How to Decide Between Using SVO and Biodiesel

With today's focus on the environment and creating a cleaner, healthier future for our children, the topic of fuel choices has been a hot one in recent years. Nearly everyone knows by now that the use of regular oil and gasoline is poisoning the planet. If we're to ward off global warming and a devastating greenhouse effect, we're going to have to make different fuel choices across the globe. To that end, many people are now looking into using straight vegetable oil (SVO) and biodiesel in their cars.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Take cost into consideration. In many cases, you can get used SVO for free from restaurants. Chefs have already used the SVO for frying the evening's foods and are just going to throw it away anyway. Real biodiesel will cost you some money.
2. Find out whether your car has a diesel engine. Neither SVO nor biodiesel is going to make your car run without a diesel engine.
3. Look into the cost of a conversion kit. In order to use SVO in your car, a conversion kit will be necessary. Determine whether the availability of free SVO will offset the cost of the kit enough for your liking.
4. Consider your local climate. Both biodiesel and SVO require warm conditions to attain peak performance in your car. If your climate is cold for much of the year, you'll have to let your engine run for a while before driving it, and you may even have to pre-heat your oil.
5. Beware of waxing. SVO is particularly susceptible to forming wax crystals in cold weather. These wax crystals can clog your fuel injectors and damage your car's engine.

Tips & Warnings

• When trying to decide between using SVO or biodiesel, many people assume they can just pour SVO into their cars without any kind of preparation. While your car may run on straight SVO, it probably won't run well. Cars filled with straight SVO without the benefit of a conversion kit are susceptible to excess exhaust smoke, lower fuel mileage and potential engine damage. In order to avoid these things, SVO must be pre-heated, mixed with kerosene or filtered through a conversion kit.
• Consider the availability of free SVO when trying to decide between using that or biodiesel. Not all restaurants are willing to give their used oil away for free. Ask around at local restaurants to determine whether you'll have a steady source available to you.