How to Convert Your Engine to Biodiesel Fuel
Contrary to some rumors, there is no such thing as a "biodiesel engine." In fact, nearly all existing diesel engines can run on biodiesel with no modification. If you are currently driving a diesel car or truck in the United States, for example, about 10 to 15 percent of the diesel you put in your vehicle is already from biological sources. If you want to say goodbye to the pump for good, however, here's how to go 100 percent bio.
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Instructions
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Rubber hoses are your only concern when setting up your existing diesel motor for biodiesel fuel. Check the hoses on your existing diesel vehicle. If your vehicle was manufactured before 1994, it is possible that its fuel lines and gaskets are made from rubber. While biodiesel is safer to handle than regular petroleum-based fuel, it has solvent properties that can, over time, erode rubber. These should be replaced with metal hoses.
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Purchase or make your biodiesel fuel. It is often cost-effective to have biodiesel delivered right to your door. The National Biodiesel Board lists producers by area and can be accessed online. It is also possible to produce biodiesel at home from used cooking oil, but this is not recommended as this violates local fire codes almost everywhere.
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Slowly increase your ratio of biodiesel to regular diesel. If your diesel vehicle is new, you can skip this step as the inside of your engine will be clean. If, however, you have been driving it for more than a year on standard diesel, then your fuel system may be lined with deposits that could clog your fuel filter when you switch to biofuel. Biodiesel is much cleaner than standard diesel and consequently cleans your fuel system like a solvent. To prevent clogging, slowly change the ratio of bio to diesel fuel each time you fuel up. The mix out of the pump should be at least 10 percent already. Try filling your tank 90 percent of the way and topping off with biodiesel, then try 80 percent and so on.
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Tips & Warnings
You can buy biodiesel already mixed. Grades of biodiesel are designated with a "B" and the mix ratio after the letter. B20, for example, means that the fuel is 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent regular diesel.
Making biodiesel at home is the legal equivalent to having a fuel refinery in your home. Contact your local fire marshal for regulations concerning this.
No matter what you might have heard, do not put vegetable oil in your tank. It may run, but it will damage the engine in the long run.
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Resources
- Photo Credit station-service_2 image by Pugstudio from Fotolia.com Auto Engine image by Andrew Breeden from Fotolia.com
