Vegetable Oil combined with diesel?

lily_the_pink

Does anyone have any experience of doing this? (First hand or anecdotal).

There are various websites that I've looked at (https://www.goatindustries.co.uk and other linked sites) and obviously there is the paperwork of self-declaration to C&E to consider, but does anyone know if there are any MPG issues or engine damage issues (apart from lucas pumps)?

Also does anyone know about any environmental issues - ie does it make air particulate emissions better or worse?

abomb1969

Spot on matey only do this if you have a Bosch pump. My "ahem" mate ran his VW Passat TDi 110bhp for 60k on veg oil (bought from Costco) and diesel mix. It smells. DOnt get it on the paintork and especially not any plastic trim. Dont get caught. Dont bother registering with HMCE as a fuel producer its more hassle than its worth. If you get caught expect fines. If you do it properly you should double your mpg on a diesel cost equivalent. DOnt bother trying to buy too much from Tesco everyone will know what you are going to use it for.

To really save money you might as well get hold of red diesel, paraffin or ordinary domestic heating fuel in a tank in the garden its only 23p, and the fines would be the same anyway.

N9eav

What ever you do, don't tell anyone. There is always someone who will report you. Keep it a secret. Avoid red diesel it's visibly detectable and will be picked up by most officers with a syphon bottle.

chris73

I wonder if these people who profess to run their cars on cooking oil ever have their car serviced?. It's all well and good saying 'Don't tell anybody what you are doing' but I'm sure any mechanic removing a fuel filter will know exactly what you are upto!, even if you filled up with regular road diesel before taking it in, there is bound to be loads of residue in and around the filter, injectors and glow plugs, and the same would apply if you ever had to call out the AA or RAC.

Ooops Mr Mechanic the fairies seem to have syphoned all of my road diesel and replaced it with 'fry and shake' - so Is it really worth the risk?.

abomb1969

Veg oil gets around the cylinders and into the oil so that smells too. And as for red diesel being more detectable than one that has been anywhere near veg oil for a thousand miles thats rubbish, they stink for ages after you put it in whereas red deisel needs to be extracted and is undetecatable by smell. Mind you red diesel stains your pipes and tank. As I said before all of this can lead you to financial ruin and a criminal conviction, we are talking tax evasion here. Oh and insurance could be invalid in these circumstances. If you are caught which is unlikely. My "ahem" friend who ran on veg oil now has an lpg range rover its just far simpler especially as I can buy it for 32p alitre in Corby, the equivalent of about 45 to the gallon compared to petrol.

paul_h

Registering with HMCE is not difficult, you just phone them and they send you the forms - once you are registered, you fill in a form once a month with your usage and send a cheque for the appropriate amount of duty at 27.1p per litre - the system is totally self-policed - you tell them how much you have put in. That makes you completely legal, as you have evidence that you are paying duty.

MPG shouldn't be affected.

Emissions are improved with most engines, especially with the twin tank pre-heater conversions, and there is no sulphur emissions from vegetable oil. Sulphur is added to mineral diesel to improve lubrication, vegetable oil has better lubrication qualities without any additives.

The conversions are the way to go, running veg oil or a mix without any modification can cause problems - blocked filters, pipework, pump rotor wear, and it's instant death to Lucas/CAV pumps and the electric pumps on high pressure direct injection type engines. :doh:

Red diesel (35-second grade heating oil) will work fine, but don't get caught...

Kerosene (28-second grade heating oil) will run a diesel, but it doesn't do them any good - no lubrication qualities again. I know someone who ran a diesel on kerosene cut with a little hydraulic oil and boy did it smoke...

bingo_bango

The only problem I have with people doing this is the smell wwhen you're following them up the motorway! I'm bl00dy starving after sitting behind one of these things, and then the car smells like you've been doing fast food deliveries. Don't know how many are using it in England , Wales etc, but in NI, they seem to be everywhere.
And as for not getting caught...... impossible to hide when they can smell you coming for 500 yards!

DO_YOU_KNOW_DAVE

Here are two cracking sites you can look at for more info
https://www.localb100.com
https://www.biodieselnow.com
ask on the forums for answers!

lily_the_pink

Thanks for all the information - I think registering with HMCE is a wise move. It is a friend who is after the emissions information (he is a black cabbie and will have to have an expensive approved conversion in the next few years so is looking around for alternatives to propose to the authorities that would be more economical).

BargainHunterCat

Hi there,
I run a business so I have to declare my fuel costs for tax purposes. I buy my bio fuel from proper bio fuel retailers. It currently costs 75-80p per litre.
You can get a list of retailers from https://www.bio-power.co.uk and they also have links to all the customs forms you need to fill in if you want to produce it yourself.
I dont mix bio fuel with diesel if I can help it as I find diesel is a far inferior fuel. I do better mpg and my cars definitely go faster on vegetable oil!
If it's a bit "lumpy" on a cold morning, you could try getting a heat exchanger fitted. Again details with be on the bio power web site.
I'm very cautious and I have car stickers in both my diesel cars clearly stating that I'm using bio fuel and I carry my latest fuel receipt with me at all times just in case!

abomb1969

Some thing to look into here. Registering with HMCE is not going to be straightforward. You have to make biodiesel ie remove the thick soap making part of the oil, and HMCE may inspect your premises to see how you do this. From my trawling of forums it seems that HMCE departments are not consistent in their application of the law. Simply mixing veg oil with derv probably wont be sufficient for them, although I suspect a heated veg oil kit will do the trick. I am not 100% sure of my facts here so dont flame me if I am talking out of my backside!