Biodiesel/diesel

Hi, is anyone using a biodiesel/diesel mix to fuel a 3l Super Custom? If so, in what proportions...and are there any drawbacks?

Biodiesel 100% no problem.

Straight veg oil up to 80% (with 5% petrol added and allowed to stand for a week or two before use), no problem.

100% used and filtered veg oil with 5-10% petrol, no problem.

im using 25% rape seed oil in winter and upto 50% in summer depending on supply , rape seed oil ( vegetable oil ) tends to come in at around the same price as pump diesel unless on special at the supermarket , its presently a quid a liter in morrisons , i cant find or get a supply of filtered bio diesel around here

I dont use veg in winter just incase of it sludging the filters but i tried this last year and found that the best ratio on my bus was 20 litres veg then brimmed with diesel.
I wanted to see how it went at first so before i had used any veg i waited until my fuel gauge was 2 marks from the bottom indicating around 15 litres(you can use the button on your dash if its digital,each mark is one litre) i then kept the van running whilst adding 20 litres of veg(neat).I noticed the tickover raise slightly.I took the van for a rip and it was a little bit sluggish.Worrying that it would compromise starting i then filled it with diesel and this helped with the performance.
I just turned my tuning module up a notch so it was sprightly again.You could up the boost if you didnt have a module i suppose.The damage that using veg might cause isnt to the engine but to the diesel pump having to cope with a thicker fuel.Obviously the colder the climate(winter) the harder the pump has to work.
Still stunk of chips though.

presently im using heating oil thanks to having loads of the dam stuff ( long story ) , its running happily enough although starting is not instant and you have to grind away at the starter for between 5-10 seconds before it will fire up ,,,, it feels longer and sends you gray waiting for it to start although ist hasnt failed to do so , ive read time after time this doesnt have the lubrication of diesel so i was adding veggie oil to the mix at about 10% but it was worse with this so now its back too neat , this is only a temp measure and once my supply has gone ill be back to the veggie/diesel mix once more , i will say i trust the engine to keep going as the quality of diesel in some of the african countrys is shocking and yet there millions of them out there , this says alot about how tough the old girl is , i treated her to 4 new tyres as the heating oils saved me a small fortune

Er um using heating oil is illegal.

Clive wrote:

Er um using heating oil is illegal.

I think it's legal as long as the OP is paying the duty (and the tax on the duty) on it... Presumably the same applies to home-made biofuel, though heating oil will already have had 5% VAT applied, which can presumably be used to offset the total tax take.

[edit] Here we go: Can it be done? and what's involved. Looks like it's quite a bit of work but I'm sure the OP has complied with all necessary procedures. It's actually different for biofuel (of course.. why would it be simple? ): Biofuels FAQ here

Cheers,
W.

Been running 100% Biodiesel made from both canola oil and tallow (animal lard) since I got my van early last year. Done 20,000k's without skipping a beat.

In my 1997 SC there are a few rubber hoses in the fuel system that should be replaced with Viton ones if you are going to run biodiesel in the long run, as biodiesel causes the hoses to swell and degrade over time.

Many people experience fuel filter blockage when they first start to run biodiesel, which is due to the biodiesel dissolving/cleaning out all the gunk in your tank and lines. For this reason it is sometimes recommended to start with a low ratio of bio to regular fossil diesel, say 10% and work your way up slowly. The other advantage of doing this is that you may find the best performance/economy balance for your particular vehicle.

Having said that, all three diesel vehicles at this household have gone straight from fossil diesel to 100% with no ill effects.

For more comprehensive info on biofuels (including straight vege oil) go to biofuelsforum dot com

Biodiesel is an alternative source of oil and its 100% useable and have no drawbacks. As my friend mentioned above its illegal not its totally legal. World are seeking the alternative source so in future we will see a lot of different types of vehicles like hybrid vehicle and many more.





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Hi all,

I see its been about a year since anyone has posted anything on this topic.. I have just begun to experiment with using SVO in my van at 50/50 mix (runs perfectly) and considering producing some fuel from a source of used oil. Just wondering if anyone of you has any updates on your situation with using veg oil in their Hiace?

Mine has the 2.8 3L engine.

Thanks,

50/50 with SVO will be fine.

Run my Townace on 80% SVO no problems.

Thanks Clive,

How long is it now that you've been running it on SVO?, and what ratio do you use in the winter?