Regan Brown
The idea of fuelling a car with oil is intriguing, especially with the allure of free fuel. While it is possible to fuel a car with vegetable oil, it is not that simple. Modern cars are designed to run on specific types of fuel, and using the wrong type of fuel can cause significant engine damage. However, with some modifications, it is possible to use vegetable oil as fuel in diesel engines. This involves filtering and converting the vegetable oil, which can be a complex and time-consuming process.
Can you fuel a car with oil?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Vegetable oil as fuel | Possible, but requires a diesel engine and filtration |
| Motor oil as fuel | Not recommended, can damage the engine and cause air pollution |
| Biodiesel | A type of fuel derived from vegetable sources, often soy |
| Ethanol | Can be made from plant matter and used as fuel after converting the vehicle |
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What You'll Learn
Using vegetable oil as fuel
The use of vegetable oil as fuel is not a new concept. As early as 1912, presentations were being given on the potential of vegetable oils as fuel, and in the 1930s and 1940s, periodic petroleum shortages spurred research into vegetable oil as a diesel substitute. The highest level of scientific interest in this area was in the 1970s, which also saw the formation of the first commercial enterprise to allow consumers to run straight vegetable oil in their automobiles.
Today, a small number of hobbyists use vegetable oil as fuel, often collecting discarded oil from restaurants. Most diesel car engines are suitable for the use of straight vegetable oil (SVO), also known as pure plant oil (PPO), but certain modifications must be made to address the viscosity issue. The high viscosity of vegetable oil means that the engine can have trouble atomizing the fuel completely when it is sprayed into the combustion chamber, resulting in unburned fuel that clogs the engine. To address this, the vegetable oil must be preheated, typically using waste heat from the engine or electricity, to reduce its viscosity and surface tension. One common solution is to add a heat exchanger and an additional fuel tank for a petrodiesel or biodiesel blend, switching between this and the main tank of SVO/PPO. The engine is started on diesel, switched over to vegetable oil once warmed up, and switched back to diesel before being turned off, to ensure no vegetable oil remains when the engine is started from cold again.
There are also companies that produce kits to perform this modification, ranging in price from a few hundred dollars to almost $3,000, not including installation. The ANC Elsbett Company produces engines designed to run on vegetable oil and also performs engine conversions.
Another process turns cooking oil into biodiesel through transesterification, but this process is hazardous and should be left to experts.
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Diesel engines and vegetable oil
It is possible to fuel a car with vegetable oil, but only if it has a diesel engine. Standard gasoline-powered engines use spark ignition, which cannot achieve combustion with vegetable oil. The fuel lines and pumps in a gas engine are not designed to handle vegetable oil, and the sensors in modern cars that determine fuel ratios cannot cope with this variation.
Most diesel car engines are suitable for the use of straight vegetable oil (SVO), also known as pure plant oil (PPO), with certain modifications. The viscosity and surface tension of the SVO/PPO must be reduced by preheating, typically using waste heat from the engine or electricity. If the vegetable oil is not preheated, poor atomization, incomplete combustion, and carbonization may result. One solution is to add a heat exchanger and a second fuel tank for a petrodiesel or biodiesel blend. The engine is started on diesel, switched over to vegetable oil once warmed up, and switched back to diesel before being switched off to ensure no vegetable oil remains in the engine or fuel lines. In colder climates, the vegetable oil fuel lines and tank may need to be heated as the oil can become very viscous or even solidify.
Several companies produce kits for this modification, ranging in price from a few hundred dollars to almost $3,000, excluding installation. The ANC Elsbett Company produces engines specifically designed to run on vegetable oil and also performs engine conversions.
Vegetable oil can be sourced for free from restaurants, which usually discard their used cooking oil. However, there is no way that vegetable oil could become the primary way to fuel vehicles, and there is little chance it would remain free if widely adopted. There is also no evidence that running a vehicle on vegetable oil would save money, and it may even cause damage to the engine.
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Modifying your car to run on oil
It is possible to modify your car to run on oil, but it is not a simple process and requires careful consideration and a diesel engine.
Firstly, you will need to source the oil. Some people have deals with local restaurants to collect their old, discarded oil. However, due to the rise in biodiesel and veg-oil vehicles, many restaurants now have contracts with biodiesel companies that pay them for their oil. This makes it much harder to find oil for personal use.
Once you have sourced the oil, it will need to be filtered. This can be done by letting it settle for a week, allowing the fatty solids to sink to the bottom, and then pouring the clear oil from the top. This step is important as it will prevent any filters from clogging. The oil can then be put through a series of filters, starting with 100 microns, then 10 microns, and finally 1 micron.
