How do i make my car run on vegetable/cooking oil?

Answer 1

The simple answer - you have a conversion kit installed in your diesel car, and then fill the tank and off you go.

What does the kit do?

Vegetable oil is more viscous (thicker) than diesel fuel when it is cold, although it is of a similar viscosity when hot. Because of this, a "normal" diesel engine is only able to run on vegetable oil when it is warm (as the oil needs to be warm when it goes through the injectors).

There are therefore 2 kits:

1. Simple, dual-fuel kits, allow the car to have a diesel tank and a vegetable oil tank. You start the car off on diesel then, after a few minutes, switch over to vegetable oil. The oil goes through the normal injectors, and with the car's pump but, because the system is warm, it works ok. You need to switch the car back to diesel for the last few minutes, to flush the vegetable oil out of the system so that the car will start properly the next time.

2. More extensive, combined kit. This includes tuning adjustment systems to handle diesel, vegetable oil or any mixture of the two. There is a single tank which you fill up. The kit includes different injectors and a more powerful fuel pump to allow the engine to cope with the viscosity of cold vegetable oil (it also includes a fuel pre-heating system). This system is fully automatic, but costs more.

The other problem is that, in Winter, normal disel fuel increases in viscosity so filling stations sell a thinner diesel fuel ("Winter Diesel") to avoid the problem. Supermarkets obviously don't sell "Winter-grade" vegetable oil in Winter, so in cold weather any viscosity problems will be compounded.

Answer 2

Good idea but I advise caution. Do a web search and you will find someone willing to adjust your car to run on such fuel; especially if it is a diesel. However be aware that you then have to pay full duty on any fuel you use; also refuelling might be a problem (although I suppose there are more supermarkets than petrol stations) Why this UK government does not consider real green issues never ceases to amaze me.

Answer 3

If you have an old diesel engine (early 90's) you might find that it is aready capable of running on Veg Oil but I woudn't recomemd trying it out.
Had a ate at Uni who ran an old reck of a diesel car (with out any modifications) on a mix of cooking oil (some recycled) and meths (or something like meths) .......... it worked!

Answer 4

If you mix cooking oil with diesel, about 50/50, It works like a dream.
My friend runs his car that way and even claims it cleans the engine, although I am dubious.
Also, it makes your exhaust smell like frying food.

Answer 5

all of the above, but you might want to keep in mind that it gunks up your engine after so many miles, so you would have to keep having you engine drained and cleaned out (much like a chip pan needs the oil changing and a good clean out every so often), cheaper fuel in the short term more expensive longer term. why dont you consider converting to LPG its a lot cheaper than petrol or diesel and wont gunk up your engine.

Answer 6

First of all, your car needs a Diesel engine. Then you need a $500 converter kit. Then you install the kit, and you're good to go.

Answer 7

diesel engine cars are designed originally for a vegi diesel, to run a diesel on vegi diesel is very simple, best plan of action is to start with bio diesel, this Will clear the engine and make the plant healthier, is you plan is to save money, bio-diesel costs more but is much better for your car, to run on vegi diesel a conversion kit is required, but i wouldn't recommend it. bio-diesel is the way forward.

Answer 8

go here www.greasecar.com