veg oil in diesel

[epowers777]

Right now I got about 5 gal mixedwith q full tank. The engine is way quieter and exhaust smells better. What's the most mix you can run? In my Mercedes its 30% if I got a tank heater how much could I run?
Thanks Eric

[907DAVE]

I have ran as much as 30% WVO in my rig during the summer months with no negative effects.

[tim64]

This is going to come out sounding super noob like, but I am too lazy at this moment to do more research and figured that you could provide all info..... So when I cook with vegetable oil/canola oil/olive oil/etc. , I can then just drain that off into a jar and pour it into my fuel tank on my 1997 7.3l powerstroke? Because that would seriously be really convenient.

[907DAVE]

Yup, as long as the oil is clean and has no cleaning chemicals in it....pour it in.:)

[tim64]

How do you make sure that it is clean enough to pour in the tank?

[907DAVE]

Well, there is a ton of different methods used to filter WVO. Many use a centrifuge style filter, but they are expensive.

I use the "settling" method. First I let the oil containers sit untouched (preferably in the sun) for a few days before pumping through a 50 micron filter and water separator then it goes through a 2 micron post pump filter and into a black barrel. Once the barrel if full I will sometimes add regular unleaded gas (rug), Power Service's conditioner, or whatever else I got laying around...lol. Let that sit a few more days and pump strait into the truck using a 2 micron filter.

Been doing this for the past few years without any problems.

Just noticed your from Palmer, so like me - this can only be done for a few months before temps get close to freezing. You dont want to get caught with this stuff in your fuel tank when it gets cold......that would be no fun.

[tim64]

Fantastic! Thanks for all the info. I'm going to try this next summer.

[Longshot270]

That's cool, down here you could probably run it 11 out of 12 months. Have you ever tested for an average freezing point?

You must also do a lot of frying. :hehe:

[907DAVE]

I had done experiments with different amounts of anti-gel and different blends on WVO to RUG and #1, but my notes are long gone by now.

Basically nothing really made a difference, and it was decided that if temps were going do drop below 40* that stuff had to be out of the truck.

Ohh, and local restaurants LOVED it when I would come by and grab it from them, otherwise they had to pay someone to haul it off. I must have had over 1000 gallons of WVO when I first started collecting it......but I had to stop because I had no more room left, or a need for any more. My goals of making my own bio has since been put on hold and I have just been pouring it strait in the tank.

[cowboy]

I got to admit that's pretty sweet. How much do you figure it cost you to make your own diesel instead of buying it?

[907DAVE]

If I made bio fuel, and labor was not a factor....probably $1.50 a gallon.

Of course there is setup costs, but you can setup a processor using a water heater, or rob parts from one and make your own using 55 gallon drums. I have all the stuff to make one (less hose, fittings and valves) and have $80 invested in two new barrels with removable tops, everything else was free.