Making Fuel

[BrightWolf]

I've heard about making diesel fuel for use in cars out of used vegetable oil. What do you think of doing this for your diesel boat engine?

I don't have a boat, yet, I was just wondering what opinions are out there on this topic.

Here is an interesting link about running vehicles on oil: Would You Use Veggie Oil to Fuel Your Vehicle?

Missy of BrightWolf

[imagine2frolic]

It's going to smell like french fries all the time. Can you live with that?..... ....i2f

[Freesail99]

Originally Posted by imagine2frolic

It's going to smell like french fries all the time. Can you live with that?.....:laughter :laughter ....i2f

This is very true, I have a friend who makes his own bio diesel and uses it to power the Yanmar diesel on his boat. You are hungry all the time from the constant smell of french fries.

[WanderingStar]

There are other concerns too. I don't think it lubricates as well as diesel. Even now it costs more. It might get thick in the cold. It's more likely to grow stuff that will clog filters.

[imagine2frolic]

I met a guy in Calif 4 years ago while retrieving my belongings. He was driving an old MBZ diesel for over a year, and a half with no problems. He got his oil from Chinese restaraunts in San Jose. He said he found himself always hungry for Chinese.

Latitude 38 years ago did an article on fuel made from corn. The owners of the boat always had a craving for popcorn........i2f

[dohenyboy]

Have sex with chinese girl, 30 minutes later you are horny again

[badsanta]

I am sure it can be done, but is it cost effective on a small scale? I used to own a restaurant and with all the water and chemicals we mixed with it while cleaning fryers I would NEVER us it on my boat. What an emulsified mess! It is never just vegtable oil in that can.

[Dumah]

Veggy oil is a viable fuel provided precautions are taken. Firstly, do not think one can do without fuel oil as it is needed to start and stop the engine. The veggy oil MUST be heated before even filtering, both before adding to your boat and during service. I heat mine with a hose from my exhaust manifold into a stainless coil in the veggy oil tank, and thence to the wet exhaust. My Mermaid runs excellently, but filter life is much shorter with bio than petro. Figured my bio costs to be about $2 per imp gal, not including cost of pick up. Hope this helps,
Dumah, Halifax, NS

[scottyt]

Dumah there is a difference with veggie oil and biodiesel, yes veg oil needs to be heated and you dont start up on it. biodiesel does not need to be heated, and its is a better solvent than normal diesel so yes it can cause a few filters as it cleans the system out.

wandering star biodiesel lubes just fine in new equipment, its the old stuff that is getting near the end of its life that has problems

[WanderingStar]

So I should probably just continue using diesel in my '68 Perkins?