The BioD TDI

What a summer!

2011-10-06T19:21:00.002-04:00

Well I've had issues one after another! First the pump on the Jerry Rig II died 5 minutes into a new batch. The 24.5 gallon batch sat for over a month in the sealed processor and after replacing the pump had an incomplete reaction. Think I just have to re-titrate and do it again. Processor is loaded with another fresh 24.5 gallons and ready to brew again.

OH WAIT! Car problems! Had a shift linkage break on the shifter cable that only left me 3rd and 4th gear. Finally got that fix but know I have seals that have gone bad on my injection pump causing leaks and inability to start the Bug. With the help from the folks over at tdiclub.com I have a seal kit on the way and plan on working on that this weekend.

OH...I forgot to mention I added a second processor that now enables me to process nearly 50-80 gallons at a time. Here's a picture of the addition.

Sawdust Filter

2011-06-14T08:19:00.003-04:00

Well it's been awhile since my last post but it's time to get back to work! Over the next few weeks I will be making some changes to my system to increase biodiesel production.

In order to meet the higher production I had to build a sawdust filtration system to get the biodiesel filtered. This filter is based on a 16 gallon metal drum and a up flow process. The decision on using up flow was based on safety, specifically spontaneous combustion. By using a up flow process the sawdust will always be covered in biodiesel thus preventing the introduction of oxygen and oxidation thus preventing spontaneous combustion.

Will return and post results once the filter is up and running.

Mahindra Diesel Trucks

2010-11-18T08:33:00.002-05:00

It's nice to see other diesel options finally entering the US auto market. Indian auto and tractor maker Mahindra is about to offer two new vehicles to a small truck and a 4 door SUV Truck. Both will be sporting a 2.2l Common Rail diesel engine. The specs on these are pretty impressive.

-30mpg
-140hp
-2,765 payload capacity
-236lbs of torque
-4 year/60k Bumper To Bumper Warranty

From reading the news there's plenty of interest in these trucks. Here's a link to their site for more info.

IT'S SPRING! Time to brew!

2010-04-24T09:23:00.002-04:00

Well it's spring time and the smell of used vegetable oil is in the air! Must say the smell of WVO is not that pleasant when you figure all that's been cooked in it. With the price of diesel now up over $3 a gallon it's time to fire up Jerry Rig II!

So this first batch I will be experimenting with a slightly modified way of brewing. In this process rather than start with the WVO and slowly add the methoxide you just reverse the process. To begin the process titrate the WVO as you usually would to determine the amount of catalyst you will need, then add methoxide to your processor. Then you heat up your oil and the first 20% if you WVO and mix for 5 minutes. After the first 5 minutes add 50% of the remaining amount of WVO to the processor and mix for 10 minutes. After the 15 minutes add the remaining amount of WVO and mix for another 10-15 minutes. As you can see the time for processing are quite a bit less than the standard process. But to make sure your process is complete pull a sample a do a 24/7 test.

This method should increase quality of conversion, reduce processing time, and reduce amount of catalyst needed. Here's a link to better explain the process.

Little Down Time and Side Project

2010-01-01T15:27:00.003-05:00

Well with winter upon us and temps colder than hell, biodiesel production will have to be put on hold for awhile. Although I do have an idea I need to work to test out.

But in the mean time I've been playing around with another "green" project, a passive solar collector heater. I found a very novel take on this technique through the use of soda or beer cans. At first I thought this was a complete joke but after a Google and YouTube search the concept is very sound.

Basically you cut the bottoms, and in some cases the top, off, glue and stack the cans together, paint the cans black, and then build a frame/box to house the cans into. Insulate the interior and then cover the enclosure with a piece of glass or plexiglass. Place on south facing side of house and VOILA you have an environmentally safe supplemental heat source. From the information I located outside temperature can be as low as 15-20 degrees fahrenheit out side but the unit will produce temps up to 130 or more! Due to the thin aluminum wall of the cans they collect and transfer their heat quickly. Downside is that once the sunlight is gone they don't hold any residual heat. Might look into lining the bottom of the enclosure with 4" ceramic tiles as a thermal mass to store some heat.

I've got the cans glued together and just about finished with a 4" enclosure. Should be ready to paint the cans black tomorrow and test this sucker out. I imagine I could do something with this sucker to preheat in the biodiesel process. Hmmmmm.......

There's more in the shed!

2009-11-25T23:09:00.002-05:00

So this is what is left after loading my collection/settling tank and processing 24.5 gallons of WVO. There was at least 12 more in the shed but then my friend shows up with 12 more cubes of oil! OH SNAP!

Saw Dust/Wood Chip Filtering

2009-11-25T17:11:00.003-05:00

So here's a photo with an example of the results of using maple sawdust & wood chips to filter settled biodiesel. Notice that you can see through the filtered flask. Going ahead with filtering this latest 24.5 gallons with saw dust. Results look very promising!

2009-11-25T08:01:00.003-05:00

After some thinking and searching for a possible solution to my pump upgrade I stumbled upon the discussion and use of eductors as a way of increasing the mixing efficiency of large volumes of liquid with existing small pumps. The basic concept is that the liquid is pumped through a smaller orifice, thus creating a high pressure stream, which is shot down the center of a surrounding shroud. The back of the shroud is open allowing for the high pressure stream to create a vacuum. The eductor(s) would be submerged in the bio mix nearly reaching the bottom. Some have designs where the place one at the bottom and one at the near the top.

The eductor has the ability of increasing the mixing capabilities to 3-5 times that of the liquid being pumped. So if this is correct my 5gpm pump would be turned into something like 15-25gpm! Looks like fish pet stores sell them.

Jerry Rig II Update

2009-11-24T12:46:00.002-05:00

Jerry Rig II processed 24.5 gallons successfully! Only minor issue was a small leak at the water heater element area. I figured if there were any leaks this would be where it would be, due to a mistake on my part on cutting a hole just a touch to big. I built the processor to low and will have to attach a longer drain hose in order to get good drainage of waste by-product. Also will need to get more powerful pump if I want to process 35-40 gallons.

Will also need to install a second water heater element if I want to preheat the oil faster in the processor. I might look at using the turkey frier to preheat like 5 gallons to 200-300 to help jump start and take a load off of the water heater element. Using the turkey frier I can get those temps in like 20 minutes. But I may go to the second water element in order to prepare for methanol recovery using the same processor, might save this for the spring/summer.

Also revisited testing using sawdust/wood shavings and filtering medium and it seems to work really well! I have friend that gave me some maple sawdust/shavings mixture and it worked great. I'm planning on loading up one of my PVC resin towers with this and test on this batch. Letting the methanol evaporate off as much as possible in order to extend the life of the sawdust and to limit the fire hazard as much as possible. Most likely get to that tomorrow and I'll post report and pictures.

