SERIOUS QUESTION..DIESEL ALTERNATIVE...IE VEGETABLE OIL!!!!

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HazelM
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SERIOUS QUESTION..DIESEL ALTERNATIVE...IE VEGETABLE OIL!!!!

Post by HazelM » Fri Oct 19, 2012 6:32 pm

Hi all!

Picking up on a comment made at Allithwaite and reading a recent posting on the main site (Asda offer)...am I correct in thinking that "vegetable oil" is an acceptable alternative to diesel and do you just add it to the Bongo regardless of how much diesel is already in the tank?

Hope all is good with you and yours as it is with me & mine.

Hazel & Herman

PS Since Allithwaite/Windermere Herman & I have had a most pleasant (if you exclude the weather) 4 days at the CC site in Chirk.....had the usual "what on earth....." looks upon arrival....love it!!!!!!
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Re: SERIOUS QUESTION..DIESEL ALTERNATIVE...IE VEGETABLE OIL!

Post by Driver+Passengers » Fri Oct 19, 2012 6:40 pm

Hi,

As someone who's just started using veg oil, here's a summary of what I've picked up on so far...

[*] van won't start in this climate on 100% veg oil, so you're nearly always going to need an oil/diesel mix
[*] my van starts ok at the moment with 50% oil (10-14 degrees ambient)
[*] once the engine is hot, it'll burn higher quite happily. I did 150 miles today on 75% oil, but some folk go higher
[*] once you've done a long run on high strength oil, at your destination, top up somewhat with diesel and run it for a few minutes to purge the filter and fuel pipes, for easy starting next time
[*] some say that the oil has a cleansing effect and that the fuel filter can need changing after the first couple of hundred miles as it gets clogged with crap from the tank/pipes. Thereafter it runs fine. My filter didn't need changing.
[*] sunflower oil and olive oil may be thicker than other veg oils - rapeseed is commonly used, and is what I used
[*] anti-foaming agents may not cause a problem, opinions differ??

I'm repeating a lot of what is already on the forum, but I hope it helps.

Best,
Matt.
Last edited by Driver+Passengers on Fri Oct 19, 2012 7:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: SERIOUS QUESTION..DIESEL ALTERNATIVE...IE VEGETABLE OIL!

Post by HazelM » Fri Oct 19, 2012 7:08 pm

Hi Matt!

Thank you for your response. I appreciate that this subject has most probably been covered numerous times (I have read something along the route - which has nudged me to ask for confirmation) but what with the "banter" on line and at the Allithwaite gathering...plus being a total novice....I am having a problem in accepting what is OK or not! Re rapeseed oil and anti-foaming agents - am sure I read a "negative" on this but you are OK with it so think I will have to track back on what has been posted previously.

Thanks again!

Hazel & Herman
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Re: SERIOUS QUESTION..DIESEL ALTERNATIVE...IE VEGETABLE OIL!

Post by Driver+Passengers » Fri Oct 19, 2012 7:13 pm

HazelM wrote:Hi Matt!

Thank you for your response. I appreciate that this subject has most probably been covered numerous times (I have read something along the route - which has nudged me to ask for confirmation) but what with the "banter" on line and at the Allithwaite gathering...plus being a total novice....I am having a problem in accepting what is OK or not! Re rapeseed oil and anti-foaming agents - am sure I read a "negative" on this but you are OK with it so think I will have to track back on what has been posted previously.

Thanks again!

Hazel & Herman
I've backtracked on this myself, and edited the wording of my original post.

Start with a bottle or two. If you're happy with that, go for three or four bottles the next time. Often folk will run their tanks lower than normal, giving them the flexibility to change the mix if a cold snap hits, or an unexpected longer journey. The last thing you want to do is to have a full tank of 50/50 and find yourself unable to start on a frosty morning - you may flatten the battery or damage the glowplugs (?) trying.

Good luck, happy saving. ;)

Matt.
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Re: SERIOUS QUESTION..DIESEL ALTERNATIVE...IE VEGETABLE OIL!

Post by blobber » Fri Oct 19, 2012 10:29 pm

Hi Hazel, glad your getting about in't Bongo.
I'd start off with putting just 9-12ltrs per tankfull to start of and gradually increacing per 3ltr bottle as you feel more confident with its running.
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Re: SERIOUS QUESTION..DIESEL ALTERNATIVE...IE VEGETABLE OIL!

Post by MountainGoat » Fri Oct 19, 2012 10:36 pm

As Matt knows from my prize boob after almost 6 years of owning a diesel Bongo. Even if you only put a few bottles in make sure it is throughly mixed or you may have trouble starting at this time of the year.

When I was preparing for the Scottish meet in Glencoe a few weeks ago I bunged 12 litres of rapeseed in a tank that was 3/4 full and did not run the engine for long enough as the Bongo was parked on my drive. Next day I tried to set off but the Bongo would not start. Realising what I had done I called out my local brakedown man, just in case it was something else, (being with Brittannia Rescue who use local garages I always get the same bloke) and ran round to my local Asda with a can for some more diesel. After pouring in the diesel together the mechanic blipped the accelerator a couple of times until my Bongo sprung to life. My Bongo then did the 300 miles to Glencoe and back which includes the double nailbiting climb over the pass in Glen Ogle without any problems.

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Re: SERIOUS QUESTION..DIESEL ALTERNATIVE...IE VEGETABLE OIL!

Post by rhino-wayne » Fri Oct 19, 2012 10:47 pm

Done several thousand miles on vegi :D

Remember keep it nice & legal by recording your vegi oil purchases =D>

Change fuel filter after a couple of tanks, then keep a spare handy. :wink:

Had to change my fuel pump seals recently..., have changed glow plugs in the past ...but the old girl is 17 years old... =D>

Only once did Bongo conk out........threw in about 25ltr on a cold engine [-X ...a bit of a cough & chug & off she went again......off to fill up/mix with diesel.

