Diesel, petrol or GAS?

DO_YOU_KNOW_DAVE

Paul you seem to know a lot about this subject, can I ask you why?
For me I was just interested in running a car on the cheap to start with, then reading on different sites the benifits of running cars on greener fuels for the enviroment etc. have become hooked.
I went down to L.I.L.I. and took a weekend course to learn how to make bio diesel. It was run by two guys from GOLDENFUELS. It is so easy to make and am now in the process of building a small plant to make around 100 litres a time in my garage.

Also just been searching google and found a Porsche 356 in Germany that has been converted to run on diesel. Shame there is no info on what engine they used, the only thing I can think of , is maybe a Subaru flat four. Do they do a flat four diesel?

paul_h

The veg oil thing is something I became interested in many years ago when the info first started to become available, I'm sure people used to think I was some sort of crackpot when I talked about it. I also found it an incredibly interesting subject, maybe they were right about me? Like you, cheap motoring was the lure, but after reading up you realise we can't keep burning this black stuff.

I must admit that at the time I never went beyond actually confirming that it worked by coupling a small tank up to the engine bay fuel line on our warmed up Rover diesel. I had suitable solenoid valves and was going to machine a heat exchanger out of aluminium, but never got round to it.

However, with parts now readily available I'll be looking into it again and am seriously thinking about fitting a conversion. I looked at the bio-diesel thing, but it looked more complicated than an engine conversion... Do you find it OK?

paul_h

DO_YOU_KNOW_DAVE wrote:

Also just been searching google and found a Porsche 356 in Germany that has been converted to run on diesel. Shame there is no info on what engine they used, the only thing I can think of , is maybe a Subaru flat four. Do they do a flat four diesel?

Not sure, but I do remember something about Subaru contracting Porsche to design a new flat four diesel a few years ago, so I reckon the Subaru's must be flat fours... or 'boxers' as they call them...

DO_YOU_KNOW_DAVE

I run a 106 peugot diesel. I currently buy my bio diesel from a farm on the A64 near York. I fill up when I pass as I live in Scarborough 40 miles away. My car runs fine on it. I would go down the route of veg conversion but the kit is worth more than my car.
If I ever get a half descent car I will go down that route.

paul_h

One good thing about the veg oil conversion is that you can take it off when you sell the car - it's easy to put the car back as it was, then fit the conversion on your new car.

It's not as complicated as, say, a lpg conversion on a petrol car.

DO_YOU_KNOW_DAVE

The Porsche 356! I've been racking my brains what engine it could be.
Could it be a Alfa diesel? I'd love to know!

DO_YOU_KNOW_DAVE

The problem with the conversion kit to veg oil for me is mainly that I only do short journeys. The veg oil would just be hot enough to switch as i'd reach my destination.
That is why I drive a crap old car! Can't see the point of me spending thousands of pounds on a car that just sits on my drive or at work rotting. On bigger journeys I try to use public transport, if not my car will do 70mph on the motorway.
If I was a commuter or used my car as part of my job i'd for one have a newer more efficent car and two have converted it to veg.

paul_h

I can see your problem if you only make short journeys.

I have to say there is more of an incentive for me, we rack up a fair few miles living where we do, it's really rural - there are no shops, schools, or anything here.

I had been thinking about lpg, but the veg oil conversion is definitely something I will look into - it's certainly more environmentally friendly

Cardew

DO_YOU_KNOW_DAVE wrote:

Is it true you use twice as much gas to get the same sort of milage as running on petrol, or have just plucked that out of the air? Still cheap though!
But i'd go down the veg oil route, just seems easier. Rape veg oil is around 40p a litre at the supermarket but will be cheaper in bulk, you still have to pay duty on it which I think is around 25p a litre. You would have to set up an account with the Customs and Excise and declare how much you have used.

Its worth reading about veg oil!

The calorific value of LPG is lower than petrol. Most tests show consumption on LPG is about 15-20% worse than petrol.

It makes sense to convert if you cover high mileage and don't need the luggage space the tank takes.

Problem is that Gordon in No 11 can wipe out the tax advantage at a stroke if he wishes.

michaels

I have been put off lpg cos the channel tunnel and the ferry companies refuse to transport lpg converted vehicles :-(