2009-11-21T08:29:00.005-05:00

IT'S DONE! Jerry Rig II is done and ready for it's maiden voyage today. Here's a video I posted on YouTube with an overview of the new processor.

2009-10-23T23:21:00.004-04:00

Spent part of the morning re-working the 3/4" pipe to connect the WVO collection tank to the processor. Looks like I'll be able to reuse 100% of the pipe and parts from the previous system. I will have to get more parts to create a new method to use multiple injection streams into the processor. Instead of just one stream to mix/agitate I'm designing a system using 4 streams/ports. I'll post pictures or schematic later this weekend.

2009-10-22T13:18:00.003-04:00

FINALLY! I've got the Jerry Rig II setup just about ready. I know, I know....it's taken me long enough it's been tough with family and work responsibilities but I'm just about there. Here are some pictures to show the progress.

From Jerry Rig Biodiesel Processor Updates

Yet another update

2009-10-11T22:11:00.003-04:00

While waiting for the battery on my riding mower to charge, I decided to begin disassembling Jerry Rig I. Let's all take a moment of silence to honor and recognize all the biodiesel Jerry Rig I created...........ok that's enough.

As you can see by these photos that using the 16 gallon drum was VERY simple. I can say without a doubt had I been driving less than 500 miles a week I would have been still using Jerry Rig I to produce my biodiesel. This is a great size to begin with and easy/inexpensive to build. It also didn't require a whole lot of space to setup either. I've offered up the processor to a group of VW TDI owners to adopt. Lets see what happens.

Progress

2009-10-11T08:40:00.003-04:00

Since my last post I've made some progress and should have Jerry Rig II up by mid week. I've finally plumbed the bottom for my WVO collection tank and ready to put it in place. For those going with a stand pipe design you can go to Lowe's and have them add threading to pipe in order for there to be enough thread that comes out of the bottom to attach to needed pipe to connect to system.

Finally found some washers to seal up the hole I slightly made a smidge to big for the electric water heater element.

Measure twice, cut once....DOH!

2009-08-09T15:02:00.005-04:00

Well, I was delayed in getting Jerry Rig II up and running due to a dumb mistake in measurement. I was in the process of cutting a hole to mount the water heater element and upon inserting the element I realized I cut the hole just a smidge to big. Rather than using the inner diameter of the fitting I used the outer diameter. DOH! Being so busy with work and family I haven't had a chance to find a gasket and washer to try and fix my error. But in the mean time I've processed yet another 30+ gallons with Jerry Rig I.

I also had another minor set back in that both of my resin towers had a malfunction. Due to the weight of the resin and biodiesel in the towers they screens began sagging and came loose on one side thus allowing the resin to flow out. Due to the design I followed there's no easy way of repairing the screens as they are glued in. The design should have included some type of support structure to hold up the screens under load. I'm in the process of redesigning and modifying the design to allow for repairs and access to the screens. Here's a diagram of my idea.

Diesel Tax Credits

2009-07-27T11:17:00.003-04:00

Here's a table of tax credit qualifying cars being sold. Surprise not a single one is US made.

T Minus 4 Days

2009-06-25T21:19:00.001-04:00

Let the count down begin, T minus 4 Days! That is the target date for the offical launch of Jerry Rig II! It is my intention to get Jerry Rig II up and running and producing two 35 gallon batches this coming Sunday. As I begin to get closer to that day I will share the final construction and use of the new processor.

Here are some pictures of the plumbing for the bottom of processor. Man was tough finding the right parts but finally with the help of a Menard's sales person, Tom, I was able to find the right parts. So, to plumb JR2 using the kitchen sink strainer will require using a 1.5" Coupler, then a 1.5" nipple (4" in this case), and a 1.5" to .75" adapter to connect to my existing .75" system.

Next, bowling of the bottom of the processor! Stay Tuned!!

Aaah..Spring is in the air, time to Brew!

2009-04-13T13:15:00.004-04:00

Well, I know I've shirked my duties in keeping the blog updated but man it's tough to find new things to right about! But fear not I have come up with a solution! REGURGITATION!

Yes, that's right re-visiting my experiences but with a slight twist. As you remember I was working on Jerry Rig II to upgrade to a production capacity of 30-35 gallons of finished biodiesel. Well, since I have to reconstruct and rearrange everything I thought I would document the whole thing for all to see. I'm looking forward to it!

On a side note I've been having a hell of a time obtaining lye from Lowes and other retail outlets. I called around to several chemical suppliers and none will do business with individuals without a business license. Would appear that the damn meth heads of made it more difficult for us law bidding citizens to acquire such chemicals. Damn drugtards!! But thanks to the kindness of some fellow brewers I was able to find a couple of sources for getting ahold of some potassium hydroxide(KOH). Wonder if any of the meth heads would sell me some their KOH?

Ford Fiesta 65mpg but not here in US! WTF?!

2009-02-13T21:41:00.003-05:00

Well, you wonder why the American 3 are in such dire straights, here's your answer. Ford has a Fiesta diesel that they sell in Europe for around $13K and that gets 65mpg. But yet they won't bring it here to the the US! What idiots!

Here's the ad: show the car, text at the top showing price, text at bottom showing 65mph, and then screen goes black with " See you at the dealership."

More here.

Diesel doesn't get any sexier than this!

2009-01-12T13:42:00.002-05:00

At the North American Auto Show in Detroit VW announced this concept diesel roadster. Sexy and 42mpg!

Biodiesel from Used Coffee Grounds

2009-01-05T21:42:00.002-05:00

So here's the latest in biodiesel feed stock as a source for biodiesel. Used coffee grounds! Hell I drink enough that I could probably fuel a semi!

Some excerpts from the article:

"....Spent coffee grounds contain between 11 and 20 percent oil by weight. That's about as much as traditional biodiesel feedstocks such as rapeseed, palm, and soybean oil...."

"....Growers produce more than 16 billion pounds of coffee around the world each year........The scientists estimated, however, that spent coffee grounds can potentially add 340 million gallons of biodiesel to the world's fuel supply...."

Here's a link to the full article in Science Centeric web site.

I'm going to try to obtain a copy of the journal publication for complete details. Stay tuned!!

Quick "N" Dri

2008-12-28T15:27:00.005-05:00

Read about this stuff that you run your biodiesel or WVO through to remove water at Utah Biodiesel Supply. It's called Quick "N" Dri.

Basically you build a tower, not unlike the Purolite resin tower, and then you just run your biodiesel or WVO through it to remove your water. Apparently a single pound will remove 12 gallons of water before needing to be regenerated. Regeneration is nothing more than letting the stuff sit out in the sun and dry out! For the price I'm going to have to order some and test it out.

