Tell me more about Biodiesel.

[fencebuilders]

With the current diesel prices at all time highs,my rear end is getting mighty sore. Is Bio a viable option? I have no idea on initial expense/outlay involved to get the ball rolling,but i am all ears. What ingredients/components are needed to manufacture? Are they readily available? Does it burn as clean as refined diesel?yada,yada,yada. All input appreciated. Thanks,Mark.

 

[mhrbek]

Hi Mark,



You can produce biodiesel from various oil crops (mainly rape-seed) or from waste oil recycling (oils and fats of vegetable or animal origin from frying oil to beef tallow). The prduction is quite simple put the oil in, filter it and in a so called ester interchange process you get the biodiesel out of the oil.

Biodiesel fuel burns cleaner then normal diesel couse in the structure of biodiesel molecules contains oxygen which helps burning the fuel, cleaner combustion means also less deposits and soot.

And your exhaust note will turn your truck immidiatly into a french fries factory.

Basicallly all diesel engines can run without modifications on biodiesel fuel, this has been tested for hundredthousand miles on different vehicles with no problems. So what do have to look for till you get some biodiesel in your tank.

Check if vehicle manufacturer has specified that you can use biodiesel (of course), so why Biodiesel is a very good solvent and it preferably solves anykind of rubber hoses, due to the fact that our fuel is deliverd via some kind of rubber hoses you have to verify that the fuel would not eat your fuel transport system.

Almost all diesel manufacturers here in Europe are making their fuel supply system of materials which can be used with biodiesel, dont know if our rigs are capable to run with biodiesel.

A mixture up to 20% of biodiesel with "dino" diesel should be OK for every vehicle.



Hope this helps a little bit,



greetings Marcus

 

[Dieselholic]

here is a website with all kinds of info

http://www.journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_aleks.html



you could also try greasel.com which is not biodiesel but a conversion for straight vegetable oil, i've heard a lot of junk talked on running this setup though.

heres a few more helpful sites. .

http://www.bankspower.com/tech_biodiesel.cfm

http://www.bankspower.com/tech_synthetic.cfm

http://www.bankspower.com/tech_aboutdieselfuel.cfm



please give results if you do make your own diesel, i'm hoping to do the same when i have my truck

 

[jcarey]

Hi Mark,

Here's two sites to look at:

http://www.greasecar.com/

http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_mike.html



Two different alternatives, both viable and interesting. The second site gives instructions on building a setup to make biodiesel. I'm looking to going that root myself.



Good Luck. Jim

 

[BarryG]

Try looking here for some info as well. There is an article here for homebrew.



http://www.boulderbiodiesel.com/articles/index.jsp



If you go to their homepage there is quite a bit more info on the site as well as discussion forums.