At VegieCars, we prefer to modify the Fuel System rather than the fuel.
The diesel engine was originally designed by Rudolf Diesel to run on vegetable oil, and later came to be run on mineral fuels. He thought that this engine could assist farmers to be more self sustaining, and not have to rely on outside inputs for their mechanisation. Today most farm vehicles have a diesel motor, which many farmers could be operating from resources grown on their own farm!
Today's diesel vehicles are not designed to operate on straight vegetable oil without modification to the vehicle. Many people modify the oil into a thinner fuel called fatty acid methyl esters otherwise known as Biodiesel, which requires a chemical reaction in a processing plant and the use of about 20% Methanol which is produced from fossil fuels.
The backyard production of Biodiesel involves building a processing plant which heats the oil, then mixing in a chemical which is a mixture of Methanol and Caustic Soda, called Sodium Methoxide, which acts as a catalyst to break the molecular structure of the vegetable oil, which in time separates into two parts - Methyl Esters (Biodiesel) at the top and Methyl Glycerol (waste) at the bottom. Biodiesel can be poured straight into the fuel tank of most unmodified diesel engines as long as the fuel lines and components are not manufactured with natural rubber.
The backyard production of Biodiesel can be a lot of mucking around, messy and dangerous. Sodium Methoxide will kill nerve endings on contact, so you don't even know that you have been burnt by it. You will usually be storing a large volume of methanol, which can vaporise during production, and if the area is not well enough vented you can become a bit drunk or the gas can ignite. There can be problems with water in either the oil or the Methanol causing soap to be suspended in the fuel, and on and on it goes. You are left with a considerable quantity of Methyl Glycerol as by-product, which is a pollutant and difficult to dispose of. Biodiesel is also a great paint stripper, and can lift the paint around your fuel filler if you spill when filling. If poorly manufactured, the fuel can still carry a lot of Caustic Soda, which can attack the shiny surfaces in your injector pump.
While many people make Biodiesel without these issues, we prefer to modify the Fuel System rather than the fuel.
At VegieCars we prefer to convert the fuel system offering significant cost savings over converting the fuel to Biodiesel. There are no secret ingredients and no expensive consumables. You could convert your car in half a day for under $500 using our Vegiecars Quick Convert System , or install a Diesel Purging System for around $1500 plus labour.
The Vegiecars conversions allow you to still fill up with any blend to 100% Petroleum Diesel if you need to. Unlike Biodiesel, Vegetable Oil Fuel doesn't require any fossil fuels or chemicals for its production and is essentially a waste product of the food industry, that may simply need to be filtered before use.
Vegetable Oil as fuel doesn't attract a fuel excise in Australia, making it a much cheaper option for those considering the backyard production of Biodiesel. Biodiesel will work out to be at least 60 cents per litre more expensive due to the fuel excise and the costs of chemical inputs.
The cost of converting your diesel engine is likely to be significantly less than establishing a decent biodiesel plant. A conversion will often pay itself off in one service period. Check out this cost comparsion to see how long it will take you to pay off your conversion.
Every pub has a fryer and every town has a pub!
Waste Vegetable oil is available from just about any fish and chip shop, takeaway, café, restaurant, or canteen - often with such a high quality that you can pour it directly into your fuel tank and drive away!
Vegiecars is currently undertaking a trial delivering quality Waste Vegetable Oil to a fuel tank installed at your home and investigating establishing a refuelling depot in your locality.
If successful, we will be able to deliver fuel to your home or local depot for around half the price of diesel fuel to most cities and regional towns in Australia. If you are interested in having VegieFuel delivered to your location, please contact us VegieFuel@VegieCars.com with an expression of interest.
There is plenty of information here at VegieCars. The menu bar is at the top of the page. Please have a good look around.
The easiest way to get started is to purchase the booklet "How to operate your diesel vehicle on Straight Waste Vegetable Oil"
This practical guide by Marcus Deuchar explains the basic processes and pitfalls, how to get the best fuel, and parts that you might need. There are many parts that you can make yourself or purchase from your local auto store. The booklet will put you well on the way to designing a system that is specific to your vehicle and your needs, giving you a full understanding of what can go wrong, and how to resolve issues.
This full colour booklet retails for $30 or for $20 if emailed as a PDF version.
Each booklet includes a $15 rebate on future VegieCars purchases.
