My First Biodiesel Endeavor

KB3GZW

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I am thinking of upsizing it now. I got ahold of some 12 gallon jugs, so my next adventure will be with them.
 

Drcatfish

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Have you checked in just filtering the waste oil. That method has no dangers.
 

AHappyChick

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I have friends who are heating their home with it and fueling 2 (used) Mercedes that they had converted over. My concern and what I have been trying to find out is how to run all the work machines on it in the winter and not have it get slushy.
 

Henrietta23

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BrookValley said:
Ah, the VW TDI. My dream car. :D I don't even care which model, I just want one. :lol: Unfortunately, they are a little out of our price range right now. They hold their value very well.

Glad you posted this over here. I saw it over on The Easy Garden, right? I think it's fascinating, though my husband is even more fascinated by the thought of producing his own biodiesel. We'd love to run biodiesel in our tractor, but apparantly you void your warranty if you do so and, well, that was just far too large a chunk of change for something to go wrong with it and us be stuck without the warranty.

We could also possibly use it for home heating. Our wood-burning furnace has an oil backup that we rely on far too often.
We have one. My DH plans to eventually turn it into a biodiesel vehicle. We just paid off the loan in the fall and we're just getting back on our feet financially with me working full time again. I can see the project starting this summer. I think the warranty is completely finished now. One of the reasons we bought the car originally was that it had a better warranty than comparable cars we looked at. That and the incredible mileage it gets. We just love it.
 

Green Diesel

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Hello all,

Great job on the first bio mix. I have been running 100% bio in my Dodge diesel truck for almost a year now and its great. (truck has almost a quarter million miles on it) Extreme Bio Diesel is right up the street from me and they sell 100% refined bio diesel. I am making my own refinery from scratch right now (The prices on the premade ones are outrageous!). The Bio is so much better for your engine as well. Especially with the new ultra low sulfur diesel, the fuel lacks lubricating properties for the injectors and injection pump. Bio diesel has great lubrication, and should add to the longevity of your engines.
For any one wanting more information on bio diesel, there is a book called "from the fryer to the fuel tank" by Josh Tickell that explains everything and takes the mystery out of making it, using, and benefits of it.
When I'm running 100% bio in my truck, it really smells like french fries but its great to think that when I'm driving next to a hybrid, I can think...my truck is SO much better for the environment than that hybrid!!
 

Nifty

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Great job KB3GZW!! :thumbsup

Do you have any fav links that discuss the "Dr. Pepper method"?

Good luck and keep us posted!
 

Icu4dzs

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KB3GZW,
Thanks for the post. I looked up the Dr. Pepper method because the concept intrigued me. I got a good article on it but it says that their directions do NOT work with waste oil.
http://www.kitchen-biodiesel.com/
Just wondered if you could shed some light on why they would say that.
I have a VW jetta TDI (2002) and love it. Warranty has long since expired but the concerns are still there as noted above with respect to contents and seals, corrosion etc. Not willing to destroy the best car I've ever had until I know it will be safe.
My New Holland Tc29-D tractor runs on diesel too. I keep #1 road diesel at the farm all the time. Making my own diesel out of waste oil is a dream come true if it is safe for my machines.

I'd also like to know about the Appleseed processor...
73
KI4IGQ
 

k0xxx

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KB3GZW,

Pretty neat. I'd be interested in hearing how it works out for you if you get a diesel engine. The only diesel engine that I have at the moment is one of the generators, and I don't believe that I use enough fuel to make it worth my while, but if I can ever buy a diesel tractor I would like to give it a try.

BTW, I looked up your profile on QRZ. Are you operating for Field Day this year?

Mark
 
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