Have read various places that you can make your own diesel fuel, I believe out of used cooking oil. I can't even get close to imagining that this would be a good idea!? Is this feasible? Has anyone ever done it? Just curious if this is as bad of an idea as it sounds like. Let tht beating begin . . .

Thomas

 

If you have easy, free access to used cooking oil, a place to setup and a few hours every week it looks like it might be cost effective. Take a look at this site. I think this was the kit that was on one of the truck TV shows a while back.

http://www.homebiodieselkits.com/hobikit.html

 

ive been doing it for about a year, but i wouldn't recommend the kit mentioned above. its expensive and not the safest design.


http://biodiesel.infopop.cc/eve/foru...rm/f/498605551
http://forums.biodieselnow.com/default.asp

 

piekarski,
I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts about it. I figured there was no way in the world that this would work/be safe. How much fuel do you produce? Do you mix in stuff from the pumps every other tank or anything? Guess I will also check out those links you posted.

Thomas

 

im currently gathering materials for this one here http://www.biodieselcommunity.org/appleseedprocessor/

 

No question that you can make biodiesel from waste cooking oil; and make it work-- although if you are haphazard you WILL be a hazard to yourself and anyone and anything nearby (including your engine). A local organic farmer near me does an amazing job of collecting waste cooking oil from most of the restaurants in about a 30 mile radius, does the "bubble bubble toil and trouble" with methanol/ sodium hydroxide , and then runs ALL of his farm equipment, vehicles, and greenhouse furnaces on it (3000+ gallons a year, in total). But at least in some parts of the country (like here in VT) most of the decent waste cooking oil is "spoken for" in one way or another (and with fuel prices that is only likely to continue/ compound); also, Chrysler/ Cummins say OK to 5% commercially-blended biodiesel, but all bets are probably off on engine warranty if you are running homebrew "B100," (100% bio) which is what (combined with limited supply of free used veg oil) stopped me in my tracks. Mechanical injection diesels like the old Dodges and ancient Mercedes seem much less risky/ more tolerant of BD than these new high-pressure common rail microprocessor-controlled engines. Anecdotal but well-founded local rumour suggests that the 3rd Gen. Dodge Cummins run very, very happily on commercial B20 (more so than petro diesel), even if it is not officially blessed by the manufacturers.

 

From what I have been reading B50 is as high as you can go on a 3rd GEN truck, if you go more then B50 the veg oil will become stringy and clog your fuel filter.

I'm running B20 in my 06

Have you looked in here.

 

I was at a Flying J station filling my truck with liquid gold the other day ( 3.49 gal ) and I saw a new sticker on the pump, it said "this low sulfer fuel may damage 07 and newer engines". The pump I was at was a regular old #2 diesel pump. And yes it said 07. Any words of wisdom?

 

Thats correct, 07 and newer engines need to run Ultra Low Sulfer fuel because of the emissions equipment they are putting on them.