Running a big rig on veggie oil
I have been researching veggie oil as fuel in diesels for years. Seems to have a few downsides and upsides but vegetable oil for fuel is actually what good ol' Rudolph Diesel had in mind for fuel when he invented these amazing engines many years ago. When Big Oil came along they saw it as a way to get rid of their less refined product as a fuel.
Con:
- can be messy to collect and store
- have to clean veggie oil before putting in your tank
- time and effort to 'fuel up'
- fuel hoses have to be changed over to Viton so they don't degrade
- installation of a second tank and switchover valves
- veggie needs to be heated before injection and purged before engine shutdown in order to keep from clogging injectors
Pro:
- your fuel is either free or cheap (.50/gal vs 5.00/gal in Canada)
- engines runs smoother and quieter
- far less noxious emissions
- fuel is non toxic and non carcinogenic
- fuel spills are not dangerous - you can lick them up :)
- exhaust smells like french fries
- can pay off the cost of installation very quickly with fuel savings
The main reason that drivers seem to shy away from using veggie seems to be the difficulty in locating a secure source for their veggie oil. Who wants to invest a thousand bucks into a system that may not get used because you cant get veggie oil?
The second main reason seems to be just the hassle of it all. As much as we don't like the high cost of fuel most people value their time more than the cost of fuel, even when they're retired, although with a 200 gallon tank the cost difference could be $1000 a fill (in Canada).
Having gone through the pros and cons, I'm still very interested in converting my rig to run on veggie oil. The only way I can see to secure fuel is to go right back to the source - buy my own canola from a farmer and a commercial crusher available on eBay and make my own oil. This will be a laborious process but I see it as a hobby and a way to give a big finger to Big Oil so I'm willing to give it a shot.
Just wondering if anyone is running veggie on their rig? Making their own oil? And is there an issue with fuel degradation over time? If I collect for say, six months and put that all in the tank as I go, and then do a 2000 mile trip, will the veggie that is older be of noticeably lower quality in those six months? Will it matter to my 8.3 Cummins?
Interested in any and all input. Thanks.
Con:
- can be messy to collect and store
- have to clean veggie oil before putting in your tank
- time and effort to 'fuel up'
- fuel hoses have to be changed over to Viton so they don't degrade
- installation of a second tank and switchover valves
- veggie needs to be heated before injection and purged before engine shutdown in order to keep from clogging injectors
Pro:
- your fuel is either free or cheap (.50/gal vs 5.00/gal in Canada)
- engines runs smoother and quieter
- far less noxious emissions
- fuel is non toxic and non carcinogenic
- fuel spills are not dangerous - you can lick them up :)
- exhaust smells like french fries
- can pay off the cost of installation very quickly with fuel savings
The main reason that drivers seem to shy away from using veggie seems to be the difficulty in locating a secure source for their veggie oil. Who wants to invest a thousand bucks into a system that may not get used because you cant get veggie oil?
The second main reason seems to be just the hassle of it all. As much as we don't like the high cost of fuel most people value their time more than the cost of fuel, even when they're retired, although with a 200 gallon tank the cost difference could be $1000 a fill (in Canada).
Having gone through the pros and cons, I'm still very interested in converting my rig to run on veggie oil. The only way I can see to secure fuel is to go right back to the source - buy my own canola from a farmer and a commercial crusher available on eBay and make my own oil. This will be a laborious process but I see it as a hobby and a way to give a big finger to Big Oil so I'm willing to give it a shot.
Just wondering if anyone is running veggie on their rig? Making their own oil? And is there an issue with fuel degradation over time? If I collect for say, six months and put that all in the tank as I go, and then do a 2000 mile trip, will the veggie that is older be of noticeably lower quality in those six months? Will it matter to my 8.3 Cummins?
Interested in any and all input. Thanks.
