How do I run my Diesel car on vegetable oil?

Question

I know it's possible to run Diesel cars on vegetable oil but there are two things I need to know before I do this.

1) I think I need to add something to the oil before putting it into the car (but I don't know what it is that needs to be added)

2) In the UK it's illegal to do this without paying the tax man. How do you make the relevant excise payments?


(please - this is a proper question can the "two point gamers" NOT answer this question - thanks)

I'm not just doing this because it's cheaper but it is more enviromentally friendly to burn vegetable based feul rather than that from crude oil.
It won't be long before we're all using bio-fuell

Yes, Vegetable oil will produce CO2 but because it's grown from a plant source it is carbon neutral unlike diesel

Answer 1

Check the article on page 17 'Have vegetable oil will travel' for a complete explanation. The way to get around the tax issue (which would bring the price of the vegetable oil up to almost that of diesel) is to buy waste oil abroad from restaurants.

http://www3.open.ac.uk/events/0/2006920_37060_o1.pdf

Answer 2

As far as i'm aware you can run your diesel on vegatable oil without modification although i heard that it will run better on used oil. Supposedly it is not very good for the engine but I can't see what damage it will do. I would not however recomend it's used in a modern turbo diesel since these are very complex engines and costly to repair if it does go wrong. However if you have an old diesel van give it a go.

As for the tax issue, it is illegal to run a car on any fuel that has not had the duty paid on it. There would be no point in trying to pay the duty as it would make your cooking oil no cheaper than regular diesel.

I have attached a link that may be usefull.

Answer 3

I've been running on a 50/50 mix of Diesel to Veg oil for 2,000 miles now, it runs quieter than it did on pure diesel, produces no black smoke, like it used to and no change to performance & economy. To convert to running fully on veg oil, you need to add a heater to the fuel supply, or treat the veg oil to remove the sterols(?) using lye and methanol.
It's best to change the fuel filter after 1000 miles, because the veg oil cleans all the gunk out of the fuel system, and as someone has already said, it only works on old style diesel engines, with common rail it is too risky and expensive of things go wrong.
The tax issue I suggest writing to Department of transport, I have heard of people being prosecuted in the UK for avoiding excise duty.

Answer 4

You would have to be an officially recognised oil producer, as you will be effectively making your own fuel. There are, I believe, some oil companies looking to make a marketable "bio" fuel for general retail, but this is a long way off.

The short answer is yes it is possible, it is a simple additive that is requires, you'll find the ingredient by doing a Google search. You will not, however, be able to pay the relevant duty, and even if you were able to, you'd still be no better off financially.

If it is a green issue, I applaud you, but vegetable oil is still carbon based and produces more or less the same chemicals as burning modern diesel.

Answer 5

Don't use it in a new or recent car, except in very small amounts (up to 5% mix with normal diesel). Any car with common-rail or Pumpe-Duse injection will have problems with it, as will some earlier-designed engines with direct injection using a rotary pump. Indirect-injection engines will have less problems.

See http://www.vegetableoildiesel.co.uk/forum/index.php for more information.

Answer 6

I know someone who ran his car on a 50/50 mix of diesel and veg oil. But it sounded like a tractor, it works but is not good for your engine.
If you want to do it properly you need to make some mods to the engine I think.
I think most people dodge the tax ;-)

Answer 7

Even if this was possible. Is a gallon of Vegetable Oil cheaper than a gallon of Diesel Fuel? Does vegetable oil burn cleaner? Why would you want to do this?

Answer 8

The main thing you need is a heater to warm it up so it will flow better

Answer 9

Don't bother, a friend of mine tried it, his engine lasted 6 months. Yes it does work but the engine doesn't like it, the purity cannot be attained

Answer 10

quit being a tight wad... you weren't worried about fuel mileage when you bought it but now all we hear is crybaby after crybaby trying to improve their mileage. enough already!!!
you just keep right on sending your money to the middle east as they use it to finance the killing of people around the world in the name of finatical islam.