I have heard so much about using vegetable oil in diesil engines. is it against the law. and what is the mix?

Question

what is the mixture between diesil and vegetable oil

Answer 1

There's no "mix" - just stick it in! Though it does mix well with ordinary diesel which you can add in really cold weather to prevent it from waxing. You can even add some petrol to help it start easier. Though, if all your glo-plugs are good you probably won't need to and if you are direct-injected you almost certainly won't need to. Any vegetable oil will work fine, so just get the cheapest - usually rapeseed. Don't use anything that solidifies when cold - like olive oil or animal fats which a lot of chip-shops use for frying. (Unless, of course, it is for something like a farm generator, where some people install kettle elements into the fuel tank to melt it, using mains supply until they 'get going' - but this needs careful consideration also, with regard to keeping, or getting, the fuel lines and injector-pump warm).

It's not illegal off road - eg., in 'plant' or in your home generator or even on the road (you can buy it at the pumps in some stations, it's called 'eco-diesel'. But if you fuel a vehicle on a public road in the UK (or even in a boat now, I believe!) using veg. oil and don't declare what you use to 'Customs' and pay the 'duty' then you risk being had for tax evasion. (The duty is included in the price if you buy at the pumps). This would almost certainly apply throughout the EC too.

Give it a go. About the only emissions are CO (which you get whenever you burn anything). You'll get slightly fewer MPG than modern, so called "City" diesel. Try filling up occasionally with the later to give the injectors a good clean.

Answer 2

It can be used, but must be filtered first, particularly if it is "used". You can get special tanks that do this that come on a small trailer.

You'd be best advised to put an additive in that's like anti-freeze so it doesn't get too thick when cold.

You do have to keep records and voluntarily pay the duty on it - don't know how much it is but guessing it's the same as on "red" diesel or even normal diesel but at least you aren't filling the pockets of an oil company too.

Older tech diesel engines use "glow plugs" to pre-heat diesel before it gets compressed through the injectors. This is because diesel used to be very low grade and a similar consistency to vegetable oil, particularly at low temp. Modern diesels use direct injection without glow plugs or a pre-mix chamber which is why they may not be as effective on it or may even need some sort of modification.

Answer 3

Depends a lot on the engine; older engine designs seem to run quite happily on various mixes, allowing for peculiar effects in cold weather, but up-to-date "technical" engines don't seem to like it.

It's not illegal, but you have to keep records & pay the good old Customs the appropriate duty. If you get caught in a "dip" test, it will show up & you can expect to be turned over thoroughly, including a search of your records and premises.

You know what Customs are like, they can do just about anything. Happened to a friend, he got spun good and proper but he was all above board and they congratulated him on his set-up, were pleased with his records and thanked him for the tea before they left!

By the by, any fuel used (legally) on the highway is taxable.

Answer 4

hi there, yes you can put vegetable oil in diesels, you can put the oil in straight if you want but the only down fall with doing so is when the weather is really cold then the diesel engine harder to start, if you were to put the oil in then i would suggest that you put 50/50 in, by the way it is not against the law as it is not a taxable fuel, but the police can fine you for using it (thank you gorden brown)! hope this helps from gary

Answer 5

No mix. Bio-diesel is made from vegetable oil, but it must go through a chemical process first. Otherwise, it can screw up your fuel system. The kit for making bio-diesel yourself costs about $10,000 (I think - a little research will give you a solid figure), and takes a few hours for it to do it's job.

Answer 6

Diesel engines can run on vegetable oil, but usually they have to be adapted to do it. Otherwise the veg oil can jell plugging the fuel system.

Answer 7

ti is perfectly legal, because of the day diesels work you can use straight vegetable oil - even used vegetable oil - but you will need to get your oil changed a lot more often, and your fuel filters will get dirty very quickly.

Answer 8

Grease Car is a site where you can run straight vegetable oil (=SVO) in diesel engines.

http://www.greasecar.com/



You can also mix "biodiesel". Here is a site that tells you all about it and how to make it. It is a much better fuel than diesel: it lubricates better, costs much less, and is MUCH less harmful to the environment.

http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html


Have fun and tell me how it goes!

Answer 9

Why would you do that - are you a "rocket scientist"?