i have a few questions about biodiesel. i have always heard that it has to be made from veggie oil, but i watched a documentary about it where the guy was showing how it was made and he pumped his waste oil directly out of a grease trap. his grease was a combination of fry oil and hamburger grease. can biodiesel be made from animal fats as well as vegetable oil? i wanted to try to make some, but could not locate pure vegetable oil without buying it new(at $15 dollars a gallon around here). everything i found used was a mix of burger grease and fry oil.

to hear biodiesel advocates tell the story, bio is the best thing ever. run 100% biodiesel and get better lubricity, longer lasting engine, no performance decrease, etc. and to hear the oil companies and auto industry tell it, if you even mention the word biodiesel within 20 feet of your truck you will have catastrophic engine failure. i suppose the truth is somewhere in the middle ground. i was excited about trying to make my own fuel until i read on fords page that they do not recommend running anything more than B2 in the powerstroke. is there any reason they say its not safe to use more than B2 other than bowing down to the oil gods? i mean companies.... i would like to be able to run at least B20-B50, but dont want to fry my engine by doing so.

 

Some people think that biodiesel can only be made from veg oil. Some think it can only be made from soy oil. In reallity it is the transesterfication of triglycerides which include veg oil and animal fats. I've made it from about six different veg oils and pork fat. The animal fats have a little more BTU's per gallon but the cold flow properties are alot worse.

 

The reason the OEMs don't endorse more is they are still doing long term testing and they know that the quaility of bio on the market is all over the map. They figure they're engines will continue to run on 2% of anything. Be it bad underconverted biodiesel or Orange Tang.

 

Actually they are waiting for ASTM to finish the standards for blends over 5% BD. Then we have to get all states to require adherence to those standards.
But, you are absolutely correct in saying the quality of BD is all over the map. Infact that is one arguement for hombrew if it sux you have no one to blame but yourself. Making quality homebrew is pretty easy if you pay a little attention to detail and don't shortcut.