Biodiesel- My update to those interested
Submitted: Monday, Nov 06, 2006 at 21:01
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Ozboc
Ok - i am now on week 2 of using bio diesel in my Nissan Patrol 4.2 litre turbo- I am making this stuff myself from used lard that i have a good source of.
so after the first week - i replaced the fuel filter - was a little dirty - but not as bad as i would have expected - but i have been running at the ratio of about 50 / 50
This weekend - i bumped up the ratio to more like 90% bio and 10 dino ( i tested my bio and it passed the 27/3 test )
NOW - im not sure if its the fuel filter ( by that i mean a cheap nasty) or the bio doing it - but i have been getting a blocked filter ( the filter in the fuel pump ) i have had this block up now 3 times since the filter change - and each time i clean it -- it is blocked with what would appear to be very fine hair / fibre comming from the filter -- where as the main filter is not getting blocked at all .
just wondering if it may be the bio breaking down the filter - or just crappy filter material or workmanship on the finished product - it does not come out in chunks just very fine fibre - so will keep an eye on this over the next few days and see if it stops or continues.
apart from this little problem - i have been very happy with the power and performance- Starts easy on cold mornings - barly even half a crank and its running - No smoke at all on start up - no smoke when you really gun it - and it smells so much better ( exhaust ) than dino diesel.
will keep you updated of any changes
Boc
Reply By: Bonz (Vic) - Monday, Nov 06, 2006 at 22:06
Monday, Nov 06, 2006 at 22:06
I have been reading today about biomass production of diesel, renewable and clean, clean as clean even a greenie on this stuff would look opaque and not green any more.
Cant find the darn link but this one talks about the same stuff.
The future looks rosy for TD vehicles.
And did u see the Mythbusters show where they ran a diesel Mercedes on strained (yes only strained) waste vegetable oil??
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Follow Up By: Member - 'Lucy' - Monday, Nov 06, 2006 at 22:22
Monday, Nov 06, 2006 at 22:22
Aw! BONZ
listening to you makes it sound so good, that even your vehicle would run on this strained 'feline pee'
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Follow Up By: Member - Roachie (SA) - Monday, Nov 06, 2006 at 22:35
Monday, Nov 06, 2006 at 22:35
I'd love to get into this stuff myself, but haven't got the time, resources or know-how to do it. I admire those who are getting in with their sleeves rolled-up and are having a go. (No, not the kind of "go" you're having Lucy, ol' mate....hahahaha).
Hey Bonz, how IS that hand-grenade of yours going anyway??? lolol......On a serious note, I hope Lucy isn't letting you play with any power
tools more dangerous than an electric shaver......hahahaha
You should have been there on KI with us Bonz......the lies and un-truths that flowed endlessly from Lucy's gob simply knew no boundaries. hahaha;-))
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Follow Up By: Bonz (Vic) - Monday, Nov 06, 2006 at 22:40
Monday, Nov 06, 2006 at 22:40
Roachie I have been to several events with the aforementioned Lucy and
well to say he was taught by the best would be an understatement. We were waffling about Rangies on Nissan Chassis and Nissan bodies on Toyota chassis' and nissans on toyota chassis' and I glanced over at a guy bear us whio was soaking it all up telling his mate he heard a "marshal" spill the beans hahaha
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Follow Up By: Member - Roachie (SA) - Monday, Nov 06, 2006 at 22:46
Monday, Nov 06, 2006 at 22:46
That
sign on his front window should say "MARSHALL LAW"........hehehehehe;-))
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Reply By: Member - Andrew W (SA) - Monday, Nov 06, 2006 at 22:22
Monday, Nov 06, 2006 at 22:22
Hi there ozboc
I suggest a better place for your questions is the www.biofuelsforum.com
I think it is unlikely to be the filter breaking down but vaguely possible I guess - and it doesn't really sound like typical collected sediments from the fuel system collected from the Dino diesel use over years. Does seem strange I must say. Presumably it
With you absolutely on the smell - gotta love that smell ;-)
Cheers
Andrew.
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Reply By: Member - Brian H (QLD) - Tuesday, Nov 07, 2006 at 13:13
Tuesday, Nov 07, 2006 at 13:13
A bloke at work has been making his own for I guess now about 3 odd years and he has had no issues at all. The cost about 12 months ago was in the area of 19c litre...... now i call that a saving. He makes enough for his dad as
well.
He thinks its great no big shed just a garden shed is all he is using.
Just be careful making your own and storing it in quanities just incase things go pear shaped and a fire is the result, as i'm sure your insuance company would have a few issues i dare say.
I would give it a go if I had a diesel vehicle.
Brian
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Follow Up By: Ozboc - Tuesday, Nov 07, 2006 at 16:43
Tuesday, Nov 07, 2006 at 16:43
HI there - storage of the fuel isnt really that much of an issue - the stuff will not burn if you try to light it with a lighter or a match - unlike diesel - iactually thought i had it all wrong when i could not light the fuel with a simple nakid flame - untill someone on an american biodiesel website told me that it wont light as easily as diesel ...
but as you suggest - i wont be storing large quantities - i seam to be making it as fast as i can use it !!
and my average cost ( not inc electricity or my time is about 7 cents per litre ) the only thing i have to pay for is the methanol
with a saving of over $100 a week - needless to say my baby will be getting oil changes and fuel filter changes more reguarly as the savings alone can warrant it :)
Boc
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Follow Up By: Mr Fawlty - Tuesday, Nov 07, 2006 at 17:47
Tuesday, Nov 07, 2006 at 17:47
Ozboc, I heard on ABC rural radio recently that a guy in the ACT is making & selling Bio plants in "KIT" form that can make about 100 litres a day unfortunatley I missed out on contact details... Can you provide some details of your setup? I guess it would be HIGHLY ILLEGAL to sell your excess so I'll scrap the idea of doing it on a cost recovery basis....
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Reply By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Tuesday, Nov 07, 2006 at 14:00
Tuesday, Nov 07, 2006 at 14:00
Yep I'm still using 100% BD, will be comming up to 12 months soon! I had to run some B20 from Gull for two weeks as I was on Teaching Prac and didn't have he oppertunity to get a deilvery organised. I must say switching back and
forth I didn't notice any difference other than some black smoke on the Gull and startup and that older dino diesel smell that I'd almost forgotten. May just have been the running around I was doing those two weeks but I'm almost certain I got worse economy off the B20 than I did off the B100! Oh
well, I'm still on it and it's still working a bloody treat! I changed my fuel filter last service, only because it was due, havn't had any problems with cloggs or really any problems at all.
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Reply By: Barnesy - Thursday, Nov 09, 2006 at 00:58
Thursday, Nov 09, 2006 at 00:58
Boc,
Have heard that animal products create a lot more mess than vege oils, but apart from that sorry can't help you with your question. But i have a question for myself please. How are you producing the biodiesel? I want to start making my own but don't know how to. Do you have any suggestions where i can begin to look at making my own?
Thanks
Barnesy
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Follow Up By: Ozboc - Thursday, Nov 09, 2006 at 20:18
Thursday, Nov 09, 2006 at 20:18
Gday Barnesy-
Long and short - without to much booring detail - i am currently making bio diesel in 50 ltr lots ( old 60 litre drums )
soon to upgrade to 200 litre batches ( started with 20 l batches)
contact me off
forum boc1971@hotmail.com make sure you put something obvious in the title as i get a lot of email every day ( junk )
i will chat to you further and see if i can be of help to get you started
Boc
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