Vegtable oil as a Legal replacement for Diesel?

alikat_3

I was waiting to watch Hugh Fernley Whittington's (typo) program on Sky the other night, while the program before was about a couple with a small holding & I wasn't really concentrating but pricked up my ears, when Mr Smallholding said he was now running his land rover on vegtable oil after spending £200 on a converstion & not only was he saving money but this was far better for the enviroment. Although I knew it was possible to run a diesel engine on vegtable oil, I would be interested to know several thing's.

Did the above spend £200 on converting a petrol engine to Diesel or was the £200 spent on moderfacations needed to run his Diesel vehicle on vegtable oil, as I have heard that it can be both bad for the engine but also it has no bad effects?

From above, is vegtable oil alone OK or do other ingridients need to be added & can Diesel & vegtable oil be mixed, etc?

Is it legal, I would imagine the above as a self employed person would have tax added to his accounts, but how would an employed person go about doing this legally?

I'm not looking to do anything illigal, but on catching this on TV would be interested to know if I can legally run a diesel more economically.

I seem to have posted this in the wrong place, could it please be moved?

saveapenny

https://www.frybrid.com/forum/index.php?

you might find this forum usefull

alikat_3

Thank you ever so :-)

jordylass

That forum seems to be selling the conversion pack. Do a search on google and you will find more information than you will have time to look through.
From my research there are a few options.
-convert the engine and run on svo (straight veg oil)
-do nothing to the engine and mix the veg oil with deisel, not more than 50/50 in winter but upto 70/30 oil/derv mix in summer, this is the ost straight forward option you just add some oil to the tank after putting in some deisel.

Tax has to be paid at about 40p per litre.

alikat_3

Thank you Jordylass thats a great, do you use this method yourself?

jordylass

Sometimes, but with the tax it's almost more bother than it's worth. I bought a Pajero to pull my caravan knowing it would run on this veg oil, from threads on Pajero Owners Club, but although it's better for the environment it is still being heavily taxed.

Any deisel car will run on veg oil, its what the engine was built for, but my ex wont put it in his new(ish) Audi, just in case, and I think a lot of people are worried about what will happen.

It does affect seals and things, but all easily maintained.

alikat_3

Thank you again Michelle, it's something I'm definatly going to look into, although wont be using the normal extra virgin olive oil
Alice