Jerry Rig II Bottom Drain

2008-12-28T15:14:00.005-05:00

Ok, after much delay, mostly procrastination, I have begun building Jerry Rig II!

First step was to cut a hole to allow for the insertion of a kitchen sink drain. To cut a hole I just my Dremel with a grinding disc attached. Why a kitchen sink drain you ask?! Well I had read some fellows that had used this technique with great success. Some other reaons:

*No welding needed
*Larger drain area
*Less cost (I'm all about saving money!)

So here are some pictures of my progress so far.

From Jerry Rig II

Next step is to hammer, pound, the bottom in order to create a bowl shape similar to a wok. By creating slopped sides it will aid in completely draining glycerol and water. I'll also be adding a water heater element to aid in heating up the WVO for the process and possibly for heating up the biodiesel to remove/recover methanol.

Biodiesel Cold Weather Issues

2008-11-28T09:56:00.005-05:00

Well, here's a visual example of what happens to B100 when the temps drop to around 28 degrees fahrenheit.

From The BioD TDI

Depending on the vegetable oil you started with and how good your process was will determine the gel point of your biodiesel. If you use the hydrogenated style of oils you will have higher gel point.

With winter the use of B100 is pretty much going to be put on hold, especially for those of us in the northern regions. While one could install a two tank system like the straight vegetable oil (SVO) to preheat and then switch over to the B100. For the rest of us we will have to take blending our B100 with either DinoDiesel or with some Kerosene. Now I have to say I myself have not yet done this so I can't provide my personal insight on this, YET. As soon as I'm finished and start processing in the new Jerry Rig II I'll have to do some blending in order to use my fuel. Looks like I'll have to start maybe with a 80% B100 blended with 20% Kerosene as a starter. As it gets colder the blend of Kerosene will have to increase. But basically I'll have to take samples and experiment with the blend in order to get the right mix before adding to my tank.

Here's a nice discussion on the matter on the Biodiesel Infopop forums into the matter. I'll also add this link directly to the side bar for easier access.

2009 Green Car Winner is........'09 Jetta TDI

2008-11-21T11:29:00.002-05:00

Well, for those of us in the VW TDI world this comes as no surprise but the folks over at GreenCar.com have voted the 2009 VW Jetta TDI as the greenest car for 2009.
For more on this click here to read the article.

Jerry Rig II Update

2008-11-16T22:11:00.003-05:00

Well just wanted to share the design of the Jerry Rig II processor with you. I've gathered all the required parts needed and just need to start assembling. I'm guessing should take me 3 nights to get everything assembled.

A great moment in US history

2008-11-05T00:22:00.008-05:00

Tonight I shed tears of joy and pride for our country. During a time of confusion where it's people were searching for hope and leadership we came together to elect that one person that brings us hope.

A step towards the future and the realization of Dr. Martin Luther King's dream and leaving the ugliness of racism behind. I know there will still be those that will continue to harbor hate in their hearts, but for this new generation we shall go forward to forge a new future for all.

I can't say it enough how proud I am that I cast my vote for President Elect Obama and that I'm a citizen of the United States of America! God bless Barack Obama and God Bless The United States of America.

Day to Make History

2008-11-04T09:39:00.002-05:00

One of the great things about the United States is the ability for it's citizens to vote for their leaders, albeit it sometimes feels that they don't hear or listen to us. So today we go to the polls to cast our vote, our voice for the individuals we feel that can lead our country in the right direction and prosperity. Regardless of your ideology or party affiliation you have to vote! That's the least one must do in order to be a citizen.

Proof in the Pudding (Purolite that is!)

2008-10-24T09:57:00.006-04:00

Just wanted to share some pictures of the Purolite results. In the first image you see the biodiesel in it's raw form after the removal of the glyerol. Next to it is a small sample of the same biodiesel after it's journey through the Purolite resin tower. As you can see it's clarity is amazing!

In the last image I added water to simulate a water wash to remove out remaining impurities and soap. I gently agitated the two samples and you can see the amount of soap (white water at the bottom) that the raw sample had in it. The water in the Purolite sample is clear as can be! Using water to get the biodiesel to this stage would have take the better part of 2 days to wash and dry before I could use it.

As you can see the Purolite definitely delivers on it's claims.

Stinky Biodiesel?!

2008-10-08T22:57:00.003-04:00

Looks like a new crop has potential for the source of biodiesel. Stinkweed (Pennycress:Thlaspi arvense L.). This crop is a fall/winter crop that produces seeds that have a 35% oil yield.

Water Washing Revisited

2008-10-07T11:52:00.003-04:00

Ok, I've taken a detour from the dry wash resin tower, which has been great, to experiment and test something I just read about water washing.

Up til now I've been using standard tap water from a garden hose and the use of a mister. Washing would take on average 3-4 days before I was able to use the biodiesel. I read on the Infopop Biodiesel forum about the use of hot water and static washing as a way to pull out the soap from the processed biodiesel. So I tested in a small beaker with some very hot water and WOW soap dropped like an anchor within seconds! I let this sample set and within an hour I had mayonnaise at the bottom of the beaker. I washed the sample maybe a total of 4 times with a fraction of the water I would have regularly used.

So I decided to test on a 11 gallon batch to see if the results were the same. I used the turkey fryer to bring the 3 gallons of water to a boil, overkill most likely and poured it in. I let the batch settle for a few hours and came back and drained off the soapy water. I repeated this process 3 times and my biodiesel was perfect! I think I lucked out on this batch as the oil wasn't as heavily used thus making the soap content less. On the batch I tested from the Vietnamese place the oil had been used pretty hard and there was a crap load of soap and would have most likely required a few more washes. But the end result would have still required less water and speed up my washing time.

I will reserve this technique for use on the oil that has been heavily used in order to limit the amount of soap introduced to my resin thereby extending its life.

Latest update

2008-10-01T21:36:00.003-04:00

Well, 22 gallons later (2-11 gallon batches) I have had some good results. These latest batches were done using the 80/20 method and run through the resin towers. Man I can't say enough about the resin towers! I can process and have the biodiesel in the car in one day. No more water!

On another not I've decided to dump the vietnamese restaurant oil. The stuff is so over used and nasty that I just don't think it's worth it. I have found another source, a local doughnut shop that has given me their blessing. Gonna have to figure out a way of "sucking" oil out of a dumpster. I know this is questionable at best but I guess I can play dumb and say the owner said I could.

And the results!?

2008-09-23T11:20:00.004-04:00

Finished processing using the 80/20 recipe and the results were great! Batch passed the 3/27 test with no fall out or settling what so ever, basically means I had a very complete reaction which is a good thing.

Afterwards I decided to run the biodiesel through one of my resin towers manually. I poured in a pint of unwashed biodiesel in 15 minute intervals that in the end yielded me nearly 5 gallons worth. When compared with the unwashed sample it was much clearer but I decide to test for soap content.

