Talk to me about vegetable oil in cars…..

[da_murphster]

I need a mile muncher and was considering giving this vegetable oil malarkey a go – missis does 100miles/day so I’m, looking to reduce costs.

Is it hassle free?

Does the car run OK?

I have heard a non-pd (not sure what that means!) 90 or 110 VAG engine should need no mods – how do I tell the non pd ones?

Would this do the trick?

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2010...

Would I be able to chip it still?

Any other suggestions for a half pleasant mile muncher on veg oil?

Looking for a cheap, easy life – is this vegetable oil thing recommended?

I have had a quick look on the veg oil cars forums but its all very in depth – I really just want to know how much hassle this is and a recommended car!

TIA!!

[Mr Gear]

da_murphster said:

Would I be able to chip it still?

Chips and vegetable oil go fine together.

[LeightonBuzzard]

Mr Gear said:

da_murphster said:

Would I be able to chip it still?

Chips and vegetable oil go fine together.

ROLF!

[LeightonBuzzard]

my mates uses a AX 1.5 diesel which already does 80mpg. Thats been used for ages! And somebody else used a 05 golf and it was fine, not recommeneded in winter though

[Kozy]

IIRC the basics are, direct injection cannot handle it because of the incredibly high rail pressures used.

Anything with old fashioned port injection should be ok, just run it on a mix of diesel and oil to make sure it doesn't clog.

Apparently you can run a W124 Merc on solid blocks of lard...

[DJC]

My thread:

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...

Im running about 50/50 on diesel and straight veg oil from the supermarket at 82p/ltr.

Absolutely no difference so far. Im in a 1995 1.9tdi Passat estate bought for £500. I do 140miles/day.

[Mini1275]

LeightonBuzzard said:

Mr Gear said:

da_murphster said:

Would I be able to chip it still?

Chips and vegetable oil go fine together.

ROLF!

Roll on laughing floor?

[HellDiver]

Kozy said:

IIRC the basics are, direct injection cannot handle it because of the incredibly high rail pressures used.

Wrong.

COMMONRAIL injection can't cope. There's a difference.

Normal direct injection will work fine. I ran my 2003 Astra 2.0DTi for over a year with no modification on SVO (basically filtered chip oil, or new chip oil from Makro). They work well as they have a filter heater as standard. I put about 25% diesel in during the 3 coldest winter months for ease of starting.

[LeightonBuzzard]

Mini1275 said:

LeightonBuzzard said:

Mr Gear said:

da_murphster said:

Would I be able to chip it still?

Chips and vegetable oil go fine together.

ROLF!

Roll on laughing floor?

LLO Laugh Loud Out!

[da_murphster]

Would any 110bhp mkiv golf do the trick?

Spend a lot of time in the car so would like a bit of 'ooomph' and it to be pleasent to be in.

No mods needed? Any extra servicing etc?

Sounds too good to be true.

I have my Costco card at the ready for oil!

[was8v]

I've heard of people chucking in their old engine oil too.

So run it on Asda's finest and chuck it in the fuel tank every 4000 miles.

[3Dom]

Is this something that is becoming more common place? If so, how long will it take before the cost of Veg oil in supermarkets goes up, and then fuel duty slapped on?

Is the process of making veg oil efficient and sustainable? Why has it not been used more frequently in the automotive industry?

questions, questions...

[Mr Gear]

3Dom said:

Is this something that is becoming more common place? If so, how long will it take before the cost of Veg oil in supermarkets goes up, and then fuel duty slapped on?

Is the process of making veg oil efficient and sustainable? Why has it not been used more frequently in the automotive industry?

questions, questions...

Yes, if everyone starts using it in their cars, the price will go up.

The process of making veg oil is sustainable, but only to a certain extent. If we met all our fuel needs through biofuel, there would be nowhere in the world to grow food.

And I would much rather use fossil fuels in my car than know that the palm oil I was using as a diesel substitute had been sourced from land that was originally tropical rain forest...

[Matt_N]

da_murphster said:

Would any 110bhp mkiv golf do the trick?

Spend a lot of time in the car so would like a bit of 'ooomph' and it to be pleasent to be in.

No mods needed? Any extra servicing etc?

Sounds too good to be true.

I have my Costco card at the ready for oil!

Im pretty sure the PD diesels are 115, 130 and 150bhp.

[AndrewW-G]

I ran a 53 Mk4 on veg oil / diesel mix for almost 90k without any problems, just reduced the percentage of veg oil in the winter to compensate. Costco at the time did 25 litre drums of veg oil for a little less than £10, so well worth buying half a dozen when passing

[da_murphster]

AndrewW-G said:

I ran a 53 Mk4 on veg oil / diesel mix for almost 90k without any problems, just reduced the percentage of veg oil in the winter to compensate. Costco at the time did 25 litre drums of veg oil for a little less than £10, so well worth buying half a dozen when passing

What model mk4 - what engine?!

Did you have to do any modifications?

[Monkeylegend]

Mini1275 said:

LeightonBuzzard said:

Mr Gear said:

da_murphster said:

Would I be able to chip it still?

Chips and vegetable oil go fine together.

ROLF!

Roll on laughing floor?

No, ROLF Harris runs his on veggie oil.