Is it Ok to use Cooking oil as Fuel?

Question

Is it Ok to use Cooking oil as Fuel in a Ford Mondeo 2.2 Diesel 2004 Model? With TDCI Engine?

Answer 1

Short Answer - Yes!

Cooking oil - Straight Vegetable Oil (SVO)

Mix it 50/50 with diesel when it's cold, less diesel required in the summer.

Don't use old oil unless you process it first.

Don't listen to the multitude of know it alls who will tell you it's no good for your engine.

The Viscosity Index of Cooking Oil is higher than Diesel, it also remains a better oiler at temperature therefore accurately machine components of your FIP will not suffer.

Cooking oil will give you slightly more power than straight diesel - it is more thermally efficient than diesel.

Cooking oil will not push out so many noxious emissions, but your car will smell like a chip shop when running.

Cooking oil is not a fossil fuel and therefore comes from a renewable source.

Cooking oil requires a healthy battery and glowplugs to start in cold weather.

You look like a bit of a weirdo in Sainsburys when you buy 60 litres in one go.

You may need to check on the web if your lift pump will cope with cooking oil, as it's thicker when cold the lift pump may initially struggle to lift it from your tank - mixing it with diesel will help, so will fitting a heater.

You may need to register with Customs and Excise to pay any duty on use (there duty done!)

I used cooking oil for years - not in UK and it saved me a packet.

A mate of mine fitted used cooking oil in his mondeo for years, he loved it so much he fitted an auxilary tank so that he could start on diesel when it was cold and once he got motoring he'd flick it over to the SVO.

Good luck

Answer 2

The use of Straight Vegetable Oil (SVO) in engines with direct-injection, and particularly those with common-rail systems (such as the Mondeo TDCi) or Pumpe-Duse systems is not recommended. prolonged use may lead to "gumming" within the cylinders or the injection system. However there is not a lot of experiences as yet on which to judge how serious these problems may prove to be.

Also, as previous answerers have said, there are problems using it in cold weather as the oil gels, so cannot be pumped up from the tank to the engine. This can be solved by adding an additional tank containing a fuel-heating system for the SVO, retaining the standard tank for regular diesel, starting the engine on regular diesel, and only switching to SVO once the fuel has warmed.

You can get tips and benefit from others' experiences at http://www.vegetableoildiesel.co.uk/

Answer 3

You can only put 2 litres in a full tank of diesel. Then once the engine gets used to it you can put in more but no more than 50/50 at the very most in the winter. you should increase the amount of cooking oil gradually over a few weeks. You also have to declare to the taxman as if you use it as fuel it is taxable.

Answer 4

YES u can. Put 50% diesel and 50% vegetable oil. The best oil to use is pure rapeseed oil. I found that normal veg oil is too thick. But pure rapeseed oil is the best. Don't go more than 50/50 in cold months. Trust me I know. I know a man or too that do. It does not mess up your engine as some might think. In order for oil too work it must be mixed with something to thin it down and that something is already in your tank! Diesel. It needs to be warm and diesel will do that. The only thing you will notice is that your engine does not warm up as fast. Good for the environment. good for the pocket and good for you.

Answer 5

Generally speaking, cooking oil should be ok. However with a TDCi engine I would forget using cooking oil, the electronics will not work with this fuel.
Ja.

Answer 6

The conventional wisdom is no. The engine needs to be hot first. So you need two fuel tanks, and the ability to switch to the cooking oil after the engine warms up on diesel.

If you live someplace really hot, you might be able to bend the rules a bit.

Answer 7

ive got a mate who uses only cooking oil in his jeep. It works for him i aint got a clue about yours though