Fifth Gear - Veggie Power

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 05 Sep 2007, 18:20

I do find economy does drop, but that's from being extra lead footed thanks to the low cost!

Post by **CitroJim** » 05 Sep 2007, 21:31

roypch wrote:On a related issue, is there any negative effect on rubber hoses used in the fuel system (leak off pipe, filter to pump etc) when using pure veg oil ?

I've had a good look into this aspect Roy, when TehAgent's pump sprang a spectacular leak after a good few months running on veg.

I could see no evidence of any deterioration either with the pump or the fuel lines that may have suggested veg was not being kind to them.

In the event, the cause of the leak was a failed gasket between the head and body of the pump which did not appear to have been caused by any veg use. In fact I suspect the leak existed before Ian switched over to veg.

Gammy leg · Post by **Gammy leg** » 06 Sep 2007, 16:47

Chaps,

Have any of you veggie men informed the taxman of of your fuelling habits. I am keen to give this a go but don't want to fall foul of the law. What would you expect to pay ( and how would it be calculated ) when using veggie oil as a diesel substitute??

Thanks

Gammy

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 06 Sep 2007, 16:50

Unless you use more than 2500L in a year (tax year) then there's nothing to pay.
Over that, then you have to declare it and pay 46.6ppl duty

I asked them if I had to register or anything, and they said no.
I would guess that it's cost them more to process DIYer's veg duty charges than they actually got from it.
Duty on a full tank of veg in a Xantia would only be £30 so think about all those people only running 10-50% veg, really not worth their time.
There was also the issue of the government breaching the Kyoto treaty by making it more expensive to use CO2 neutral fuel than fossil fuels.

Basically if you do less than 19,000 miles a year and get over 500miles out of a tank, then you don't have to worry.

Post by **philhoward** » 07 Sep 2007, 21:22

As i've read from the forum, then the Lucas/Roto-Diesel pumps don't like SVO due to the lack of lubricating qualities

TehAgent · Post by **TehAgent** » 07 Sep 2007, 23:13

I have been running my car on veg for the last 4000 miles, only problem i had was that my fuel pump sprang a major leak, but after closer inspection of the pump when Jim finally talked my car into giving it up, it had been leaking before the veg stage.

performance in general for me has been improved, getting 10mph more out of the top speed for a 1.9TD (I'm not going to say as i do not condone braking the speed limit just to test veg),

fuel economy as Xaccers said, goes out the window, because the fuel is so cheap you tend to get a heavy foot more.

Im using 100% veg from either costco or tesco's (make sure you get your club card points

) And have found that the only reason my car hunts for the revs in the morning, is because its waiting for the fuel filter to heat up.

During the winter, i know doubt will end up with a 30 / 70 mix just to make sure i have no problems over the winter months.

KP · Post by KP » 08 Sep 2007, 08:33

I Have the hunting issue as well but a quick light rev gets rid of the worst of it

im thinking of getting a kenlowe hotstart for the winter months as it would work out cheaper on the electric than paying for the diesel instead

also means a nice warm car when i get into it

The car runs fine on 100% from the minute i bought it. i use costco's pricey stuff

but mostly Sainsburys 2litre cornoil instead as it works out a few pennies cheaper due to costco being a 30min trip there and the same back so wasted fuel and time when sains is only a few mins away though i keep taking all of their stock

Always keep a spare fuel filter in the car as well just incase it blocks up and get the oil changed regularly

mpg does drop but i managed to get 615miles out of one full tank once when not being too heavy but usually the car isn't worked too hard or too soft.

XantiaMan · Post by **XantiaMan** » 08 Sep 2007, 11:33

I'm getting close to a 50/50 mix in my Xantia and its running better than ever, may try a bit more than 50/50 but for now it saves a few quid.

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 08 Sep 2007, 11:41

For the environmentalists in all of us, using just 10% SVO meets your personal CO2 reduction requirements of the Kyoto treaty

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 08 Sep 2007, 15:59

Xac wrote:For the environmentalists in all of us, using just 10% SVO meets your personal CO2 reduction requirements of the Kyoto treaty

Now THAT's something that makes me thinking -

Good point Xac - very good point indeed

$\:D/$

Cpt_Spalding · Post by **Cpt_Spalding** » 10 Sep 2007, 08:57

Xac wrote:For the environmentalists in all of us, using just 10% SVO meets your personal CO2 reduction requirements of the Kyoto treaty

I don't get it.

We're still burning stuff & creating CO2, right? Are we creating less than we would burning diesel? Show me, please.

caveman_si · Post by **caveman_si** » 10 Sep 2007, 10:40

veg oil is carbon reduced compared to diesel.

Both require energy to extract them. BUt as veg is plant based a new crop grows every year absorbing most of the CO2 generated by burning last yrs crop.

Its not carbon neutral but is massively carbon reduced comapred to diesel.

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 10 Sep 2007, 18:40

Well, you have to take into consideration that not 100% of the plant is used to produce SVO, so that's a lot of carbon from CO2 that was absorbed from the atmosphere which isn't then burnt and released.
If the amount of carbon in the waste is more than what is released in the manufacturing process, or equal, it's either CO2 neutral or negative

Also, not all the carbon in the fuel is converted to CO2, hence the soot/smoke.

Still if 10% is good enough for Kyoto, then 100% is good enough for me

howiedean · Post by **howiedean** » 10 Sep 2007, 19:21

Cpt_Spalding wrote:
Xac wrote:For the environmentalists in all of us, using just 10% SVO meets your personal CO2 reduction requirements of the Kyoto treaty
I don't get it.

We're still burning stuff & creating CO2, right? Are we creating less than we would burning diesel? Show me, please.

If your using waste veg oil (WVO) the figures are better as the oil has already been produced and used for its original purpose (cooking chips etc). SVO is still more carbon neutral than dyno diesel but what containers are you looking to purchase it in (nasty plastic ones)?
There are many reasons to use veg oil, I like it because it is cheap

and has the added benefit of being more carbon neutral.

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 10 Sep 2007, 19:30

Dino oil is stored CO2 - should not be released as this will increase the CO2 amount in the planets circuit. Thats the biggest problem with the oil industry.

Any veg oil producing CO2 is part of the exisiting circuit. Does not add to the CO2 amount already in the circuit.