Took one sample and poured in hot water and soap began to drop out pretty fast, no agitating required. Within 5 minutes I had very white layer of water/soap at the bottom of this sample. Took a sample from the resin washed and repeated the same process. NO SOAP what so ever! Water stayed clear the entire time. Went one step further and shook this sample to see if any soap would fall out. Drum roll please....................NO SOAP STILL! Poured the 5 gallons into tank this morning and life is good. I'll be dry washing the remaining 6 gallons tonight to put into the tank

So, in summary from processing to tank using the resin towers takes 24 hours.

I'm sold on the resin!

Jerry Rig I out, Jerry Rig II in!

2008-09-19T14:05:00.006-04:00

While it's only be a short time that I've been processing using JRI (Jerry Rig I) I've learned a lot! The greatest lesson is that I need to increase my production output and reduce my time making biodiesel!

Since I'm logging 600+ miles a week my need has out paced my current capacity of JRI, 10 gallons. At this rate I have to process every week or twice a week and it seems I'm spending more time processing than with my family. Not good. If I were doing city driving I think I would fine but as it is now I'm unable to stay ahead of my consumption.

So, I'm in the planning and building stages of Jerry Rig II, a 55 gallon drum. This will allow me to process around 30-40 gallons of veg oil. With this rate I could stay well ahead of my needs and only need to process maybe once a month. Thereby spending more time with the family.

The JRII will be essentially the same design with one slight modification in the addition of an electric water heater element. This will allow me to preheat the oil in the processor, compared to using my turkey fryer to do this. I'll still probably use the turkey fryer to jump start the warming process so as not to have wait and use so much electricity. The turkey fryer I can heat up 5-7 gallons to 150+ degrees in under 10 minutes. Now I've got to go find at least one or two more sources of oil!

Planning on modifying JRI to become a methanol recovery system, essentially a still. I'll be taking some time to research and build that, so as to not blow up my shed!

New 80/20 recipe test

2008-09-19T14:05:00.005-04:00

I've got a 10 gallon batch in the JR I ( Jerry Rig I) ready for processing. This time around I'm going to test using a different processing "recipe". In this process I'm going to introduce 80% of the methoxide, mix for 1-2 hours, and then drain of the glycerol. Then add the remaining 20% and mix for another 1-2 hours. Let settle overnight before draining the glycerol.

Why?! Well in this process it is assumed that if all of the methoxide were used all at once that it would get exhausted before getting a complete reaction, in simple terms. By introducing the remaining 20% at the half way point is introducing fresh methoxide that should complete the process of any unreacted biodiesel.

Purolite PD206 Ion Exchange Resin Tower (Dry Wash Tower)

2008-09-10T22:38:00.004-04:00

Well, as promised here are the pictures of the completed 24" dry wash towers. Made with Schedule 40 PVC, whatever that means. Fellow biodiesel partner in crime, Frank, came over this morning to assist in assembling these. We end up making up 4 towers total, 2 for each of us.

Into these towers will go 2 pounds of Purolite PD206 resin. There's quite a bit of space left over to allow for expansion of the resin. They must swell a hell of a lot to need 24"! 2 pounds of this stuff won't take up more than 4" at best! I'll report back on how they do and with biodiesel results.

Dry Washing

2008-08-27T14:19:00.004-04:00

AAARRRGGGH! I've had it with water washing my biodiesel! Takes way to much time and water to get a batch done. In replacement I've ordered some Purolite PD206 from the folks over at Houston Biodiesel to dry wash my biodiesel. Houston Biodiesel offers plans, parts, and the Purolite for the building for the dry washing towers with standard PVC parts for a very reasonable price.

In simple terms, you take your biodiesel that has been separated from the glycerol by product and run it through the Purolite PD206, at a certain flow rate, and clear filtered biodiesel comes out ready to be put in your tank! In theory from process time to fill up time could be achieved in less than 5 hours, depending on the amount of biodiesel needing to be filtered. Once the Purolite PD206 is exhausted you just back flush with methanol to remove contaminants, dry and reuse! One pound of the Purolite PD206 can in theory process up to 100 gallons before needing to back flushed, I'll report back on that.

Some Newbie Issues

2008-08-04T21:34:00.005-04:00

So, after having completed the Jerry Rig and processed 13 gallons I made some rookie mistakes. After some research and assistance from the the folks over at the Infopop Biodiesel forums I was able to recover from my mistakes. My errors were two fold that all occurred after a successful initial process. Both issues were post process errors that were frustrating.

Error number one was in attempting to get as a complete/pure biodiesel. I performed a test called 3/27 that is a good indicator to the completeness of the process or purity of the biodiesel. This test requires that you mix 3ml of biodiesel to 27ml of methanol and observe for any settling or fallout of any unprocessed oil. In my case there was minimal dropout less than 1/2ml based visual inspection at the bottom of my test jar. Based on this there is a standard reprocessing recipe that will remove the remaining free fatty acids. This recipe is to mix 1ml of lye with 50ml for every liter of biodiesel. Well, I got just a wee bit to much lye in the recipe and my biodiesel turned to gravy or better known as soap! Well drained this out of the processor and into a jug for future experimentation. It would appear that the combination of this "gravy" and glycerol (the by product of making biodiesel) in about 3:1 ratio allows for the lye to drop back out. Tested this out with a liter of "gravy" and got my biodiesel back.

Second situation was in washing 8 gallons of biodiesel. During the first wash I introduced a bubbler to help in the washing of the biodiesel, a popular technique. After a couple of hours of bubbling I came back to find this very milky liquid that turned out to be emulsion, essentially soap suspended in the biodiesel. I attempted to wash a second time but the results were identical, so back to the forums. There I found that bubbling during the first wash was not recommended and it should be used during the second or third wash at the earliest. DOH! But the forums were awash with cures for this to rescue the biodiesel. The cure is the use of a salt water solution to break the emulsion bonds. I simply mixed one gallon of hot water and some Kosher salt, about 1/3 of the box, and mixed it into the biodiesel. Mixed for about 5 minutes then let the batch settle overnight and VIOLA! This particular batch has been washed and dried and is now in the Beetle!

Jerry Rig Video

2008-07-23T22:07:00.004-04:00

Just wanted to share a video of the Jerry Rig Processor in action. In this video I'm circulating some finished Biodiesel in order to dry it of water from the wash process.

Click here to see video.

Jerry Rig Processor

2008-07-15T08:46:00.004-04:00

Allow me to first give credit and thanks to all those who helped me and answered my questions. Without their knowledge I wouldn't have been able to accomplish this.

