Any biodieselers here

[wayne m.]

I have been producing biodiesel for a while now with a appleseed prosessor so far with great success or maybe we should call it greasel fuel this process works great with minimal funds most parts came from dumpster diving that makes it even better then the best part it cost me about 65 cents a gallon to make. I will look forward to answering any comments about this fuel or making it.

[Harry]

One of our sponsors is into it:

http://www.murphysmachines.com/biodiesel_processor.html

And there may be some discussion on our vintage Diesel engine forum:

http://www.smokstak.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=60

[S.Simons]

A local trucking company here just built a biodiesel plant just a mile down the road. Havent had access to any biodiesel around here before but now I can market my soybeans closer than sending it down the Mississippi river every fall.

[Douglas]

Originally Posted by Harry

One of our sponsors is into it:

[[/url]

Put it like that Harry and you make it sound like something you roll up and smoke away from prying eyes

[rrfxxxr]

I like it. Smells good when engine is running. I hear it tends to clean out the fuel tank and fuel lines, filter may clog. No problem with that for my Kubota. It seems like I have more power, and engine runs smoother. Not to mention getting away from foreign oil. Low or no sulfer = no acid rain.
I have 5 gal of cooking oil, (left over from "empty" containers, some had a quart left in them) clean, new Canola oil. I was wondering if I could mix it with diesel. 50-50? I have seen the youtube sites that show you how to remove the glycerin, washing and adj Ph. With our mild winters (I don't run it in cold weather) I figured I could get away from all that, run it mixed with real diesel, or without mixing it.
Later,
Sbw

[wayne m.]

I have been converting it with lye and methanol with a appleseed processor have had no problems except for making everyone hungry, except the oil cartels so far for around .74 cents a gallon. I can tell no difference in proformance or milage either one I average approx. 30 gallons a week that saves me about 120.00 a week in fuel cost. The average cost of fuel here is 4.85 per gallon. I havent tried to use any cut half and half I have just been running b100 approx 10000 miles so far with no problems. Its really hard to convince me not to run it unless I can buy it cheaper than I can make it...........

[rrfxxxr]

Originally Posted by rrfxxxr

I like it (pump bio-diesel). Smells good when engine is running. I hear it tends to clean out the fuel tank and fuel lines, filter may clog. No problem with that for my Kubota. It seems like I have more power, and engine runs smoother. Not to mention getting away from foreign oil. Low or no sulfur = no acid rain.
I have 5 gal of cooking oil, (left over from "empty" containers, some had a quart left in them) clean, new Canola oil. I was wondering if I could mix it with diesel. 50-50? I have seen the youtube sites that show you how to remove the glycerin, washing and adj Ph. With our mild winters (I don't run it in cold weather) I figured I could get away from all that, run it mixed with real diesel, or without mixing it.
Later,
Sbw

Well I mixed new Canola Oil (from source above) with normal pump diesel. (about 2 gal oil and 3 gal diesel) No problems. The exhaust smells just like Bio-diesel. I put a pint of the mixture and a pint of pure diesel in the freezer for two days to see what it would do. Looks like it is as thick as pure diesel, no separation.
Later,
Sbw

[rrfxxxr]

Well I am up to a mix of 8 gal of veggie oil and 2 gal of pump (petrol) diesel (80/20). No problems. I wonder if my mix has more BTUs than straight diesel or pump Bio-diesel? My thoughts are I'm burning the glycerin that is normally removed from the oil to make Bio-diesel. I seem to have more power at lower RPM. (I may be biased) The only mod I have done so far is add an in-line fuel filter @ the tank.
Later,
Sbw

[Beanscoot]

Rrfxxxr,
I think you are getting close to the danger zone with your latest mix, especially as temperatures decrease.
Many people start and shut down their diesel vehicles on diesel and switch to preheated pure vegetable oil in between. This way the cold engine will always be starting on diesel fuel.
You might have a problem if your fuel mixture has trouble starting your engine, and the fuel pump and lines and injectors are full of this mixture.

I applaud your experimentation though, but perhaps keep a close eye and ear out for hard starting and when it happens, switch back to a lower mix of veggie oil in the fuel.

Vegetable oil has less BTUs per volume because it has a bit of oxygen in it which doesn't burn, whereas petroleum fuel has none. I don't know off hand the difference though, it should be only a couple percent I imagine, nowhere near the difference between gasoline and alcohol.

[rrfxxxr]

Yep, I don't plan to go over that level of veggy oil and diesel mix. (I guess as my brother works for a Kubota dealer, so I get parts at his cost, and free labor, that gives me a little boldness to try this mix. Almost like an extended warranty.) I just changed oil today. Next oil change I'll take note of color of the oil.
I have a fridge in the shop that I keep a few cold ones and grease cartridges in. I put a mason jar of the mix in the freezer to see if it clouds up, jells or separates. No change so far. Our winters are mild here. Rarely see daytime temp in the teens. The diesel engine is on my lawn mower, so I don't plan to run it in cool weather. But I may run it for leaf removal on a cold day to see if I have any problems. This area of the state will get ice when south of us gets rain, north of us gets snow. That is why I have so many LP gas appliances, and Kohler Genny (LPG). Most of my power outages are caused by ice weighing down tree limbs and falling on power lines, 2nd would be lightning, and 3rd would be wind. Power was out for a week during Katrina.
Later,
Sbw

[Fred Van Hook]

Wayne, You said you are using a appleseed processor to put the oil thru the tytration process? What is your ratio of methanol to oil? thanks,Fred

[wayne m.]

Fred, Im using the appleseed to process the oil, lye, and methanol the titration process is used to determine the amount of lye that is needed to process a determined amount of oil such as 20 gallons or 30 gallons 3.785 liters to a gallon so 20 gallons would be 75.7 liters of oil a concentration of
.001% of lye and distilled water is needed. A bottle of 90%
Isopropal rubbing alcohol is needed, a small bottle of phenlylphaelene is needed [used as a indicater] and a eyedropper with milliliter scale on it. In a small container I use a baby food jar combine the rubbing alcohol about half full with the phenylphaelene about three or four drops it only has to be present. Also 1 milliliter of the oil that your using and mix them well. Then use the eye dropper with the .001 lye concentration and water at a measured level say 10 milliliters and drop into solution a drop at a time and record how much you use when the color changes and stays pink Then take the amount in milliliters and start your calculation as follows say 4.0 milliliters 4.0 +3.5 =7.5 so 7.5x75.7=567.75 grams of lye is needed the methanol is 1/5 the volume or one gallon to 5 gallons of oil so if you are making 20 gallons you will need 4 gallons of methanol. You can find this info on http://www.journeytoforever.org/ so far about 30,000 miles running it and counting with no problems at all.

[Farquhar]

What make & model yr are you running Wayne? Sounds interesting.
I'm thinking of trying a hydrogen generator on my old knock around S-10, and maybe later on the D-Max.

[wayne m.]

!994 Dodge 2500 5.9 cummins 12 valve

[Farquhar]

Wayne, those old 12 valve Cummins will burn pine knots.
Has any one used it much in the new common rail systems?