Best for my Bongo seems to start on diesel, cruse long distance on veg/mix, end on diesel. :wink:

For short weekday city driving...diesel only or with lower %
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Re: SERIOUS QUESTION..DIESEL ALTERNATIVE...IE VEGETABLE OIL!

Post by Driver+Passengers » Fri Oct 19, 2012 11:09 pm

:oops: Forgot about the effect on the fuel pump seals.

The understanding I've got from reading other posts on here is that prolonged or heavy use of oil will "seek out weak seals" and/or harden what's there, that the replacement seals are then fine, etc. Worth doing a search for "veg vegetable oil fuel pump seals" or something like that...
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Re: SERIOUS QUESTION..DIESEL ALTERNATIVE...IE VEGETABLE OIL!

Post by rhino-wayne » Fri Oct 19, 2012 11:27 pm

Driver+Passengers wrote::oops: Forgot about the effect on the fuel pump seals.

The understanding I've got from reading other posts on here is that prolonged or heavy use of oil will "seek out weak seals" and/or harden what's there, that the replacement seals are then fine, etc. Worth doing a search for "veg vegetable oil fuel pump seals" or something like that...

........and as I did the seals myself at a cost of £3.38 ........ :lol: :lol: :lol:

(am I a mechanic? No, had only changed a spare wheel before having mechanical fun with the Bongo :wink:
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Re: SERIOUS QUESTION..DIESEL ALTERNATIVE...IE VEGETABLE OIL!

Post by Diplomat » Sat Oct 20, 2012 9:59 am

rhino-wayne wrote:[

........and as I did the seals myself at a cost of £3.38 ........ :lol: :lol: :lol:

(am I a mechanic? No, had only changed a spare wheel before having mechanical fun with the Bongo :wink:
No problem if it's the seal facing you. More of a problem if it's the one you can only reach with thin fingers.

Big problem if it's an internal seal.


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Re: SERIOUS QUESTION..DIESEL ALTERNATIVE...IE VEGETABLE OIL!

Post by Velocette » Sat Oct 20, 2012 12:05 pm

I have a Webasto heater so as a rule I don't use veg oil as a rule but if the fuel goes below the standpipe in the tank that the heater is fed from I will use it in an emergency. This got me out of a hole recently in Spain in the hills were petrol stations can be a long way apart. The guauge was hard against the stop and it was still 20 miles to the petrol station, we may just have got there but I stopped in the first town and bought 3l of Veg Oil which garanteed we would get there.

It has struck me since that it is more pleasant to carry some veg oil sealed in its original container than a smelly can of diesel. Just put it in when there is still some fuel left for it to mix with.

I would like to come up with a way of isolating the heater with a facility to flush the fuel feed to it and I would definitely use more veg oil.
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Re: SERIOUS QUESTION..DIESEL ALTERNATIVE...IE VEGETABLE OIL!

Post by HazelM » Sat Oct 20, 2012 7:50 pm

Good evening/morning all!

Thank you for your responses and sharing your experiences - this is just what I required. Having read all I have decided to purchase X litres of vegetable oil (if there are any left on the shelves tomorrow) for emergency use only. Thus far I have only let the fuel gauge go down to 1/4 full/empty as unsure as to how accurate it is so having an "unsmelly" back-up will act as reassurance.

When you start talking about inspecting seals, changing the filter more often; difficulty in starting in colder weather; fuel going below the standpipe etc etc I start thinking "hmmmm.....£'s..."

I have another couple of questions "lurking" but will search around for answers before posting again!

Bongo & out for the moment!

Hazel & Herman
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Re: SERIOUS QUESTION..DIESEL ALTERNATIVE...IE VEGETABLE OIL!

Post by dandemann8 » Sat Oct 20, 2012 8:03 pm

Lady Margarets Park Chirk, our all time favourite CC Site, we go at least three times a year :D :D :D
Bongo no more........... ;-(
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Re: SERIOUS QUESTION..DIESEL ALTERNATIVE...IE VEGETABLE OIL!

Post by Velocette » Sat Oct 20, 2012 10:35 pm

HazelM wrote:Good evening/morning all!

Thank you for your responses and sharing your experiences - this is just what I required. Having read all I have decided to purchase X litres of vegetable oil (if there are any left on the shelves tomorrow) for emergency use only. Thus far I have only let the fuel gauge go down to 1/4 full/empty as unsure as to how accurate it is so having an "unsmelly" back-up will act as reassurance.

When you start talking about inspecting seals, changing the filter more often; difficulty in starting in colder weather; fuel going below the standpipe etc etc I start thinking "hmmmm.....£'s..."

I have another couple of questions "lurking" but will search around for answers before posting again!

Bongo & out for the moment!

standpipe applies only if you have a diesel heater fed directly from the fuel tank. Most people tee them off the fuel line in which case it would be risky to use veg at all as it could clog the jet. If you don't have such a heater no ned to worry. It is the only thing that stops me using a lot more veg oil.

Hazel & Herman
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Re: SERIOUS QUESTION..DIESEL ALTERNATIVE...IE VEGETABLE OIL!

Post by karena » Sat Oct 20, 2012 11:54 pm

HazelM wrote:
When you start talking about inspecting seals, changing the filter more often; difficulty in starting in colder weather; fuel going below the standpipe etc etc I start thinking "hmmmm.....£'s..."

hi hazel me too plus veg oil locally is more per litre than diesel so might be false economy -but good idea about keeping some for emergencys -dual purpose emergency fuel /emergency chips -like it.
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