Yes, it is true... you can actually use vegetable oil in place of diesel fuel in your diesel engine. A guy at work told me about this and I went ahead and searched for it on the internet... it is apparently true... you can do it.

You can use USED cooking oil from restaurants and such to fuel your car. This is particularly interesting since the restaurants have to dispose of their waste oil. You can use that waste oil to power your diesel engine... just filter it and you can dispose of waste while saving the environment. The vegetable oil is allegedly better for the environment than diesel fuel as well.

It is a win-win situation.

http://journeytoforever.o...l_svo.html

And reduce the lifetime of your engine to 1/2 year

ChocolateInvasion said:

ChocolateInvasion said:

Is this so? I haven't read that much about it... the guys who were talking about this at work said that it would not do that.

Diva said:

Sorry

Lubricity

(It is) The only alternative fuel that can actually extend engine life because of its superior lubricating properties.

IceNine said:

Then why isn't everybody using this? Why isn't it in every magazine and tv show if it is so great? This story is around for some years now, and I have seen some farmers who use oil-like substances which they produce themself as fuel for their tractors.

Modern diesel-engines are very high-tech and all, it is hard to except that those fine-tuned engines will perform on vergetable oil...sorry

What about viscosity break down?

Muse2noPharaoh said:

What about it...

Muse2noPharaoh said:

The viscosity MUST break down, otherwise it could not be used as fuel... in fact, you have to use a modification that renders the oil less viscous.

More fun information:

Biodiesel is a completely natural, renewable fuel applicable in most any situation where conventional petroleum diesel is used. Even though "diesel" is part of its name, there are no petroleum or other fossil fuels in biodiesel. Biodiesel is 100% vegetable oil based.

Currently biodiesel is produced mainly from field crop oils throughout Europe and used widely in a range of diesel vehicles not easily found in the U.S. The fuel produced in Hawaii by Pacific Biodiesel, Inc. is made totally from recycled cooking oil and used mostly in generators of all sizes, commercial diesel equipment, vehicles, and marine vessels. Since the opening of the Maui processing plant, it has become more economical for pump trucks to deliver used restaurant oil to Pacific Biodiesel than to landfill it, resulting in a landfill diversion total of over 40 tons of used cooking oil per month.

In the past decade, biodiesel has been gaining worldwide popularity as an alternative energy source because of its many benefits. Besides the huge landfill reduction benefits, this environment-friendly fuel reduces tailpipe emissions, visible smoke and noxious odors. It operates well in a conventional diesel engine with very few or no engine modifications, and can also be used in a blend with conventional diesel while still achieving substantial reductions in emissions. Because biodiesel is non-toxic, biodegradable and non-flammable, handling and storage are safer than conventional petroleum diesel fuel. And, the cost compares well when pricing against other alternative fuels.

Technically, biodiesel is Vegetable Oil Methyl Ester. It is formed by removing the triglyceride molecule from vegetable oil in the form of glycerin (soap). Once the glycerin is removed from the oil, the remaining molecules are, to a diesel engine, similar to petroleum diesel fuel. There are some notable differences. The biodiesel molecules are very simple hydrocarbon chains, containing no sulfur, ring molecules or aromatics associated with fossil fuels. Biodiesel is made up of almost 10% oxygen, making it a naturally "oxygenated" fuel.



FACTS

Power

One of the major advantages is the fact that it can be used in existing engines and fuel injection equipment (no modification required) without negative impacts to operating performance.
Fuel availability/economy

Virtually the same MPG rating as petrodiesel and the only alternative fuel for heavyweight vehicles requiring no special dispensing and storage equipment.
Storage

Readily blends and stays blended with petrodiesel so it can be stored and dispensed wherever diesel is stored or sold.
Combustibility/Safety

Biodiesel has a very high flash point (300°F) making it one of the safest of all alternative fuels.
Production/Refining

The only alternative fuel that can boast of a zero total emissions production facility
Lubricity

The only alternative fuel that can actually extend engine life because of its superior lubricating properties.
Environmental Impact

The only renewable alternative diesel fuel that actually reduces a major greenhouse gas components in the atmosphere . The use of biodiesel will also reduce the following emissions:
carbon monoxide
ozone-forming-hydrocarbons
hazardous diesel particulate
acid rain-causing sulfur dioxide
lifecycle carbon dioxide .

IceNine said:

Would vegtable oil have the same break down and yet not be crap sooner?

IceNine said:

Exactly, but when you use, for example, olive-oil, the temperature of combustion is far from equal to that of diesel. Resulting in an engine which is to cold, which results bad performance or is to hot, which will ruin your engine in no time

Muse2noPharaoh said:

?

I think I will wait this new technology out!

ChocolateInvasion said:

I just read that the flash point of "biodiesel" is 300 degrees F.

I don't really know what the flash point of diesel is...

OK, it is plausible that it can be used for undustrial use, but not for normal everyday cars.

Imagine a car that smells like olive-oil, imagine 400 cars in a traffic jam spreading an olive-oil stench!

ChocolateInvasion said:

Karen drives down the street and thinks, "DAMN IT" Tony and his great ideas! As the humidity index hits a summer high and the olive oil filled car's drive by!

Muse2noPharaoh said:

let's all convert to biodeisel and change the economy overnight. who's with me?

XxAxX said:

I like the idea!



Unfortunately, I have a car that is powered by gasoline instead of diesel...

Muse2noPharaoh said:

I only wish that it was my idea... I cannot take credit for this inspired genius.

IceNine said:

Use it anyway! It was you who came up with it Now don't bail out!

IceNine said:

For spreading the concept you are now to blame for the impending stench!
...and when Karen's not happy ...

ChocolateInvasion said:

IceNine said:

Rumour has it, you can replace gasoline with grinded cat-shit! Try it...

ChocolateInvasion said:

I heard that you could use sugar to extend the mileage of gasoline... let me know how it works.

IceNine said:

ROFLMAO

Muse2noPharaoh said:

Does vegetable oil smell worse than diesel??? If not, you should be pleased.

IceNine said:

Even more fun, when you use garlic-oliveoil!