Bio-Diesel Poll

[metromustang]

I thought all compression ignition cars were biodiesel vehicles.
I think all the time about running alternative fuel in my B2200. Biodiesel, however, isn't cost effective at current fuel prices.
If oil doubles in price, it would definitely be more feasible. Hopefully, someone will mass produce biodiesel and thus drive costs down to a level competitive with oil diesel.

[Dave]

the most expensive chemical to produce biodiesel
from waste vegicatble oils are the alcohol.
The Lye thats used to break it down is cheap
for the amount that is reguired.
but the alcohol thats added with the lye
is somewhat expensive, unless you can by it in a bulk
55gallon drum? reasonable compared to 1gallon jugs.

I think it could be produced at cost
(as in same as pump prices)
even so.. as you say basicly.. theres no real gain?

www.dangerouslaboratories.org/biodiesel.html
www.boulderbiodiesel.com/biodiesel/index.jsp

[LoveLearn]

We see two approaches toward running recycled cooking oil. As has been mentioned, one approach involves adding alcohol and lye which increases the cost a lot. But a friend runs recycled cooking oil in his Cummins 4BT 3.9 turbo diesel powered step van using an alternative approach.
www.Bytesmiths.com/Van
This approach simply micro-filters and preheats that cleaned recycled oil with an engine coolant heat exchanger before feeding it into the Bosch injection pump. Part of the drill is always starting the engine on pump diesel and getting the system up to full heat before switching the valves over to run on veggie oil. Then, before shutting it down, switch back to running on pump diesel for long enough to flush out the veggie oil. Starting on veggie oil either doesn't work well or isn't possible unless the system is hot. He mentioned that in biodiesel circles, Bosch injection pumps have an excellent reputation whereas the injection pumps on GM V-8 diesels have shown a poor history of failures.

Were I now to fit a biodiesel dual-fuel system, I would certainly go with a micro-filter & preheat system.
John "LoveLearn"

[tempforce]

getting ready to build a heated bed tank to use filtered wvo.
running 30% bio at the moment, next tank will be a higher %.

if you evaporated the methanol and reused it the only consumable would be the oil and lye.

update:
i have used up to 80% bio-diesel before having running problems. have also used up to 50% wvo.

[jgnat1488]

I run dino-diesel and WVO in mine. WVO=waste veggie oil. The bed on my truck has a regular toolbox and inside i put a 15gal. tank for the cooking oil.

[DieselDavo]

The diesel tree
The Copaiba Langsdorfii, an Amazonian tree, produces a sap which is so similar to diesel that it can be poured straight into a truck's fuel tank.

www.the-tree.org.uk/EnchantedForest/wyrd2.htm

Could be why Exxon wants to defoliate the Amazon?

[johno]

I've been driving mine for 3 years (since I bought it) on biodiesel. 2 years ago I added a heated SVO tank in back. In 48,000 miles I've only bought 9 gallons of dino-diesel.

BTW: only part of the methanol can be recovered, the rest is consumed in the reaction to make biodiesel.