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What types of things can i use as fuel?

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Old Dec 10, 2008 | 08:36 PM
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boughta1990w250's Avatar
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From: Fruitland, Ga (The Freakin' Boonies!)
What types of things can i use as fuel?

I read in the newest Diesel Power of a guy in a 7.3 excursion running filtered ATF fluid as fuel to save money. In that same article it had a diesel guy saying that it was allright to run atf in the early CTD engines full time with no problem using 100 percent atf. It got me to thinking what other types of stuff i could use to run in my truck. Has anyone heard of using used motor oil. I have gallons upon gallons in various jugs laying around my house. I have heard you could filter cooking oil extremely well and use it. I was just curious and if you guys know of anything else or have heard of using something else let me know.
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Old Dec 10, 2008 | 08:44 PM
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From: Mohrsville Pennsylvania
I use well filtered Motor oil in the warmer months. Sometimes there is some ATF mixed in. The owners manual says you can run kero, and some other fuels. I never tried cooking oil.
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Old Dec 10, 2008 | 09:06 PM
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I think used cooking oil is biofuel and it take alot more than just filtering. I use new peanut oil as an additive sometimes because the Ultra Low Sulfer Diesel doesent lubricate as well as the old stuff. A lot of guys on here run used motor mixed with diesel as long as its filtered properly itll work fine. Do a search on used moter oil in the general diesel discussion / fuel and you will find more than you want to know.
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Old Dec 10, 2008 | 11:43 PM
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A diesel engine will run on nearly anything remotely resembling liquid that will also burn, or any combination of liquids, so long as whatever it is is CLEAN.

The first diesel engine ran on peanut-oil.

I personally have used new and used hydraulic fluid, waste engine oil, used cooking oil, new engine oil, new vegetable oil, No.-1, No.-2, and Kerosene in varying concentrations and could tell no difference in starting, running, or power.

I have read that transmission fluids are loaded with pump-eating abrasives, then I have also read that only certain grades have the abrasives and others do not.


A bunch of the old Ford diesel guys are running straight used motor oil with good results.


Unless you own the local quickie-lube and have access to ridiculous amounts of free CLEAN used oil and put on a lot of miles, it really isn't worth the hassle to use any of these alternate fuels with plain old pump diesel being so economical.


I would not risk any "free" oil from behind the local garage, as these guys dump brake-fluid, battery-acid, anti-freeze, you name it, in those barrels and no amount of filtering short of re-refining is going to get those chemicals out.


Put the pencil to it and you will soon see that even $5/gallon diesel is still the cheapest factor in transportation.
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Old Dec 11, 2008 | 11:13 AM
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I toss about anything in the tank, Not going past the 10% mark, I really dont think you can run 100% waste engine oil without gumming up the valves.
Veggi oil, trans fluid, Kerosene,home heating(illegal) no road tax, Hydrolic fluid,brake fluid, Lots of stuff to help your wallet.
I am here in NJ today, and diesel was 233 at a local station.
Peter.
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Old Dec 11, 2008 | 12:15 PM
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My '93 Cummins has never been to a gas station since I have owned it, running home brewed biodiesel. My '86 4Runner diesel is the same way.
My '02 Golf diesel gets 2,700 miles a month put on it and gets 10 gallons of diesel fuel put in it, the rest is centrifuge filtered waste vegetable oil. Works perfect. I have a modded Greasecar system in it.
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Old Dec 11, 2008 | 01:02 PM
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From: Mt. Pleasant, NC
The legal issue in part depends on the state you live in. Here in North Carolina the state has waved the road taxes for those who home brew.
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Old Dec 11, 2008 | 08:10 PM
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From: Katy, TX off north Mason Road.
back 7-8 months ago when diesel hit $5 a gallon I went to wal-mart and bought 10 cases of SAE30 non detergent motor oil and paid less than $1 a qt. for it. I filled the tank up with it and went on my way. I did get some strange stairs from people passing by me in the parking lot though. lol I cant find it that cheap anymore though, I guess they were getting rid of the last of what they had.
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Old Dec 29, 2008 | 03:48 PM
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if u blend wmo(or atf) u need to centerfuge filter it. if u run wvo, a cold gravity 2 micron filter bag and a 5-gal bucket is all u need. i also have burnt anything that was on the shop shelf and 1/2 empty, no trouble with anything except(do not run syth motor oil or foam filter oil), had to clean some nozzles once because of it...benn blending 25%wvo for about 14,000 miles now. my mix is 28gal #2, 4-gal wvo, 1/2gal rug.(and sometimes 2-stroke).
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Old Jan 2, 2009 | 01:17 AM
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From: pacific northwest
Just about anything....

One of my buddies says I'll (me) burn anything with a carbon atom attached to it. In the last few years I've burned transformer oil, wmo, atf, bio-diesel, old boat gas/mix, jet-a and a1 (not as good as #2 but cheaper) and some 35+ year old diesel. The old diesel burns better than the new stuff. When the stuff gets thick from the cold I just cut it with gasoline, in the neighborhood of 10%. Been doing it for 10 years and not a problem yet; still get over 20 mpg on both rigs. fwiw
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Old Jan 2, 2009 | 01:33 AM
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From: Waconia, MN
i have ran 2 stroke oil, and hydraulic fluid. the hyd. fluid really quieted the engine down
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Old Jan 6, 2009 | 02:54 PM
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From: Forest Grove, Oregon
Zeus1987,

Why are you wasting money putting 2 cycle oil in your tank when all diesel sold in MN has 2% bio mixed in?
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Old Sep 2, 2009 | 07:14 AM
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Originally Posted by buzzinhalfdoz
if u blend wmo(or atf) u need to centerfuge filter it. if u run wvo, a cold gravity 2 micron filter bag and a 5-gal bucket is all u need. i also have burnt anything that was on the shop shelf and 1/2 empty, no trouble with anything except(do not run syth motor oil or foam filter oil), had to clean some nozzles once because of it...benn blending 25%wvo for about 14,000 miles now. my mix is 28gal #2, 4-gal wvo, 1/2gal rug.(and sometimes 2-stroke).

Sorry but no you don't need to go to those lengths to run WMO. I've been running it for the past 5 + years & 50k miles, by simply filtering it through a 2 micron water separator for about an hour before it goes into the tank, at ratios as high as 90% summer 50% winter. Among the "fuels" I've run hyd oil, atf, 140# gear oil just make sure it is dino based not synth.
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Old Sep 2, 2009 | 08:56 AM
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From: Boston, mASS
Id be wary of WATER in any of the fuels youre using. over time it will eat up pumps and nozzles.
For you folks that use WVO.. I dont know that Id ever recommend that without heating it, but it does seem to work as a blend for some folks.
Personally I filter mine to 2 micron and de-water it by heating to 160F and drawing a vacuum on it so it boils off.
I run it straight in an aux fuel system with lots of heat and filtration.
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Old Sep 2, 2009 | 11:08 AM
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From: Montana City, Montana
What is syntheic oil made from?

Originally Posted by shorthair
... Among the "fuels" I've run hyd oil, atf, 140# gear oil just make sure it is dino based not synth.

Is Synthetic oil not dino based? What is it made of?
Thanks ... Ken
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