Vegetable Oil

NickXX · 4 Oct 2007 at 18:51

Hi all,

I know a few of you are running your Diesels on vegetable oil. Where do you buy the stuff from? Do you just use big bottles from Tesco, or is there somewhere online which sells gallons of the stuff for cheap?

Many thanks!

paradigm · 4 Oct 2007 at 18:53

I didn't think it was usable on Common Rail diesels?

I know a few people that get it from local restaurants, infact, when TopGear first did their peice on the subject, they got it from a restaurant in my town

atpbx · 4 Oct 2007 at 19:05

Straight Veg from anywhere thats cheap + 10% white spirit is what i run the Citreon on and thats been for the last 6 months.

NickXX · 4 Oct 2007 at 19:09

I'm going to give it a go on a 25% mix and see how that goes. Will take it down to 50% maybe if all goes well. There's a 530d owner on BMWland who has managed a fair few miles apparently.

DannyW · 4 Oct 2007 at 19:12

atpbx said:
Straight Veg from anywhere thats cheap + 10% white spirit is what i run the Citreon on and thats been for the last 6 months.

What engine is it ?

atpbx · 4 Oct 2007 at 19:16

DannyW said:
What engine is it ?

1.9 XUD.

Simon · 4 Oct 2007 at 19:16

Don't run vegetable oil on a Common Rail deisel. The injectors aren't cheap!

To be honest I wouldn't run it in any engine. It has a nasty effect on engine oil and fuel dilution can reach 20% in the sump.

Im sure you can imagine the effect this would have

NickXX · 4 Oct 2007 at 19:24

Simon said:
Don't run vegetable oil on a Common Rail deisel. The injectors aren't cheap!

To be honest I wouldn't run it in any engine. It has a nasty effect on engine oil and fuel dilution can reach 20% in the sump.

Im sure you can imagine the effect this would have

How long would it take to have a seriously detrimental effect on the oil? Would a 6k oil change be enough to prevent this?

Butters · 4 Oct 2007 at 19:30

you can spot a car running it too. The smell out of the back. It will also fry your HP pump (regulator seal predominantly) as well as your injector(s).

Ouch for the bill

NickXX · 4 Oct 2007 at 19:34

Butters said:
you can spot a car running it too. The smell out of the back. It will also fry your HP pump (regulator seal predominantly) as well as your injector(s).

Ouch for the bill

The car behind can worry about the smell

As for the injectors, they've done 123k now, so probably not much life left in them.

Oblivious · 4 Oct 2007 at 19:35

If you run on that smelly stuff Nick Ill disown you and stick ***** alert signs on your car next time I'm down

olv · 4 Oct 2007 at 19:54

how much saving is there to be had after you've declared it to the tax man?

NickXX · 4 Oct 2007 at 19:55

Don't think you need to declare it to mr tax man anymore

Butters · 4 Oct 2007 at 19:59

The injectors can be refurbed at around £75 a pop not including labour to remove them (especially 5 and 6 which is an engine out job).

New injectors are £260 each just for parts, plus the reprogramming of the ECU which then looses any re-maps you might have had.

not fun times

SB118 · 4 Oct 2007 at 20:04

atpbx said:
Straight Veg from anywhere thats cheap + 10% white spirit is what i run the Citreon on and thats been for the last 6 months.

Customs would love to get their hands on you then, white spirit is a "tied" oil, not legal for road use in any way.

Do NOT run it in a common rail system, you'll shag it pretty quickly.

And OP, have you tried search, there was a previous query on veg oil a few days ago. Which told that OP to look on this forum for more info.

Stonedofmoo · 4 Oct 2007 at 20:25

As said do NOT run it in a common rail car fella, it will not last long and I'm guessing it will be expensive to fix!

Old diesels like mine will run it all day but thats because they are just so basic!

atpbx · 4 Oct 2007 at 20:25

SB118 said:
Customs would love to get their hands on you then, white spirit is a "tied" oil, not legal for road use in any way.

Do NOT run it in a common rail system, you'll shag it pretty quickly.

Yes, you've told me that before and i still already know that.
but hey ho.

A splash of unleaded will do just as well.

Stonedofmoo · 4 Oct 2007 at 20:29

However just to answer the original question I get mine from Makro in 20 litre drums and just pour it straight in. You can also get it from any normal supermarket for slightly more in 3 litre bottles.

The only safe way to run Veggie oil on a common rail engine is to install a twin tank conversion. Also what you have to remember is while we with mechanical diesels can run veggie oil which is cheaper, your common rail diesels are more effeicient with that fuel so the different won't be as dramatic as you might imagine on the pocket

Unless you're driving a big BMW anyway

NickXX · 4 Oct 2007 at 20:36

Thanks StonedofMoo. How much do you pay for 20l normally?

SB118 · 4 Oct 2007 at 21:14

atpbx said:
Yes, you've told me that before and i still already know that.
but hey ho.

A splash of unleaded will do just as well.

I know, but now somebody that reads your post and thinks about doing themselves will take the unleaded route and not have their car impounded and a large fine levied when Customs catch them.

Regular use of veg oil is duty free now, so the cost of a few litres of unleaded isn't going to break the bank.