Diesel engines (biodiesel???)

nl

My question is will any diesel engine run on biodiesel, ie rape seed oil???? Or is there only specific diesel engines which will support this fuel??

I would also be very interested to know if anyone is currently running their car on rape seed oil and what kind of fuel comsumption they are getting?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

ninty9er

breanoh might know on that one. he spends his time tinkering on cars

overdriver

I'm running on pure veg oil now for the last 2 months and 5,000 miles. Its smoother, quieter, and the fuel consumption is the same as it was.

Biodiesel is NOT rapeseed oil. its a brand name for a blend of Diesel, veg oil, and methanol.

the way to go is to convert your engine with the Elsbett system, and run it on pure rapeseed oil.

Goi to www.ecocar.ie

nl

If I was to get the conversion kit to run on pure rapeseed oil can the engine also run on normal diesel???

Drax

overdriver wrote:

I'm running on pure veg oil now for the last 2 months and 5,000 miles. Its smoother, quieter, and the fuel consumption is the same as it was.

Cool. And where do you get your vegetable oil? Surely you must be buying loads of the stuff ?

Thomas_S_Hunterson

Drax wrote:

Cool. And where do you get your vegetable oil? Surely you must be buying loads of the stuff ?

Can you go to a restaurant and ask for their used stuff?

overdriver

RE: Used oil. I wouldn't. It contains impurities and water, and those require removal before ues. Maybe when the engine is older, I would look at that option

The engine can run on Diesel, veg oil, or any blend of the two.

There is an exemption from mineral oil tax for lucky applicants who buy their oil from a registered supplier, such as Eilish Oils in Wicklow. VAT is still payable, but at 67 cent [per litre plus vat, that's still a big saving.

A less scrupulous person could buy it in 3 litre bottles in Tesco's and pay 66 cent per litre, as oil as a foodstuff atrracts no VAT.

mikedragon32

Wouldn't it look a site popping into tesco every week or so for 50 litres of cooking oil!

Still though, I could handle the dirtly looks for a €33 fill.

Or maybe one could just go to a catering supplier and buy drums of cooking oil! Cheaper still.

How much does the conversion cost? Would it affect performance?

maidhc

Put cooking oil or a high percentage of biodiesel into a TDI PD/HDi/TDCi/CRDi for guaranteed pump and injector failure.

TBH the way forward for biofuels is for 90% of people to use maybe a 10% mix than 10% to use a 90% mix.

breanoh

Sorry, 99er, never tried that one, but the charade is now off the road so....... I did however try Bioethanol in my old 1.0l petrol charade and it worked with a slight timing adjustment. (the face of yer wan in the garage!) I did it when I was in Dublin in feb as an experiment, and I would do it again. Car ran fine all the way back to Ennis. but that was a 17 year old car, wouldn't try it on a newer one.
A Couple of my fathers friends run cars on veg oil, no major bother, might throw in a litre when I get home and see how she runs?

overdriver

Tesco's is far cheaper than any wholesale place.
It's a loss-leader.

An a friend of mine ( cough) who filled up a couple of times from Tesco, got asked lots of questions from incredulous sales assitants.

Gerry

maidhc wrote:

Put cooking oil or a high percentage of biodiesel into a TDI PD/HDi/TDCi/CRDi for guaranteed pump and injector failure.

TBH the way forward for biofuels is for 90% of people to use maybe a 10% mix than 10% to use a 90% mix.

Yes, if you put in cooking oil ( SVO ), you'll probably mess up the pump/injectors. With proper biodiesel, you won't have such problems. Loads of people are running biodiesel in modern turbo diesels with the latest high pressure common rail or PD injection, for thousands and thousands of miles with no problems. Where are you getting you evidence from, or are you just scaremongering?
As for mixtures, why not both? As many using as much as they can.

maidhc

Gerry wrote:

Where are you getting you evidence from, or are you just scaremongering?

The fact it is written in big bold writing on the front of the owners manual of the Ford Focus TDCi, VW Passat and Toyota Avensis! If a mix of over 10% is found in the tank and your injection system dies, have fun with the warranty claim.

The biodiesel eats rubber by all accounts and has lubricity issues. Dublin bus also are only trialling their buses at a 10% dino/biodiesel mix . Above all it is common sense, a common rail runs at 1500psi, and the injection system can be destroyed very very easily.

Believe me I have a lot to gain from biodiesel being a success (being a farmer), but it is foolhardy to tell people they can run their high pressure diesel at 100% biodiesel and still expect the same reliability. (Although the reliability of common rail isn't all that great anyway compared to the old type diesels)

Gerry

Yes, the warranty doesn't cover it. I know that. The manufacturers have to cover themselves against people putting homemade fuels in. What I'm asking, is that if the biodiesel is made properly, how does it destroy injection systems? Have you got any links to research where this is backed up? There are standards for biodiesel now. One of the tractor manufacturers has approved use of b20 in their engines, I can't remember which.

overdriver

Biodiesel is very corrosive to rubber. Pure plant oil is not. Forget about biodiesel, and use a 2-tank system to convert your TDI.

maidhc

overdriver wrote:

Biodiesel is very corrosive to rubber. Pure plant oil is not. Forget about biodiesel, and use a 2-tank system to convert your TDI.

PPO is far more viscous though, and will put more pressure on your diesel pump.

Gerry wrote:

What I'm asking, is that if the biodiesel is made properly, how does it destroy injection systems? Have you got any links to research where this is backed up? There are standards for biodiesel now. One of the tractor manufacturers has approved use of b20 in their engines, I can't remember which.

You will get away with putting practically anything into a tractor engine, they are a far cruder and simpler affair. (although the tier IV ones are changing this). b20 is pretty mild anyhow.

i think the whole biodiesel is in its infancy at the moment. It will take off, but really we need to see some leadership from the government by requiring a 10% mix with dinodiesel at the pumps (b10).

Only thing that concerns me is people putting neat biodiesel/cooking oil into a car and finding themselves in a mess after 10/20k miles.