensive and does not have good lubricity. Methanol can be produced from cellulose, and could solve a lot of waste and fuel issues if there was enough resources directed that way.

Biodiesel distracts us from doing something real. It is a curiostiy for tinkerers, and a stop-gap technology that is more fad than substance!

Jim

 

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Hydrogen can be split from water by sunlight in a photo-electrochemical cell using compound semiconductors with the appropriate band gap energy. The two problems with the current state of the art have to do with rate of production, and electrode degradation. We have answers to those two problems. H is stored quite safely and effectively in Palladium. In fact, you can fit more hydrogen in the lattice of Pd than you can in the same space as liq. H2. the fuel can be produced by solar panels on your garage, and you can fill up every time you return home. There are no significant technological barriers! It is just politics and macroeconomics that will delay the implementation of this technology.

Jim