Oil - fuel test.

beezer · Post by **beezer** » 04 Dec 2004, 03:44

Just finished a mammoth venture from Aberdeenshire down to Kent coast to pick up a Landy engine. Tried various quantities of veggie oil on the way there and back. Fuel consumption, oddly enough, seems to be not as good with veggie oil. Engine definitely runs smoother and has more power.

James.UK · Post by **James.UK** » 04 Dec 2004, 09:32

Well it appears that our cars all have that fact in common.. They get slightly less miles per gallon, but the performance is improved a little when run on veggie oil mixes.. velly intelestink..

Post by **martyhopkirk** » 04 Dec 2004, 13:36

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by James.UK</i>

Well it appears that our cars all have that fact in common.. They get slightly less miles per gallon, <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Found the same when i ran the ZX this way - wonder if its go anything to do with the different calorific values of dino diesel against SVO? Just a mad thought!

beezer · Post by **beezer** » 04 Dec 2004, 14:22

Or maybe cholesterol??? We could experiment with these new 'designer oils'. "A fit and healthy engine depends on Flora".

stewart_c · Post by **stewart_c** » 04 Dec 2004, 23:50

Hi All,
Interested to read the ratio that some of you have been using as I have reduced mine to about 10% veggie oil as I did not want any complications with thickening.
I have a Xantia 1.9td with 190k and bosch pump for the last year have been running on various %ages of new oil(£9/20L at costco)with no adverse effects just that whiff of the chip shop[:D]I think that I will try the freezer test for different %ages so simple yet I never thought of trying it.
thanks for the tip

Post by **philhoward** » 05 Dec 2004, 01:10

Back in the days of old, it was suggested that a little petrol (5-10%?)could be added to Diesel in very cold weathers; could this help offset the solidifying of the veg oil moreso that dino-diesel?
Even better considering petrol's now cheaper than diesel...
Another thought - If you did want to stay legal (if only once for the receipt)...wasn't there a place in Walsall (West Mids) selling Duty-paid treated veg oil for about 60p/litre? Get the receipt incase and just refill using Lidl/Tesco/cheapest standard vegoil??? Think there was a minimum order of 50 litres or so...

NiSk · Post by **NiSk** » 05 Dec 2004, 01:10

Flaxoil - thats an interesting way of naming linseed oil! But I don't suppose the alternate medicine punters would so keen to down it if they new it was the same stuff they make paint and putty from!
Over here in Sweden we have RME (rapeseed methyl ester) on (fairly) regular sale at a number of stations. One of the larger chains is OK (ex. Swedish Oil Kooperative hence the name). They have published that the energy value of RME is approx 90-95% of the equivalent city diesel. So I guess the responses we are getting seeem to correspond to that.
//NiSk

beezer · Post by **beezer** » 05 Dec 2004, 04:17

I have been reading up on the subject of Lucas pumps giving up the ghost. A theory is that (apart from the seals being affected by enzymes) the rotor head assembly is designed to allow a certain amount of diesel through for the purpose of lubrication. Veggie oil viscosity means that little manages to get past and this can cause pump failure (I have heard of the things exploding). This may account for the increase in power as there would be more pump efficiency with less fuel leaking past the assembly. Have not quite worked out how this might affect consumption but NiSk's figures on energy value (and Marty's) could explain that. Looks like Lucas pumps are not off the hook yet.
Has anyone tried linseed oil yet? Boiled or raw?

beezer · Post by **beezer** » 05 Dec 2004, 15:53

Further bumf on linseed oil:
http://www.oilpress.com/linolja.htm - Cold pressed raw linseed oil is the business for health. Would be interested to know if it is good for fuel. Maybe too expensive.
Buy your own press and set a few fields aside for fuel crops!
http://www.oilpress.com/

petefa · Post by **petefa** » 05 Dec 2004, 19:53

Do not use veggie oil on it own, mix with 8% white spirt, too much and the glow plugs will burn out, too little and the injectors will clog up.
Note:- £1000 fine if you do not pay the tax!
20,000 miles so far since using tesco veggie oil, 1 glow plug change, due to wrong mix or just old age.
82,000 on clock
Stick some perfumed oil in tank to stop wiffy smells.
Xantia 1.9TDI desire 1999