If you are using vegetable oil, you will need a diesel engine. The spark ignition in a standard gasoline-powered engine will not achieve combustion with vegetable oil. The fuel lines and pumps in a gas engine are not designed for this type of fuel, and the sensors used to determine fuel ratios cannot cope with the variation.
Even with a diesel engine, there may be issues with the viscosity of the oil. To combat this, new glow plugs can be installed, which are designed to ignite the fuel in cold start conditions. Additional heating of the fuel can be achieved by placing engine coolant lines in contact with the fuel lines. The hot coolant will reduce the oil's viscosity.
Several companies produce kits that include everything needed to perform this modification, ranging in price from a few hundred dollars to almost $3,000, not including installation.
It is important to note that using oil as fuel will likely result in increased pollution and there is no way to save money by running your car on oil.
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The cost of converting to vegetable oil
Converting a car to run on vegetable oil is not a simple process and requires several adjustments. The first thing to note is that only diesel cars can be converted to run on vegetable oil. Diesel engines were originally designed to run on a variety of fuels, including peanut oil and vegetable oil. Gasoline-powered engines, on the other hand, use spark plugs which cannot ignite veggie oil.
The high viscosity of vegetable oil is a significant issue. The engine struggles to atomize the fuel completely when it is sprayed into the combustion chamber, resulting in unburned fuel that clogs the engine. One solution to this problem is to install new glow plugs, which are designed to ignite the fuel in cold start conditions and improve performance. These plugs can cost a few hundred dollars to almost $3,000, not including installation.
Another option is to modify the fuel lines by placing them in contact with engine coolant lines. The hot coolant will reduce the vegetable oil's viscosity. Several companies offer kits for this modification, ranging in price from a few hundred dollars to nearly $3,000, excluding installation.
It is important to note that converting a car to run on vegetable oil may not result in significant cost savings. The amount of cooking oil discarded by restaurants is relatively small compared to the vast amounts of fuel consumed daily. Additionally, there is a chance that running a car on vegetable oil may be considered illegal by certain regulatory bodies, potentially leading to fines.
While converting a car to run on vegetable oil can be costly and complex, it does offer environmental benefits, such as reduced CO2 emissions. However, the potential savings on fuel costs may not outweigh the initial investment and ongoing maintenance expenses.
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The environmental impact of using vegetable oil
Using vegetable oil as fuel has been proposed as a solution to the world's growing energy needs and concerns about the environmental impact of fossil fuels. Vegetable oil is a renewable energy source that can power automobiles, and it is also far less toxic than gasoline, diesel, ethanol, or methanol. It has a higher flash point, reducing the risk of accidental ignition, and it is produced locally, reducing dependence on foreign oil.
However, there are several environmental concerns associated with the use of vegetable oil as fuel. Firstly, the current demand for vegetable oil is causing deforestation as old forests are being replaced with oil palms. This leads to the release of large amounts of the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide (CO₂). Vegetable oil production would need to increase significantly to replace gasoline and diesel, and such an increase would have a substantial environmental impact. The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) states that palm oil expansion could affect over half of the world's threatened species.
Additionally, vegetable oil crops have high CO₂ emissions, which are 5-25 times higher than most other agricultural crops. They also require a lot of land, contributing to deforestation and biodiversity loss. For example, coconut oil, despite its relatively small production volume, threatens more species per ton of oil produced than any other vegetable oil. Olive oil production results in the death of 2.6 million birds every year in Spain.
The use of vegetable oil as fuel also raises concerns about the competition between food and fuel. As vegetable oils are food crops, their use as fuel could lead to competition between food security in poor countries and fuel needs in rich countries, potentially driving up food prices.
While vegetable oil can be used as a fuel, its environmental impact is complex and requires careful consideration. The benefits of using vegetable oil as a fuel, such as renewability and lower toxicity, must be weighed against the potential environmental and social costs, including deforestation, increased CO₂ emissions, biodiversity loss, and food security concerns.
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Frequently asked questions
It is not recommended to fuel a car with oil. Modern cars are designed to run on specific types of fuel and deviating from this can cause engine problems.
Vegetable oil can be used as fuel in some diesel engines, but it requires several modifications to the engine.
New glow plugs, additional fuel and coolant lines, and an additional fuel filter are needed to use vegetable oil as fuel. The oil also needs to be filtered to remove fatty solids and other contaminants.
Some people obtain vegetable oil from restaurants, which often discard large quantities of it after cooking. However, many restaurants now have contracts with biodiesel companies that pay to take their used oil.
Vegetable oil is a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional fossil fuels. In addition, some people may find it convenient to source oil from local restaurants rather than going to a gas station.
