Dieseling on grease

rdbigfarmboy · Sep 3, 2005

I am using used cooking oil in one tractor and a ton truck. I pick up grease from local convenience stores settle it, filter and fill a seperate tank. The tractor and truck both have tank switches. I start on Diesel ans switch to grease after the coolant has sufficiently warmed the grease. Shutdown for long periods is the reverse. I have posted pics on my photo gallery rdbigfarmboy.
The idea is to save money, with minimal inconvenience and no disruption or loss. Filtering both from the collection from store and filtering into tank is the heart of the project.
The tractors add on tank is from a junk yard $15. I added lines to run coolant thru tank. The tank switch cost about $30.
The truck needed a line to run coolant thru the factory front diesel tank.
The pump is a mini PTO pump run by the tractor. It sucks from the collection buckets and pushed thru the 3 filters.
Each item has its own filter water seperator that is drainable.
Works very well.
Cost of fuel after filtering is about .20 per gallon. The filters are about $2 each from Walmart or RK. The water block is about $10-12.
I am looking for feedback others using a similiar idea.

beenthere · Sep 3, 2005

Interesting method. I will wait to see how you like it in 6 months. I am in no hurry to switch. Hopefully it pays for your collection cost and your time, but even so, it could be like gathering wood for fuel - it just feels good to do it and not use the fossil fuels. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

RichNJKubota · Sep 3, 2005

Several times I've added various new cooking oils straight to my fuel tank on the Kubota. Only in the summer and no more than about 5%-10%.
Never had an issue.

Rich
NJ

Boomerang1 · Sep 3, 2005

Used cooking oil usually has a low ph which is corrosive and should be treated with lye be using.

deere755 · Sep 4, 2005

My son in law was telling me something about using cooking oil in a diesel. He mentioned something about some additive and it would cost about .49 to make. I will ask him about it the next time I see him. Hope it works out for you. I am for anything that helps with the high price of fuel.

BigDogues · Sep 4, 2005

About two months ago there was an interesting article in HomePower Magazine about someone that built a backyard cat-cracker to process their own bio-diesel. I bet that back issue is getting hard to come by now with fuel in excess of three dollars a gallon. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

rdbigfarmboy · Sep 4, 2005

I have ran the grease for over 100 hours on the tractor and several tanks on the truck. As far as refinement I want to find a cone bottom tank to settle and drain off contaminants. I am very familiar with lye soap thats where you add a hydroxide to form a precip and with this grease skim it ( soap) off (over simplification of process). The remaining grease would be alkaline. I have noticed small floating globs of esters (fat) from the meats being cooked. My limited experience tells me the better the filtration the less problems. My logic is I can use about twice the amount I collect locally. I collect from 5 local stores that are not high volume, they produce too much trash (fines) and water. I want to batch process in order to have a stable supply. I start and warm on clean diesel and before shutdown switch back to clean the distrubitor and filters. Additionally my engine filters have water seperator drains.
Understand biodiesel and used cooking oil are not the same. Biodiesel is diesel blended with vegetable oil different companies have different recipes.

Boomerang1 · Sep 4, 2005

Biodiesel does not have to be blended with diesel fuel, it can be put directly into an empty tank. Biodiesel can be made using a small amount of methanol and lye. The lye is used to raise the ph. The glycerin is drained off before using. You must use vegetable oil and not animal fat. The biodiesel can also be water washed if desired.

L3650 · Sep 8, 2005

Ive thought about this for the F350 Powerstroke. I don't use enough in the tractor to justify.

http://greasecar.com/

Boomerang1 · Sep 11, 2005

If you run straight vegetable oil, you may have problems with corrosion because the used oil is acidic.

HGM · Sep 11, 2005

I wouldnt run it in the PowerStroke. The injectors are oil fired. Biodiesel that ends up in the crankcase from normal blowby can cause the popet valve of the injector to stick. Ford studies have proven 5% to be ok, anything more would not be warantied(if that matters) and you would be making your own experiment. Good luck.

Corm · Sep 12, 2005

I helped a buddy of mine intall a kit from greasecar.com onto a VW Beetle diesel. The fellow we did it for loves it. The kit includes a tank that goes in the trunk where the spare tire used to go, water hoses to go to the back tank so the engine can warm the grease tank, and a valve that allows the driver to switch from the diesel tank to the grease tank. We spent one day installing the kit. The owner says that during the summer he runs pretty much pure grease with no problem. Last winter he started his car on diesel, and once his grease tank warmed up, he'd then switch to grease. He would also purge his injectors of grease using pure diesel before he shut it down. He gets his grease free from a couple of local restaurants who are very happy to give it away.

Corm

Boomerang1 · Sep 12, 2005

Has anyone ever tested the ph of used oil? It will probably test very acidic. The fatty acids will coke up the inside of your engine and injectors. Diesel fuel has a chain of around 11-13 carbons. Used vegetable oil around 32 carbons. Used oil needs to be processed with lye and methanol before using. The bi-product is glycerin which is soap. Biodiesel will also eventually ruin rubber components in the fuel system if it is run straight for a month or more. Use 20% diesel fuel. People who run their engines on straight biodiesel should expect some expensive repair bills in the future. Also when making biodiesel, you have to use vegetable oil and not animal fat.

LBrown59 · Sep 12, 2005

Someboby was telling thay run used Hydro Oil mixed half with diesel

Boomerang1 · Sep 14, 2005

I drove truck for a guy that, every time he changed the oil in his semi tractors, would filter the used oil and pour it in the fuel tanks of that truck . That's about 10 gallons of used oil to 300 gallons of diesel. I put 200,000 miles on one of his new trucks before leaving his company. Every once in a while one of the injectors would get plugged. He changed oil every 15,000 miles which would equal 130 gallons of oil run through the engine. I myself would not take the chance of something bad happening.

LBrown59 · Sep 14, 2005

The way I look at it <font color="red"> if it's to dirty for the oil pan it's to dirty for the fuel tank. </font>

HGM · Sep 14, 2005

Now, come on..... Thats logical /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif.. I agree completely...

SailorBob · Sep 14, 2005

Has anyone thought about the fact that used grease or oil from resturants probably is full of salt? Think about fried chicken and such foods are salted before cooking. I would think that the salt would be very bad for an engine. Is there any way of removing it?

rdbigfarmboy · Sep 14, 2005

I almost feel guilty to admit I filter and burn used motor oil usually in the 5% range. Its whatever goes in the drum usually 10w30 or 15w40 and occasionally ATF. I filter pretty well and add it to the used cooking oil (grease untreated). Trucking fleets have done so for years and havent had a lot of trouble. Burned used engine oil mixed with diesel.
My 89 F350 might be worth $3500 on a good day and the Chinese tractor cost $7000 new from Rural King. So my financial risk are not so great and I am getting a return on effort.
The only warning is before you burn bio or grease check to see how your distributor pump is lubricated. Is it from the engine oil pump, a seperate oil reservor, or by piston blowby from the fuel delivery piston. If from fuel delivery piston meaning diesel is lubricating the pump then straight bio or oil may not be a good idea.
If you dont know ask a pump repair shop. Most Lucas and CAV on smaller tractors lube this way.

RobertN · Sep 15, 2005

I think this is great. I was wondering though... What do you do with the leftover? What kind of stuff is left after you filter, and how is that gunk disposed of?