Well, after months of talk, researching, and planning I have completed my biodiesel processor! Tonight I will running my first large batch of about 8 gallons. This design allows me to use the single to process, settle, wash, and dry in one tank. This was chosen in order to conserve space and reduce cost of materials. While I only have on TDI that requires diesel this processor will produce around 11 to 13 gallons of finished biodiesel.

Future plans are to eliminate the wash and drying process through the use of Puralite to do final removal of any remaining lye and methanol. This will reduce the processing time, cost, and use of water during the wash cycle.

I'll try to post complete construction, operation, and results details by this weekend. Also, the lack of updates to this post is due to have created another blog for a TDI club that we created here in central Indiana.

Building Biodiesel reactor platform

2007-11-10T08:40:00.000-05:00

Well we are well on our way! got together with my friend to build the mobile platform to support our AppleSeed Biodiesel Reactor.

Basic dimensions are 30" wide by 70" long. The completed height will be 16" from ground to top. There's enough space to hold the 40 gallon water heater and the washing/drying plastic drum, with extra space for the the pump and such.

Making progress

2007-11-07T15:22:00.000-05:00

Well since I last posted I've set up my oil collection and filtering station, pictures to come later. A co-worker, and friend, have begun the process of building our own "Appleseed" processor. I was able to to purchase a used electric water heater for $40 off of craigslist.

I was purchased a couple of 25/10 micron double bag filters from McMaster Carr to filter my collected waste veggie oil. This will be my prefilteration before introducing it into the Appleseed processor. Here are some pics of my filtering and preparation to produce a small 3 gallon batch. More to come later.

First bach of home brew biodiesel

2007-09-01T10:27:00.001-04:00

Well with a little bit of patience and help from the net I was able to successfully make two 1 liter batches of biodiesel from clean new peanut oil and used waste vegetable oil. It was rather exciting to see the process happening before my eyes and to pour it into my tank and use it. Only had one little miss hap in that one of my modified caps broke and my biodiesel ended up on the garage floor.

I took pictures of the stages that the oil went through as it turned into biodiesel. When I poured it into the tank I had about 3 gallons left so that turned into about to be a 10% blend. Beginning to make a 5 gallon batch.

BioDiesel Home Brew

2007-08-17T21:54:00.000-04:00

So, this weekend I'm going to give making a small 1 liter batch of pure 100% Biodiesel. In order to make it as simple as possible I'm going to be using a very method referred to Dr. Pepper. This linke provides the details and instructions to make a successful batch using clean unused oil.

http://www.kitchen-biodiesel.com/

I'll be photographically documenting this process for you viewing pleasure.

For the record today I was able to do my first true mileage assessment. After a full week of driving since my last fill up I logged 588 miles when my fuel warning came on. I filled up with 12 gallons of diesel and it averaged out to 49 MPG. This was mostly highway driving but there was some in town driving as well. Knowing that the light comes on with 2 gallons to spare I figure I can safely get nearly 700 miles per tank!

To Veggie Oil or Biodiesel?

2007-08-09T19:52:00.001-04:00

So no that I have my diesel dream I've been presented with a new dilema, WVO (waste veggie oil) or make my own biodiesel? Each has it pro's and con's and make for a tough decision. So let me try to break it down for ya (myself).

WVO--PRO
-Free oil
-Little or no processing required
-Very Green

WVO Cons--
-Costly car conversion
-If not careful can damage engine
-Winter viscosity issues still have to use diesel

BioDiesel-- Pros
-Straight into tank no winter concerns, for those of you in warm states above 50 degrees.
-No costly car conversion
-Less chance of damaging engine

BioDiesel-- Cons
-Winter have to blend in order to not gell fuel. Most recommend no higher than 20%.
-Dealing with hazardous chemicals
-Not as cheap as WVO
-Longer processing period of time

So you see my choices are tough! Each has it's merits. As for the hazardous chemicals part a co-worker has offered to host the processor for the biodiesel. This is great and I won't have to worry about my toddlers being near the stuff in the garage or blowing up my house.

Oooh, the milage

2007-08-04T20:56:00.000-04:00

It's only been a day but I've already been given a preview of just how fantastic the mileage will be with the Beetle. I filled up this morning so as to have a full tank to do my mileage logging. We drove up to Muncie to visit my parents on our daughters 2nd birthday. Muncie is about an hour north of Indianapolis, about 60 miles. Based on the fuel guage I can at this point say that I'm getting nearly 55MPG! HOLY CRAP! This driving was done with 2 adults and 2 toddlers in car seats and traveling at 70mph!

Man I am going to love this car!

I finally got it

2007-08-03T21:28:00.001-04:00

Well, it's been a week but it was worth the wait. SHE'S MINE!!

Uh....I did buy a car, didn't I?

2007-08-01T22:36:00.000-04:00

Called the dealership to check on the status of the AC compressor on my Beetle. Uh...I swear I signed some paperwork for a car?! But they said they are expecting the compressor to arrive today. AAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRGH!

Hell is filled with used car salesmen

2007-07-31T22:11:00.000-04:00

Well, I hate to say it but I now know how used car salesmen got their sh*%%#* reputation! Why can't they just be up front and straight forward?! Oh yeah THEIR USED CAR SALESMEN!

During my test drive I tested the AC out and found that during and after that it never got cold or cool in any way. I asked the salesman if he knew what was the issue with this. "I'll check in to that" was his reply. During several phone calls when trying to iron out the financing I would repeatedly ask about the status of the AC and each time "I'll check into that not to worry".

Come the day of signing the paperwork there was still no word on the AC and it's cause of failure. Before signing anything I told the financing guy about the non-functional AC and that I wasn't signing anything or purchasing the car until I knew if the dealership was going to fix it or I was going to be responsible for the repair. I asked this question due to the "AS IS" sign and before I signed anything I just wanted to know up front.

Later that afternoon I get a call from the used car sales manager to inform, whine, about how the salesman had sold me the Beetle for to little and that they gave me to much for my trade. He said he was told that after purchasing the car I was upset about the AC, as if I found out afterwards. I told him I hadn't done anything with the car and that in fact it was still on the lot, good thing I hadn't given them my car yet. He basically wanted me to come in and re-negotiate the deal with the cost of the repair figured in. The funny thing is that during the conversation I found out that he hadn't even put the car in the shop to determine the cause of the AC failure. Why the hell am I going to re-negotiate anything without knowing the cause and cost of the AC failure?! Come to find out the sales manager knew about the AC issue and was aware what was wrong but failed to tell anyone or instruct the salesmen that the car was to be sold at the listing price without fixing it. Or at least buy at what they listed it for then they would fix the AC.

As I told the manager I was pissed that I kept asking about the AC and if they knew what was wrong with it and if they were going to fix or would the buyer be holding that bag. ALL anyone had to do was say "Mr. Case, this car is being sold AS IS and that any non-functioning or faulty item will be the responsibility of the buyer". Had anyone said this I would have walked away. How F*&%#!@# tough is that?!

