Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: JamesV6CDX on 08 January 2009, 15:45:49

Title: Time for veggie fuel again?
Post by: JamesV6CDX on 08 January 2009, 15:45:49
While the Omega is not a good contender for this at all, I have a Peugoeot 406 TD with a Bosch diesel pump and indirect injection, which is very well suited to burning vegetable oil.

Now you CAN chuck SVO/ or (filtered) WVO in the tank and run without any mods at all, (I have done in other pugs, for huge distances) but it's not ideal in the colder weather.

What I need to do is fit a heating device in the fuel line, which contains a glow plug, to heat the oil to 90deg before it hits the injection pump when the engine is cold. this reduces the viscosity and allows it to burn just like diesel.

An additional heat exchanger is required to take heat from the coolant, to continually heat the oil before it enters the pump. This is plumbed in pretty much the same as an LPG evaporator coolant wise.

Been researching - and I can buy WVO (waste veg oil) online in 100l containers,  pre-filtered for 30ppl. At 48mpg, that is 2.8 pence per mile. 100 miles on less than £3.

The conversion would cost me £100 in bits, and I'm away. Insurance are happy as long as they have a mechanics report to say it's "safe".

Thoughts? ::)

____________

In case anyone raises concerns about fuel duty and tax, regarding legal implications and paying tax, I have found the below:

Following a review in late 2006,HM Revenue & Customs has announced changes regarding the administration and collection of excise duty of biofuels and other fuel substitutes (Veg Oil). The changes came into effect on June 30, 2007. There is no longer a requirement to register to pay duty on vegetable oil used as road fuel for those who "produce" or use less than 2,500 litres per year. For those producing over this threshold the biodiesel rate now applies.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/briefs/excise-duty/brief1108.htm


Title: Re: Time for veggie fuel again?
Post by: doog on 08 January 2009, 15:51:00
my friend done tens of thousands of miles in his bmw 2.5 6 cyl omega  running it on veg oil (up to 90%) with no problems other than more frequent fuel filter changes

the 4 cyl diesel  engines dont like it at all  the pumps die

 I ran veg in my rover but i lost the supply i had got lazy and started going back to the petrol stations
Title: Re: Time for veggie fuel again?
Post by: JamesV6CDX on 08 January 2009, 15:53:01
I must say, there is nothing stopping me really.

It's legal (providing I use under 2500 litres and keep records), very cheap - and it recycles waste oil. Surely everyone's a winner?  ::)

Title: Re: Time for veggie fuel again?
Post by: Welung666 on 08 January 2009, 16:02:39
And everybody following you will get hungry as it smells like a mobile chip shop ;) :y
Title: Re: Time for veggie fuel again?
Post by: hp7166 on 08 January 2009, 16:12:29
I did this on my old Toyota Estima and i think i ended up cracking the head
Title: Re: Time for veggie fuel again?
Post by: JamesV6CDX on 08 January 2009, 16:17:57
Quote
I did this on my old Toyota Estima and i think i ended up cracking the head

Hmmm ..... did you have any mods to thin the oil?
Title: Re: Time for veggie fuel again?
Post by: rawsondsr on 08 January 2009, 16:43:55
glow plug fuel heaters are a total waste of time
Title: Re: Time for veggie fuel again?
Post by: JamesV6CDX on 08 January 2009, 16:46:20
Quote
glow plug fuel heaters are a total waste of time

Not for the initial start. No point using a coolant heater, when the coolant will be stone cold :y
Title: Re: Time for veggie fuel again?
Post by: Kevin Wood on 08 January 2009, 16:50:13
Quote
Quote
glow plug fuel heaters are a total waste of time

Not for the initial start. No point using a coolant heater, when the coolant will be stone cold :y

What about the fuel left in the lines, pump, etc? Would it not be easier to fit a small tank of diesel somewhere and switch back to it before shutting down and when warming up?

Otherwise, you're trying to heat a relatively small volume of fuel very quickly, which might cause a few headaches.

Kevin
Title: Re: Time for veggie fuel again?
Post by: Darth Loo-knee on 08 January 2009, 17:04:04
Can you not get Nicked for using Vegetable Oil in Diesels? :-?
Title: Re: Time for veggie fuel again?
Post by: JamesV6CDX on 08 January 2009, 17:05:56
Quote
Can you not get Nicked for using Vegetable Oil in Diesels? :-?

It's always been legal to use it as a fuel.

What was illegal, was when people didn't declare it to HMRC and pay the fuel duty on the veggie oil they were using.

Now the rules have changed ( as per link in ititial post)....

There is no longer a requirement to register to pay duty on vegetable oil used as road fuel for those who "produce" or use less than 2,500 litres per year.


