How To Convert to BiodieselHow to convert to biodiesel? Easy. Just follow the steps. This is intended as an overview and not intended to address every detail. Every vehicle is different, and should be addressed specifically which is beyond the scope of this page. 1.) Buy a car with a diesel engine which can be converted. How to convert to biodiesel: Mercedes Benz and Volkswagen are both good choices. They can be gotten cheaply, and there are plenty of them around for spare parts. But any modern diesel engine car or truck will do. 2.) Buy a conversion kit that you can install or have a mechanic install it for you. Conversion kits can be bought for around $300 and up, and a mechanic is going to run you another $1000 or so. If you have the ability to do it yourself, then of course, this cost can be saved. How to convert to biodiesel: In many conversions the original fuel tank is kept and it holds regular diesel for use in cold weather. The second tank can be installed in the trunk and is used for vegetable oil. Hoses are then laid from the radiator to the vegetable oil tank to heat the oil, by way of a heat exchanger prior to entering a fuel filter, then into the injectors inside the engine compartment. 3.) Find a good source for your vegetable oil. How to convert to biodiesel: Vegetable oils can be made from soybeans, sunflower seed, corn, palm, rape seed, hemp, and their are some exciting discoveries going on in Algae as well. Of course, the easiest way is to go on down to your local supermarket and buy new oil. However, this is not a good idea simply because you will pay more for it than you would the diesel if you bought it at the pump. How to convert to biodiesel: The most economical and environmentally conscious way is to either buy it, or collect it free from restaurants. Although this is getting harder and harder to do. Japanese and Chinese restaurants, because of their cooking methods, generally have the highest quality. But this is by no means the only way. You may need to get creative. Many businesses and factories also use cooking oil in their applications, (potato chip, noodle, any processed food which is fried) which in turn they have to get rid of. What you're looking for is a used oil that will be amber/light brownish in color. Other types of oil are also OK, but depending on the first usage, more filtering may be required to remove debris from the oil. More filtering means a higher overall cost in filters and time. Load up your used cooking oil and bring it to your filtering location.
4.) Filter the impurities from the oil.
How to convert to biodiesel: Use filters that are rated to .5 microns thick. Let the used oil sit for about a week in
a barrel or covered vat in order to let the debris settle to the bottom. Doing this will extend the life of the filters.
How to convert to biodiesel: Transfer the oil from the bucket into the filter bag above an empty barrel. Either scoop or pump the oil from the top layer, the debris and/or water should be on the bottom by now. The oil filter/bags will cost about $12 each and can filter about 100 gallons (400 liters) of oil. The oil is now ready to use in your vehicle. 5. Put it in the car and drive! The car will be started on regular diesel or biodiesel from it's normal fuel tank. In cold weather climates: Once the engine and vegetable oil has been warmed up, usually 15 minutes or so, depending on how cold it is, you throw a switch manually. This will let the vegetable take over as your main fuel source and shut off the diesel. You throw the switch again before stopping (say, 10 minutes or so) for any amount of time, to make sure the vegetable oil is run completely though the system, and purged from the fuel lines and injectors and has been replaced with diesel. This is necessary because in cold weather the vegetable will congeal in the fuel system and clog it when starting the engine cold. In warm weather climates: The car can be started and run completely on vegetable oil , but it's still a good idea to have a diesel tank as a back up. Many reason for this include, you may run of vegetable oil, or you might hit a cold snap. this is the only thing you need to worry about. How to convert to biodiesel: Once the conversion is done, and you have figured out a way to get the vegetable oil cheaply, (by far, the hardest part) your addiction to the gas pump has ended. Don't think you are the only one with these ideas. The world is catching on to this technology and it is happening fast. The people who laugh now, will be the ones knocking on your door in a few months asking for help when the price of fuel goes out of reach. Try to be kind when the time comes. 10 Steps to SVO or WVO conversion. A very good, detailed look at the steps involved in converting to SVO or WVO. I especially like his section on finding and procuring WVO, sometimes the hardest part of all. See also: Diesel Cars for sale (coming soon) Diesel trucks for sale (coming soon)
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