Secondly, when financing I was told that my only choice was for 24 months. After coming back in I was given the option of going to 36 months. I asked where they pulled that out of since I had asked and been told that 36 months was out of the question. Yes I know I'm paying more in interest but at 36 months it fits better in my budget.

So, basically I got the car at the price I wanted and they are replacing the AC compressor. What a pain in the ass! Don't want to go to hell?! Don't be a used car salesman!

Oh, by the way the dealership was Butler Kia, Suzki, Hyunda, Toyata Warehouse. So, be very careful when dealing with the bastards.

Yeah!! (I think)

2007-07-27T23:12:00.000-04:00

Well, I am now the proud owner of a '98 VW New Beetle TDI, with just a small amount of drama. More on that later, I'm just not in the mood to explain.

May the TDI Fairies Smile on me

2007-07-27T09:09:00.001-04:00

Well after taking some time off and coming back down to earth I started searching for a TDI again. My luck must be improving I found a '98 New Beetle TDI here at a local dealership. With my trade in and a little bickering I think I'll be getting this sweet baby by this weekend! Here's a picture.

The Beetle is blue and has 150,000 miles on it. The interior is fairly clean and the body is as well, except for some minor dings for a 10 year old car. Took it for a test drive and it runs really well no smoke during startup or acceleration. It's a 5 speed manual, SWEET! More manly that way.

Thank You

2007-05-27T07:54:00.000-04:00

I know the photo I've choosen what will be controversial but we need to remember the sacrifices that are being made. That the freedoms we enjoy come at a great price. To just wrap myself in the flag and think I've done my part would be wrong.

Tomorrow our nation pays homage to those who paid the ulitmate sacrifice in order that we, and others, can live in freedom. I don't wan to get to deep into politics but there is a connection between the use of bio and alternative fuels that will enable us to save the lives of our brave military personnel.

To all the men and women in military service, thank you for your selfless sacrifice.

While I'm searching

2007-05-26T10:03:00.000-04:00

While I haven't found a diesel car yet that shouldn't delay me from designing and creating the components needed for my system conversion. That way I'll be ready to install the parts once I find a car. I'll share the fruits of my labor and take any suggestions for improvements as they come in.

I figure the parts I will be making are:

-Fuel Pickup heater for WVO trunk tank
-Filter Heater
-Gather my fuel relays and switches
-In line WVO temperature monitor
-In line fuel filter for last filtration on WVO
-Settling and Filteration station for gathered WVO
-Hose-In-Hose fuel delivery ( this I may save for last as to enure I make the correct length)

This should keep me pretty busy with what spare time I have between work and family.

New kit provider

2007-05-26T09:58:00.000-04:00

I just found this new kit from Golden Fuel Systems http://www.goldenfuelsystems.com/. What I like most about thise group are their informative videos on collecting WVO, water testing WVO, engine as the pre-heater, and more!. There's a lot of free informative videos that go a long way of answering a newbies or doubters questions.

Time to wake up

2007-05-23T20:25:00.000-04:00

Well I got so wrapped in my excitement of getting a new car that I lost sight of the fact that the cars I was contemplating were out of my budget goals. So, this means I'm back to my original goal and dream of finding an 85-87 Mercedes Benz diesel.

While these cars are heavier and don't get the mileage that the TDI's do they still are a better than a gas car. With gas going for $3.59 here in Indianapolis and diesel still at $2.89 the savings and choice are pretty clear.

Man to only win the lottery and then any diesel I could dream of would be mine! So much for dreams.

The Economics

2007-05-10T20:50:00.000-04:00

So if you visited my sight or others, dealing with WVO conversion or just diesel, your probably wondering what are the actual economic savings. So, today I will attempt to provide and overview of just the savings one can gain by just driving a diesel Beetle. Let me start by saying I'm no Harvard economist but I think the numbers and math are pretty simple here. So, lets get started.

I will do my comparison based on 10 gallon fill up that I usually do and based today's current gas and diesel prices.

Dodge Neon- 10gal x $3.19= $31.90 average distance on 10 gallons 310 miles
Beetle TDI -10gal x $2.89= $28.90 average distance on 10 gallons 500 miles

On first glance there wouldn't appear that much of a savings on the same 10 gallons, only $3. But take a look at the distance that each vehicle can go on the same 10 gallons. There's a 190 mile difference and when you break that down that's roughly over 6 additional gallons at a cost of $19.55 for the Neon. So, when you add this additional cost to the it would take $51.45 to get the same mileage as the Beetle.

This would be $51.45 x 4 weeks = $205.80 a month x 12 months = $2,469.60 a year for the Neon!
For the Beetle $28.90 x 4 weeks = $115.6 a month x 12 months = $1,387.20 a year for the Beetle

An overall savings for the Beetle of $1082.40 a year or $90 month. This just strictly based on diesel, next time the savings when WVO is factored in.

TDI Club

2007-05-01T07:20:00.000-04:00

Found a great new discussion forum http://www.tdiclub.com/. Had some questions about the clutch and check engine light on the Beetle and members were great in answering my questions. There's a great live chat feature where you can chat with members and get your questions answered fast. To the TDI folks thanks!

Got a phone call from the dealer with the flamed out Beetle and they told me they were considering repainting the car to remove the flames. At first I thought this was great until I heard the $1200 extra it would add to car! I told the guy I would rather keep the flames than pay the extra cost.

Still searching

2007-04-29T08:04:00.000-04:00

Well Bug I went and looked at was not worth it. The rear head rests were missing, brakes vibrated indicating they needed replaced, check engine light was on and seller didn't know why, and seats were a mess. So the search goes on.

But I think I may have found another Bug for consideration. Check this out! One way to make the car less girly I suppose. But as long as the car is in good shape that's what is most important.

The next candidate

2007-04-27T22:35:00.000-04:00

Well here's the next project vehicle I'm going to be purchasing and converting to run on WVO, except the mine is silver. Under consideration is a 2000 Volkswagen Beetle GLS TDI. This vehicle has 70k miles and seems to be in pretty good shape. Going to take a look at it tomorrow and take for a test drive.

I'm back!

2007-04-27T22:23:00.000-04:00

Well it's been a while since I last posted but with the death of the VeggieVolvo there just wasn't much to write. But I have never gotten veggie oil out of my mind, especially with the crazy gas prices.

But now I am about to purchase another diesel vehicle but this time I'm going with a Volkswagen Beetle. Going with VW will give me the piece of mind and trust that I just never got with the Volvo 740. So, with that I am planning on continuing the documenting of my process and results of converting to run on veggie oil.

So, the new name for the blog will change from VeggieVolvo to Veggie Bug! Stay tuned.

