Running a car on vegetable oil

tubster

Dear forumers
I would be interested to hear from people that run diesel cars on vegetable oil. From what I can grasp on the internet, this is perfectly legal if you register with customs and excise and declare how much you use as AMAZINGLY, the government slap a tax on vegetable oil if you burn it in a car rather than a frying pan (although the rate is lower than diesel/petrol and the quantity you use is somewhat unprovable I should think). Some people seem to mix it with diesel half and half; others use just oil and spent two or three hundred pounds on a conversion kit for their car. You can get oil from the supermarket, or even for free from restaurants if you are prepared to filter it. It strikes me that this could be a) a major money saver b) if everyone did it, a major contribution to a greener environment c) part of a solution to oil dependency in this country. For this to work we need people to experiment with it; cooking oil recycling centres/oil stations; tax breaks for veg oil; decent research into the long term effects of running veg oil in diesel engines. People have got excited about wave and wind power, but veg oil power needs thinking about too, not least because any diesel car/lorry driver can use it.
Please post any thoughts or experiences!

carl310166

Lots to read here,

http://www.dieselveg.com/

tubster

Thanks Carl, great site
I have written an email to my MP via https://www.writetothem.com (a brilliant way to get hold of your representatives by the way) to push for the tax on vegetable oil, which is 27.5p, reduced. If it costs 40p plus 27.5 per litre for vegetable oil, I am not sure the saving is worth the hassle of getting the car converted and having to go to supermarkets for bottles of oil. If it was 40p, I would be the first in the queue. The only way to do this at the moment would be to register with customs and excise so you are covered legally, and mis-report to them how much you use which would be illegal. This is bonkers - veg oil has no emissions and it grows in fields not in oil wells in Iraq. Surely we should be encouraged, not penalised to use it?

carl310166

It just shows how the government are not really bothered about encouraging the use of rewnewable fuels,it's a crime in my eyes.

This is another good site,

http://www.bio-power.co.uk/

If you are in any doubt about the Cutoms and Revenue,read the Taxation part,and then the bit about the "visit" !

inmypocketnottheirs

As Carl says above do not for one minute think the government is interested in the environment. The Kyoto agreement for example, and the climate change levy, is just another method of raising taxes. Otherwise, eco friendly bio fuels would be taxed less to make it worthwhile for consumers to switch. But the govt can not face the loss of tax revenue.

matty_c608

It only works with the older Diesel cars though right!?

Wig

matty_c608 wrote:

It only works with the older Diesel cars though right!?

No it should work with just about any diesel, especially the new ones which have been designed to withstand the effects of bio diesel. Don't expect your warranty to be valid though should anything go wrong.

There might be some problems if you have a diesel car with injectors designed for a very fine spray. Best to ask for advice in discussion on honest john, but do expect a lot of doom and gloom nay sayers to spout a lot of waffle, try to look for the people who know about your car specifically and have a decent understanding of the subject.

To OP

The duty of 27.5p is very reasonable if you get your oil free from a chip shop. And Everyone virtually will undestimate their useage I know someone who does it regularly, he uses supermarket oil mixed at 50/50 in summer 30/70 in winter - no problems on his older car or his newer one which is a fiat marea or something like that.

Re: the government

Others are right they really don't care about the environment. That's why they are going to switch from taxing "road fuel" to "road use per mile" then it won't matter what fuel you use.

silverfoxdude

I was gonna start this thread but thought, you might think I was a nutty (as in nut oil lol)

I have an 'L' reg clio, diesel car. I have filled up with veg oil, at 79.9p a ltr and the car seems to be running a bit better if I'm honest. Its zero emissions and apparently I only need to change my filters about evry 5 months. The car did smell like a chipy for the first run, but now I either dont notice it, or there isnt a smell anymore.

I like using this.....

sorry, just to add, I go to a man who has a garage pump on his land, (hes a mechanic of some sort). I know if I looked about I could probably get it cheaper, but as its near where I go most weeks, its convenient for me

retailwarrior

Hey silverfoxdude

Snap but I just wang in the iol from the supermarket. There was a clearance the other day of pura, just 20p a ltr!! My car runs better than ever and starts with no problems.

To go back to wigs input. It is worth upping the ratio of deisel in winter as the cold makes the SVO a bit gloopy. But in summer its almost 10-90!

tubster

I am really interested in trying this diesel/veg oil mixture in my old 1990 Mercedes 300D. If anyone has tried it, I would love to hear about how you got on/any advice.
Tubster

abomb1969

Only use SVO (straight veg oil) if you have a Bosch fuel pump. If you have a Lucas pump it WILL die.

Never go over 70/30 SVO to DERV. I would only do 30/70 in the winter.

SVO is not a legal road fuel unless you pay full fuel duty on it, only biodiesel which is treated to thin it is legal at the lower duty. You have to prove to HMCE that you are treating your fuel. Other forums might tell you different though so read into it properly.

If you get stopped, which is possible as your car will stink, you will be have problems with Inland Revenue, some coppers might not care. If you do this just make sure your car has nothing wrong with it giving the coppers a reason to stop you ie broken light, funny numberplate. If you crash you could be uninsured.

If you are going to perform VAT and fuel duty fraud you might as well use paraffin/red diesel or heating fuel its cheaper and will run with no DERV mixed in.

I have used SVO in a Passat TDi and a Citroen ZX non turbo to good effect.