If you're interested in running your car on vegetable oil instead
of diesel, the chances are you have a few questions. Below I've
listed a few questions and answers that may make life easier for
you.
Can a diesel engine run on vegetable oil?
Yes. It's more popular than you'd think.
Can a petrol engine run of vegetable oil?
No. It's
a different form of combustion.
Can any diesel car run on vegetable oil?
Most can, I believe, but the more complex the engine, the less
likely it is to accept veg oil.
Can a diesel engine run on waste vegetable oil (WVO)?
Yes, as long as the WVO has
been properly de-watered / cleaned
/ filtered. From the engine's point of view,
it really doesn't matter whether you use shop-bought
veg oil or recycled WVO. See my WVO
FAQ page
for more WVO related questions.
Can my car be converted? It's a XZY...
I'm sorry I cannot answer this question. I just don't know the answer. I don't
claim to be an expert in cars or conversion systems. The best bet is to contact
experts like DieselVeg who
will give you free advice.
Is it illegal to use vegetable oil in my car?
No. It's perfectly legal and even the British government has been
sensible enough to make provisions for it.
Do I have to pay Tax / Duty on the vegetable oil I use?
At the time of writing this, if you use less than 2500 litres
of vegetable oil each year, then there was no duty to pay.
If in doubt, check it out... HM
Revenue & Customs
Will my car be damaged if run on vegetable oil?
From my experience I
would have to say no, but then I had my system professionally
fitted and I use good clean oil. Check with experts
like DieselVeg if
your car is suitable, get a proper conversion kit properly
installed and don't use unfiltered oil.
Is engine performance effected??
Research I've read suggests not, and from my personal experience I can say that
my miles per gallon is the same on either veg oil or diesel.
Is there a difference between Virgin (shop bought) Veg
OIl and Waste Veg OIl (WVO)?
There's usually a colour difference (WVO tends to be darker), but that's it really.
As
long
as
your WVO has
been properly cleaned
/ filtered, there's no difference
as far as your engine is concerned. It will run just as well on WVO as it will
on virgin oil. See my WVO FAQ page
for more WVO related questions.
Will my car insurance be effected if I drive on veg
oil?
In my opinion, insurance companies will use ANY excuse to avoid
paying out on a claim, so I would strongly urge you to notify your
car insurance company if you use vegetable oil. Some can be a little
funny about it, but shop around. You'll find one that's happy for
you to use biofuels.
Will my MOT be effected?
No. As long as the conversion kit has been properly installed, there's nothing
to worry about. And yes, I do have a current and vaild MOT on my veg oil car
: )
Will my vehicles warranty be effected?
Very likely yes, but check anyway with the manufacturer. My car was under warranty
when I first toyed with the idea of converting and in my case Toyota did not
support alternative fuels. So I waited until my warranty was over and then
took the plunge.
I've heard about SVO. What is it?
SVO simply means Straight Vegetable OIl. As some folk make Biodiesel, and as
others mix additives into their veg oil, someone somewhere came up with the
acronym SVO to make life easier.
Can you mix veg oil and diesel?
Yes, they mix very well. Lot's of people run their engines on a cocktail of
the two, mixing in proportions that they favour. I don't personally do this
and
have no knowledge that I can pass on to others, but if you're interested a
search around the internet will yield results.
Are there any drawbacks?
Of course there are some drawbacks associated with running a vehicle on vegetable
oil. Consequently I've dedicated a page to the subject. Click
here to view.