Electrical Update

2006-03-20T12:15:00.000-05:00

Well, this Saturday I spen the better of 3 hours rewiring my engine harness and I have to say it wasn't the difficult. With the use of the proper tools, the right connectors, and the Volvo electrical manual has made the job fairly easy.

The process began by carefully removing the dry and brittle heat sheild so as no to damage the wires. This was similar to cracking the shells on crab legs! The stuff was so dry and brittle that on occasions I thought I cut my fingers several times. But taking my time I got all the stuff off.

I then proceeded to replace each wire individually making sure the connectors were correct and placed back in it's right spot. By doing it this way I was guaranteed the right length of wire, the connectors, and it's placement. It's mind numbing process but great mediation! Afterwards I tried to recall what I was thinking about during the project but realized my mind was a total blank!

Suggestions to anyone who would attempt this is to make sure you have an assortment of connectors, correct wire gauge, and patience. I'll post some pictures in a little while.

Electrical Work

2006-03-15T10:11:00.000-05:00

Taking some time to do some needed repair of the VeggieVolvo's electrical wiring. Volvo in their wisdom thought that the car wouldn't last beyond 20 years and made the wiring insulation bio-degradeable. Problem is their cars are still on the road 20 years later and owners are finding nasty exposed wires!

So I've decided to go ahead and begin repairing the wiring harness. I orginally searched for harness's to buy but they ranged from $200 to $450. Needless to say I decided to undertake just doing it my self. For those who may be looking for a Volvo Harness check out Dave Barton for a large selection of Volvo wiring harness's.

I've got to say so far disconnecting and finding replacement connectors has not been that bad. One just has to be careful to remember where all the connections are, if you don't have a Volvo wiring manual. I'll post more later as I go with pictures later.

Fuel Tank and Heating it

2006-02-16T22:20:00.000-05:00

Howdy folks! (for those of you taking the time to visit) Sorry it's been so long since I last posted but life as parent of two toddlers is challenging. What free time there is is usually spent catching up on sleep!

So when I last left off I had explained and compared the two methods of carrying and heating WVO to the engine. Today I'll discuss the fuel tank for the WVO. As you will notice there is a recurring theme here with preheating in the system.

There seems to be quite a few methods that people are using to preheat their WVO while in the tank. Some are actually going to the extent of heating the entire WVO tank to aid in it's pickup and flow through the system. This method seems to widely used in larger installations like in pickup trucks with 40+ gallons of WVO. While this can be done it does take time and if your a city dweller may not be the most practical. The other drawback to this method requires quite a bit of work in bending and placing tubing in the tank.

The other method is quite a bit easier and works just as well and that is to have a heated pickup system. That is rather than heat the entire tank and WVO just heat the WVO around the fuel pickup and as it travels through the system it gets the rest of the heat it needs. To create such a device is rather easy and can be done with off the shelf copper pipe. This method also allows for a variety of fuel tank choices ranging from the plactic cubes the WVO comes in to the plastic marine fuel tanks. I personally have created a system using a 12 gallon Tempo marine fuel tank. I'll post some pictures and diagrams on this soon.

Take care!

Hose on Hose Method

2006-01-13T22:34:00.000-05:00

Well, it's been awhile and I still haven't had the time to swap out transmission yet. Soon though! But in the meantime, I thought I would create another installment on the WVO conversion process.

This time I'll provide for another WVO delivery method that is easier and less likely to leak. This method is referred to HOH (Hose on Hose) and relies on the transfer of heat in the engine coolant as it flows through tubing. The process is fairly straight forward in that you have a feed and return of both coolant and WVO that are bundled together. The tubing or hoses are secured together using common plastic zip ties. Most of the tubing/hose is going to be 3/8" rubber fuel hose and your going to need quite a bit of it. In order to retain as much heat as possible you place your HOH setup in foam pipe insulation, readily available at your local hardware store.

The image gives you and idea of what the process looks like and is pretty easy to make. The only drawback to this method is the inefficient heat transfer of rubber. This is a minor issue in that you will benefit from having the coolant and WVO isolated from each other and no possibility of cross contimination due to leaks. This alone is well with considering as any leaks can cause engine damage!

Beginning Conversion

2005-11-05T21:16:00.000-05:00

With WVO conversions there are basically two methods of running your "plumbing" from the second tank to the engine. One method is Hose-On-Hose (HOH), which utilizes individual hoses for each the feed and return of both engine coolant and veggie oil. This method utilizes the heat transfer by bundling the 4 hoses together and surrounding the hoses with pipe insulation.

Another method is Hose-In-Hose (HIH). This method you run a smaller diameter hose/pipe through a larger diameter hose/pipe. The smaller diameter hose is surrounded by the engine coolant and uses heat transfer to heat the veggio oil as well.

Both have their pros and cons. The HOH method you don't have the possibility of cross contamination due to a leaks as you would with a HIH. If your on a budget HOH system may be more expensive due to the amount of hose/pipe you would need. Also with the HOH may be less efficient in the heat transfer as HIH.

After much research and a first attempt I've decided to go with a Hose-In-Hose conversion. I think that the HIH system will provide me with a more effient heat transfer method and with veggie oil conversion that's important.

With that said here is a design of the basic "plumbing" using standard PEX tubing and copper fittings. More details to follow but I think the diagram is self explainatory.

Blown Transmission

2005-11-02T10:59:00.000-05:00

Well, VeggieVolvo is out of commission for awhile. My transmission went out and I'm in the process of switching out the transmission from another 740. Just need to make some time to do the switch. But I'll keep posting on the conversion process in the meantime.

Bio Diesel

2005-10-18T12:56:00.000-05:00

At this point I may have foregotten to mention that using the same WVO you can make your Bio Diesel. Why would you want to do this? Rather than having to add plumbing to your car you could pour your home brewed bio diesel directly into the diesel tank. No waiting for temps, no worries about clogged filters, broken hoses, etc.

That's not to say that making your own bio diesel doesn't have it's own hazards. When making bio diesel your going to be using methanol as the main ingredient. Needless to say proper ventilation and storage is very important!

For more information on this I put a link on the right for more information.

Got the oil, now what?!

2005-09-08T21:50:00.000-05:00

So, you've collected your oil and your wondering what to do next. What ever you do DON'T PUT IN YOUR TANK YET!

I, as well as others, recommend that you purchase 2 55 metal gallon drums. One drum you are going to use as settling and collection tank. If you want to limit the amount of large chunks that settle to the bottom of the tank and limit your cleaning I would recommend filtering the oil with a t-shirt. The t-shirt will do just fine for collecting the big chunks. For those of us that live in cold climates it is highly recommended that you install some type of pre-heating device to keep the oil temperature in the 70 to 90 degree range. Cold oil will coagulate and thicken up making it difficult for the particles to settle and pump. Make sure to wrap this drum with proper insullation to prevent as much heat loss as possible.