So - totally legal, no getting nicked :y
Title: Re: Time for veggie fuel again?
Post by: JamesV6CDX on 08 January 2009, 17:06:47
Quote
Quote
Quote
glow plug fuel heaters are a total waste of time

Not for the initial start. No point using a coolant heater, when the coolant will be stone cold :y

What about the fuel left in the lines, pump, etc? Would it not be easier to fit a small tank of diesel somewhere and switch back to it before shutting down and when warming up?

Otherwise, you're trying to heat a relatively small volume of fuel very quickly, which might cause a few headaches.

Kevin

It's a good point Kev and there are kits available.

I reckon it could be done DIY though. Whatcha think, an alternative fuel conversion wiht a difference?  ;)
Title: Re: Time for veggie fuel again?
Post by: Darth Loo-knee on 08 January 2009, 17:08:42
Quote
Quote
Can you not get Nicked for using Vegetable Oil in Diesels? :-?

It's always been legal to use it as a fuel.

What was illegal, was when people didn't declare it to HMRC and pay the fuel duty on the veggie oil they were using.

Now the rules have changed ( as per link in ititial post)....

There is no longer a requirement to register to pay duty on vegetable oil used as road fuel for those who "produce" or use less than 2,500 litres per year.


So - totally legal, no getting nicked :y

That sounds ok then for Diesel owners, watch Veg Oil go up now  :o
Title: Re: Time for veggie fuel again?
Post by: JamesV6CDX on 08 January 2009, 17:09:38
Quote
Quote
Quote
Can you not get Nicked for using Vegetable Oil in Diesels? :-?

It's always been legal to use it as a fuel.

What was illegal, was when people didn't declare it to HMRC and pay the fuel duty on the veggie oil they were using.

Now the rules have changed ( as per link in ititial post)....

There is no longer a requirement to register to pay duty on vegetable oil used as road fuel for those who "produce" or use less than 2,500 litres per year.


So - totally legal, no getting nicked :y

That sounds ok then for Diesel owners, watch Veg Oil go up now  :o

It used to be 37p per litre in 2006, Once it cottoned on, it's now more expensive than diesel  :-X

The only viable option really is waste oil....
Title: Re: Time for veggie fuel again?
Post by: HolyCount on 08 January 2009, 17:29:21
Quote
I must say, there is nothing stopping me really.

It's legal (providing I use under 2500 litres and keep records), very cheap - and it recycles waste oil. Surely everyone's a winner?  ::)


You have to register as a "producer" --- and I imagine the records will be ludicrously complicated !!!!  But. other than that -- why on earth not?  re-use, recycle and all that !!!!
Title: Re: Time for veggie fuel again?
Post by: HolyCount on 08 January 2009, 17:32:51
Further thought on the start up temp issue -- can't you get engine pre-heaters (run off calor or petrol I think ??? )
Title: Re: Time for veggie fuel again?
Post by: Kevin Wood on 08 January 2009, 17:33:49
Quote
It's a good point Kev and there are kits available.

I reckon it could be done DIY though. Whatcha think, an alternative fuel conversion wiht a difference?  ;)

Sounds straightforward. Is there an issue with VO sitting in the pump and injector lines when parked up? I would have thought it would be a pig to start unless you can get the whole lot up to temperature first, not just the fuel entering the pump. After all, hot oil into a freezing cold pump would mean it's being injected stone cold - hence the musings about flusing the system with diesel before shutting down.

Mrs. KW is taking up some of my garage space >:( storing veggie oil from the cash and carry and it has been a solid block of lard in a bottle for the last week or so. Not something conducive to a happy diseasel engine. Garage is at about 1 or 2 deg.c.

The other option is a Kenlowe heater to pre-heat the whole engine, of course.

Kevin
Title: Re: Time for veggie fuel again?
Post by: Pitchfork on 08 January 2009, 19:09:14
Quote
Quote
It's a good point Kev and there are kits available.

I reckon it could be done DIY though. Whatcha think, an alternative fuel conversion wiht a difference?  ;)

Sounds straightforward. Is there an issue with VO sitting in the pump and injector lines when parked up? I would have thought it would be a pig to start unless you can get the whole lot up to temperature first, not just the fuel entering the pump. After all, hot oil into a freezing cold pump would mean it's being injected stone cold - hence the musings about flusing the system with diesel before shutting down.

Mrs. KW is taking up some of my garage space >:( storing veggie oil from the cash and carry and it has been a solid block of lard in a bottle for the last week or so. Not something conducive to a happy diseasel engine. Garage is at about 1 or 2 deg.c.

The other option is a Kenlowe heater to pre-heat the whole engine, of course.

Kevin
I recall an earlier thread that stated the Bosch pump in a Traktor doesn't take kindly to VO yet at the start of this thread the Peugot has a Bosch pump. Question is should I try some VO in with diesel?
Title: Re: Time for veggie fuel again?
Post by: albitz on 08 January 2009, 19:17:48
Very interested in this,I have a diseasel Mondeo at home which could be very cheap to run if I had a supply of pre-filtered oil.might investigate the pre-heating/seperate tank idea. :y