has anyone on here made there own biodiesel out of old vegetable oil. If so how safe is it and do i have to do anything to my truck to be able to run it. Also how good does the truck run and will it beable to handle michigan in the winter???

 

It will run fine and last longer. change oil and fuel filters more often. check out freedom fuel.com or someting like that for the equipment to do it. I just saw something on TV this morning about it.

 

you wanna avoid buying the foolmiester.

Bio diesel will break down lots of wierd plastics and there are stories of the fuelmiester melting.

Search for Dr Pepper bio diesel. It will instruct you on makeing a dr pepper sized batch of bio. You use simple store baught items for that method and for a small batch, If you think its easy enough, you can move up to bigger things.

I have lots of links and knowlege I can share if you wish to know more. I have never made it, however i've read a lot on it.

Bio is cleaner, and lubricates better.
However it will still Gell a bit I belive.

And while your at it, head over to the michigan chapter, and click on the link in my profile to join! =-)

The only reason you'll have to change filters more often is if you do a poor job filtering your fuel and letting it settle.

Lots of people who run WVO have longer oil life also, and less discoloration in the oil.

 

I run WVO and I am looking to make B100 Bio. The WVO takes a conversion to your engine while the Bio doesn't. I am wanting to start up on bio and then switch over to WVO. WVO is approx. 7cents/gallon while Bio is about 50 cents/gallon.

Bio is more volatile and the lye and methanol are dangerous.

Here is the link for the Trucks video on bioDiesel.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...73184300286737

 

I've been making bio for about 3 years. So far only running it during the warmer months. Below -10 C, I've had gelling problems with 100%. Blended with pump fuel will allow cooler temp operation. I changed nothing on my truck. Make sure you have an additional fuel filter with you for the first couple tanks. It'll clean out all the crap left i the fuel system left by petro fuel. As FLea said, the methanol and lye are dangerous. And the mixture of the 2 is worse yet. Make sure you have a lot of fresh air movement when you're mixing them. Google 'appleseed preocessor" That's what I built and still use. Cost me about $60 bucks. I got the used hotwater tank from the local dump. Free. Also, when changing your fuel filter and cleaning your fuel pressure reg. screen, make sure ALL the fuel is drained from the filter bowl. If that stuff drips on the wiring in the lifter valley, it'll eat up the rubber coating on the wires. Don't ask how I found that out. The truck runs smoother and quieter, doesn't stink as much and it's cheaper. Another site would be journeytoforever.org.

 

I used to make BIO and it takes alot practise to make it clean and correctly, but once you figure it out your on your way...

 

http://www.biodieselcommunity.org/howitsmade/ is a pretty good explanation

 

How nasty does the WVO look when you pick it up? I work at a truckstop and they go through about 10+ gallons a week.Problem is it is very nasty looking.I think they "overuse" it. Whatta ya think?

 

http://www.biodieselcommunity.org/makingasmallbatch/ - Dr Pepper method for a quick small batch to see how you feel about it.
http://www.kitchen-biodiesel.com/ - I don't know if i read this sight. Was suggested to me.
http://www.biodieselcommunity.org/ - The basic link for the bio community.

http://www.azurebiodiesel.com/ - Here is the link to the foolmiester featured on the Trucks eppisode.

If any of you wondered where stacy david went (yes, trucks was only good with him)
hes on ESPN now with a show called GearZ. He took all his projects with him too. So i think he payed for a lot of the stuff, cause the copperhead project went with him and some others.

I Do not suggest useing the fuel miester due to bio community reviews I have read on it, The appleseed and other home brews are much better designs, and are less prone to failure due to the fact they are not made from plastic.

http://www.murphysmachines.com/how_t...o_titrate.html

Titration is very important, so here is a link.
Stacey did it really different then other shows have shown. Another group of guys on the Power Block did it also with tottaly different tools and a much harder method then stacey used.

http://www.palmettobiofuels.com/
I was told this guy here is an FTE sponsor and knows a lot about Bio also.

Our FTE bio forum has a lot of great info also. They are just really a tight nit group over there and are extremly rude and will flame really easily. I did learn a lot chatting in there though.
But i havn't found another group of guys as great as the OBS 7.3 forum!!!

If you have some more specific questions on bio, feel free to post them. I'll try to answer. I see we have some other guys who are into it. So they should be able to help also.
There are lots of questions you must ask yourself when you first start making bio, and lots of supplies to pick up.
Take your time and make small batches to start and practice. If you have a tractor to use the fuel in, that would benifit you. They are more tollerant of fuel and can run WEO also if need be, unlike the trucks will.

Cleaning however is the most important step to the bio process.
You can water wash, and use.. whatever that stupid chemical is.
You must do both processes flawlessly unless you want problems.
The chemical, if used improperly, cannot be filtered out of the fuel and will screw up fuel systems, and of course water washing if done improperly can leave water in the fuel, and cause other strange things. Thats why they suggest letting the fuel set for a while before actually putting it into your truck.

 

Any oil is good.
Thats what titration is for, to see how much lye you need to use to make the WVO clean again.

Transporting the oil from wherever you get it, to whereever you make it can be a pain.

You should also run the WVO though a filter before starting the process also. to get out the chunks and stuff.

The titration determines how "nasty" the oil is, and lets you know how much Lye to add.
The lye starts the reaction to break apart the carbon and other things from the oil, and allows the methanol to bond with the oil molecules. This is what makes it volitile ... damn that spelling was bad.

After the process is complete, you let the fuel set, and the bio and the glycerine seperates.
The glycerine will settle to the bottom where it can be drained off and used in soap and all sorts of other handy around the house uses.
I think I read somebody suggesting that it be used as fertalizer.
I'm a sheep and hay guy, so I dont know about that. hahaha.

 

have no experience with wvo. but last year had b99 gell up on me with a working fuel bowl heater. had to pop the top and pour in some dk and in the tank. then it ran. i would save it for the spring/summer and fall unless you have a pre heater.

 

Bio from the pump, from my knowlege, will Gell easier then traditional DINO.

I believe when you make your own Bio, you can put in additives pre-tank, but after the wash process.
I honestly would always wait till the fuel is going in the tank though, just in case you loose some additives to settlement in the drum.