Another alternative to a 55 gallon drum is to use a salvaged electric water heater. Some have been able to contact plumbing shops and taken the water heaters that were removed from homes. My only question about this is most water heaters that are removed are due large quantities of buildup that caused the failure. Doesn't seem logical to put oil in an already gunk filled container and cleaning seems way to much effort. One alternative is to remove or buy the heating element and thermostat and install in on the 55 gallon drum.

The second drum can be used to for your final or usable oil that goes into the car. Transferring the oil from the first drum can be achieved by using various transfer pumps. Whe pumping this oil make sure to not put the siphoning tube to close to the settled sediment at the bottom of the drum. As your transfering the oil into the second tank you should pass the oil through a filter to remove the smallest particles. Here you want to use a filter rated 10 microns or less. You can use a diesel filter like the golden rod filter. Now another option is to create a poor man's bag filter from a pair of denim jeans. Take the leg of a pair of jeans and close the bottom, be sure to leave no gaps for sediment can escape. At the top fashion some type wire hoop to support the bag filter and to attach some type of handle. Now it is said that the micron rating is guessed to be around .5 microns. Whether this is or not I don't know. I do know it worked damn good for me!

Here are some pictures of my first attempts at filtering using the denim bag filter. Pictures are out of sequence so bare with me. Frist image picture shows the clean filtered oil dripping out of the denim bag filter . Second shows the fat and crud that was filtered out of half a jug of unsettled oil. BIG MISTAKE! This took 45 minutes to clean outside. Third shows the unfiltered oil in the filter, notice how cloudy it is compared to image number one. Forth picture just shows my setuppicture . The last image shows how I used the second leg as a final filter as a precaution. The filter is supported by two juice bottles tapped together. You get an idea how time consuming this set up is and how the method above can save you time.

There's Gold In Them Dumpsters

2005-08-27T22:40:00.000-05:00

People always ask me where I plan on getting my oil or think that I will go into a grocery store and buy new oil. They look stunned and surprised when I tell them that I will get my oil from local resturants. What do think their dougnuts, fries, elephant ears are cooked in?! Oh, yea!

Now it's not a simple, or nice, thing to just pull up to a restaurants dumpster and just take the oil. Once the oil is placed in the dumpster it is the property of the recycling company. Getting access to this oil is a simple process of common courtesy, ask for permission! Most restaurants will be glad to give you their oil, especially small ones, since they have to pay, in most cases, to have the oil removed. In my case my parents own a restaurant and they would have to pay $65 a month to have the oil they use removed.

Now there are several ways you can approach collecting your oil, the first is to find a restaurant that puts their oil back into the 5 gallon cubes the oil comes in. The advantage to this is that the oil is easy to handle, especially if you don't have a truck, and no special equipment is needed. During the winter this is a very good thing since WVO will thicken up and require special pumps and heaters to get the oil into a container. With this method I found it neccessary to use a pump of some kind or pour the WVO into a larger container. Pouring straight from the jug disturbed the crud at the bottom of the jug and I could only filter half of the jug.

The second method is to siphon the WVO from a dumpster into a container. During the summer this has advantages in that the WVO, combined with heat, will have time to settle the crud and you can pump off of the top. If your planning on modifying a truck collecting oil from the dumpster would allow you to get larger quantities of oil. Say a couple of 55gal drums.

Regardless of your method of collecting WVO remember to filter the oil before using it your vechicle!

Next up, how to filter.

Which auto to choose

2005-08-25T21:40:00.000-05:00

Pretty much any diesel equipped auto would work but from what I have read the most popular passengers cars to choose are either a VW or Mercedes. These two companies are famous for their offerings of diesel equipped cars. VW offers nearly all their models in a diesel.

The main reason to consider one of these makes is due to the readily available parts should you run into mechanical problems and there's a lot of people you can ask for help with the conversion process. The main reason I choose my VeggieVolvo was due to budget and experimentation. I couldn't afford spending more than a grand and I didn't want to destroy a car and throw my money out the window. Not that I don't have faith in the conversion but more in my mechanical skills. Keep in mind any conversion WILL void manufactures warranty.

Check on the bio-diesel discussion forums for advice on what vechicle to consider. Oh and whatever you do seriously consider having the car checked out by a diesel mechanic to make sure the engine is in good shape. My VeggieVolvo has blown her transmission and I'm in the process of swapping out the transmission.

So why vegetable oil

2005-08-24T09:42:00.000-05:00

Here's a little history as to how I arrived at my decision to modify my Volvo to run on vegetable oil.

I drive about 650 miles to work at Indiana University and with the cost of gas constantly rising it became crucial that I find a way of saving money. While I drive a Dodge Neon and get 30+mpg it still takes $45 dollars a week to fuel my Neon. I tried carpooling but my job requires me to be available after hours and this doesn't work sometimes. So I began searching the internet.

I remembered that diesels get really good mileage and a friend of mine had a Jetta. In my research on diesels I stumbled on the greasecar website that explained how to modify a diesel car to run on waste vegetable oil (WVO). They also sold kits to make your modification as easy as possible. They also had customer profiles on their site and the type of cars that were being modified. The thought of free fuel was my dream come true!

A little more searching on the internet and I stumbled on a discussion forum that was all about WVO and bio-diesel. Here people discussed the simple aspects of construction of components to best ways to collect and filter WVO. I started noticing one person in particular, Dana Linscott, and that he seemed to be the resident guru. Dana also sold plans for common components needed for the modification process. Now I need to say that once I saw the plans it was a no brainer but being new to the whole process the plans were priceless and worth the $50.

The key to using WVO in your diesel is to get the viscosity of the oil to match that of diesel fuel for proper combustion. In order to do this you have to heat the oil prior to it be injected into the cylinders. The most common method of doing this is to use the heat from your engine coolant. By using a heat exchange method you can pre-heat the oil sufficently to achieve ideal viscosity. If you go to frybird.com they have an excellent explaination on this.

Well that's all for now.

Ooops! I owe Blogger an apology

2005-08-23T22:39:00.000-05:00

I owe the folks at Blogger a big apology! I recently ranted that Blogger didn't support photo uploading except with MS, well I was wrong! The next time before I open my big fat mouth I'll read a little more.

Again, sorry Blogger!

The Journey Begins

2005-08-17T22:21:00.000-05:00

Well, after visiting another Volvo diesel owner's blog I was motiviated to finally create and begin my own blog to document my efforts to convert my Volvo to run on waste vegetable oil (WVO). You may think I'm absolutely insane but as you will read I'm not off my rocker after all, especially with the price of gas rising ever higher.

So, comeback read and share your comments with me and others.