Bio Diesel processing

I'm thinking of buying a processor to convert veg oil into biodiesel, they're are some for sale on evil bay for 295 quid and the saving on paper is quite impressive.  The daily drivers for the wife and myself are 2 Freelander TD4's which cannot run on neat veg oil and it also seems that putting a heated valve body in the fuel lines wont work for it either.  Has anyone on here tried making the biodiesel, or know someone who has used it? and if so what are there opinions on biodiesel?

a mate of a mate runs his l reg disco in 25l of chip oil with 5 litres of so if diesel, he says it loves it.

i would have a look on the net first though as some cars dont like it esp newer ones, ive read that my PD engined golf won have it at all.

Cheers M7R   , the old DiscosI think have a more robust old fashioned diesel pump which are happy to use neat veg oil, but the TD4 is a common rail engine which doesn't seem to be suitable  :cry: .
Even if I didnt make the biodesel myself, there are places which will sell 1,000 litres of biodiesel for between 600-680 quid, roughly a third cheaper than regular derv.  I do like the idea of making the biodiesel myself, just to settle my curiousity, but before going for it, it'd be good to hear other people experiences on it.

Im thinking of using Biodiesel myself and after having a browse over the interweb the consensus seems to be using a pecentage of oil to diesel, so Im thinking of using say 75% diesel to 25% oil then gradually upping the oil % until it makes the car run lumpy then you know the limit that your car will happily run at, but do double check as some of the newer models dont like it at all. Obviously I will register with the government as a fuel producer and pay the appropriate VAT on what I use  :wink:  :wink:

firestormer said

Obviously I will register with the government as a fuel producer and pay the appropriate VAT on what I use  :wink:  :wink:

I hope you do ! 'Madina food stores' on Frod road sells barrels of the stuff for cooking  :wink: Lots of taxis collect it  

Thanks mate next time you call round ill make you some chips then

You dont need to pay the duty, in July of this year the government changed the law to let you produce 2,500 litres a year of biodiesel for your own use without paying any duty .
 75% Diesel and 25% veg oil would only save me about 2 quid on a tank, whereas a full tank of biodiesel should save about 15 quid a tank and with there being the wifes car as well it becomes quite a saving  :wink: .

GAMMYGOLFGTI said

You dont need to pay the duty, in July of this year the government changed the law to let you produce 2,500 litres a year of biodiesel for your own use without paying any duty .

Bonus

shame there isnt a similar solution for petrol cars!

If its anything like the 'biosludge' sold around the midlands,keep a load of spare fuel filters in the boot,im forever getting people in with bad running diesels,drain the tank hey presto sorted,i took a filter off a pajero last week,there was a load of lard in the bottom of it  :?
New oil with a tad of derv mixed in for me  :mrgreen:
Bert

Bert, is the biosludge you've been experiencing because of biodiesel made from used veg oil ?

Bert said

If its anything like the 'biosludge' sold around the midlands,keep a load of spare fuel filters in the boot,im forever getting people in with bad running diesels,drain the tank hey presto sorted,i took a filter off a pajero last week,there was a load of lard in the bottom of it  :?
New oil with a tad of derv mixed in for me  :mrgreen:
Bert

I'm running my pajero on a 50/50mix veg to regular derv it takes longer to start on a cold morning but im saving about 14 quid on a fill up. I use new oil did get it from Tesco and it was up until 2 weeks ago ?1.68 per 3 ltrs = 56p per ltr
but Tesco have noticed that oil sales are good and the cheeky gits have put it up to ?1.98 per 3 ltrs = 66p per ltr so dont use them greedy gits
last time i went to Aldi it was 55p per ltr but they only sell it in 1 ltr bottles and you get funny looks at the checkout when your trolley is full of bottles Oh i was advised by the Pajero owners club to use Rapeseed oil so thats the stuff ive used as its cheaper than sunflower oil but im not sure weather it is a good as a fuel..

Veg oil gone up due to the food shortage that we have!!!
Bewarey with the cold weather and veg oil paj's don't like it much!

Ye biosludge is used cooking oil,not processed properly as it costs and takes too long for the greedy sellers,
Makro sell 20L tubs of rapeseed oil for ?12.69 thats 63p liter  :wink:
Bert

Oh ive made a heater for my jetta out of a glow plug and a few banjo fittings works a treat

Bert said

Oh ive made a heater for my jetta out of a glow plug and a few banjo fittings works a treat

Can you still get a tune out of the banjo? go on do some blue grass for us  

Ye im a part time george formby lookalike
Bert

Bert said

Ye im a part time george formby lookalike
Bert

   

Well I've bought a processor, it should be with me on Monday, just got to buy some methanol and Caustic soda and the veg oil   and hopefully I'll make some savings.  I dont understand why big tubs of veg oil are dearer than buying small 1 litre bottles, Sainsbury's @ 56p a bottle  :dontknow:

the prices have changed since they dropped the taxation on oil, u cant win  has oil gone up everywhere? funny how they dropped the tax on it then prices went up….
get a bigger battery

There is a guy here making and selling Biofuel, initially he was only charging a 2p a L less than Total for "proper" fuel. But he has now dropped the price so its worth the extra hassle going to him and paying cash.

My wifes A2 ran very well on Biofuel, she got more MPG than normal fuel. However, when she stopped using the car when we were selling it the fuel must have congealed as it developed problems starting when hot. I think this was fixed with a new fuel filter.

I will be very interested to see how you get on making your own fuel. Please post updates?

I was speaking to one of the lads im at uni with today and he confirmed what i thought that moden common rail stuff doesnt like it mush as it buggers up the pumps and a filters, where as older style stuff with rotorary pumps will happly chomp their way through anything. this is the reason my PD mk4 tdi wont be having any cooking oil in it,