I field a surprising number of basic questions about the running a car on waste vegetable oil (WVO), so here are some boilerplate answers to the ones people ask me most. If this doesn’t help shoot me an email at alternativefuels.guide@about.com.
I plan to keep adding to this as necessary or as new questions come in
Can I burn vegetable oil in my current car? It’s an ’83 Camaro.
No. Not unless somebody swapped a diesel into your Camaro. You can only burn vegetable oil in a diesel engine.
Does this really work? Why aren’t more people doing it?
Yes, it really works. But it requires far, far more effort than just pulling up to the pump at the local fuel station.
Will it harm my engine?
No one can guarantee that burning vegetable oil in your diesel engine won’t harm it. I can say that I have driven about 100,000 miles on vegetable oil and have suffered no fuel-related problems.
Where do I get the oil?
From a restaurant that fries in a good non-hydrogenated vegetable oil like canola oil. Mom and pop places seem to make the best WVO fuel partners.
Can I just dump it in the tank?
Technically you could but it’s not a good idea. First of all the oil will have food particles in it that will quickly clog your car’s fuel filters. So you must prefilter the fuel before you can use it. Next, the oil is too thick to be properly atomized by your car’s injectors so it must either be cut with diesel, kerosene or gasoline, or heated in a special heated fuel system to thin it.
How do I filter the oil?
I rely on gravity as much as possible to do some of the work for me. This means I pour off the clear stuff, let the rest settle and repeat. Then you can pour it through filtering bags or pump it through spin-on type filters into a storage drum.
What are the pros?
Free fuel! Free fuel! Free fuel! The feeling of satisfaction derived from not relying on a nonrenewable source of fuel.
What are the cons?
Occasional clogged fuel filters on your car. Handling, filtering and storing messy/sticky vegetable oil. Dealing with an old diesel vehicle, if that’s what you choose to drive.
Is it worth it compared to driving a compact, high-mpg gasoline-fueled car?
Define "worth it." If you’re the pro-off-the-grid, anti-Big Oil type, you’re going to love fueling your car on vegetable oil. If you’re in it purely for the dollar savings, you might find that the work involved (though it gets progressively easier as you go) is more trouble than it’s worth. Being a little idealistic really helps.
What vehicles work best?
Any diesel will work just fine. Though some think that old indirect injection engines like those found in 1970s and 1980s vintage Mercedes-Benzes are the most tolerant. The vehicle classified pages over at Greasecar.com are a good place to look.
What exactly does a vegetable oil conversion entail
Most “conversions” don’t really convert but rather adapt your diesel vehicle to use vegetable oil as fuel. Consider a two-tank system which includes: an auxilliary fuel tank with a built in heating element that derives its heat from the water that cools your car engine, in much the same way you car’s heater works. Switches/valves to electronically switch your vehicle’s primary tank off and the vegetable oil tank on. A large, often heated, water-separating filter as further insurance that the vegetable oil is both clean and hot before it hits the car’s injector pump. Plus, fittings, hoses, wire, connectors, etc.?
Is this something I can install myself?
If you understand basic automotive wiring, you’re not afraid to tap into the hoses in your car’s cooling and fuel systems and feel confident that you can securely mount the tank and valves, then by all means go for it. It takes more than “I change my own oil” skills, but certainly not more than “I change my own engines” skills. In other words if you know a good mechanic, he or she can handle this.