Q&A: How to Get Started with Biodiesel?

Some Answers Based on My Experience

A QUESTION ABOUT BIODIESEL

This reader seems to have read at least one of my various articles about biodiesel. For those of you who don't know: biodiesel is basically an alternative fuel meant as a replacement for conventional petroleum diesel fuel. Biodiesel is derived from an organic source, usually vegetable oil.

Surprisingly, most folks think biodiesel is "new" technology - when in fact it is more than 100 years old! For more details, read about it in this article.

WORD OF CAUTION

I meet and talk with loads of people who are excited about biodiesel because they saw it in the news. They want to try it. But somehow they missed out on the fact that you cannot run biodiesel in any car.

Repeat: Biodiesel will not run in just any old car.

I've known folks who who've tried running diesel or biodiesel fuel in their regular gasoline car with disastrous results. Likewise I've seen it the other way around (gasoline on a diesel engine) with equal disaster.

If you are thinking about using biodiesel in your car, please be sure your car at least has a diesel engine.

Below is a question from a reader who wishes to use recycled fryer grease oil to make biodiesel. He is making biodiesel on a casual basis - and not as a business or factory enterprise. So...

THE QUESTION

Dear John,

Thanks for the great article: The Scam On Biodiesel Engine Conversion!

This is probably one of: those who are skirting the edge of wimpdom - being brave enough to try biodiesel, but who are making excuses not to try it cases. But I am planning on letting our company car run on bio diesel. Therefore we have to know for sure that it will work and that it will not brake or damage our brand new Toyota Quantum 2008 Diesel.

So just to get this straight; is it correct that:

If we collect oil from lets say: snack bars, fast food- and other restaurants, filters this with for example; the greasecar filter.

Then put 5% paint thinner to the recycled vegetable oil.