VegOil Conversions
by
Dana Linscott
Please note:
The information on this website is outdated but not completely obsolete. I have chosen to leave it intact as an archive and so people can still access the still useful links, designs, and info on it.
However I strongly suggest that you go to the VO Conversion Basics Website at http://voconversionbasics.websitetoolbox.com/ for the most up to date information on VO coversions in an indexed format. That website is continually updated, easily searchable, and allows you to ask questions if you cannot easily find the answers you seek there.
If you are simply looking for information on where you can buy a VO conversion kit reading THIS should make that much less of a gamble. The firms offerring VO conversion kits range from nearly state of the art to complete scams. Forwarned is forarmed!
For those just looking for the best and least expensive components to assemble thier own conversion kit with there is a vendor section with links to those components.
And if you want a step by step and complete outline of what is required to successfully run a diesel engine on used Vegetable Oil (WVO) I suggest reading the Tutorial 10 steps to converting a diesel engine to VO Fuel. It has hundreds of links which are aimed at making that possible even if you have no idea at this point where to start.
Links to More Info Kit Calculator How-to Files
Consultation services Free/Sample How-to Files
Shortly after Rudolf Diesel invented the worlds first compression ignition engine in 1897 he determined that with slight modifications it could run on nearly any combustible fuel from coal dust to crude oil. Among the fuels he tested successfully were peanut oil and whale oil. But since petroleum was soon so inexpensive compared to every other fuel it became the main product used to fuel diesel engines . A plethora of other fuels (such as natural gas and bunker fuel) have been used in large industrial and marine diesel engines but with one exception all fuels commonly used in diesels have been petroleum based.
That one exception is plant oils....which are commonly referred to as "Vegetable Oils" or VegOil.
"Our" Mission
My original goal was to develop, test, and market simple components designed specifically for conversion of diesel engines and provide guidance to those wishing to convert these engines to VO fuel. This changed over time as more and more requests for help from existing businesses were received. "We" now serve a customer base which is primarily commercial truck fleet operators and private individuals who are developing VO conversion related businesses and businesses that use VO fuel to significantly increase profit margins. As VegOil Conversions grew from a part time "job" to a full time one..and beyond... the temptation has to expand by taking on partners and hiring employees presented itself. I have been developing businesses for over 30 years and found the prospect of once again becoming an owner/manager not very attractive. And this is what happens if the primary goal of any business is personal profit through growth. Instead I have chosen to limit the size of my customer base and refer the excess to other VO conversion related businesses.
My primary personal goal is to help the VO fuel "movement" and industry develop as quickly as possible. In order to do this I devote nearly 50% of my (potentially billable) time to providing free and low cost support of individuals, organizations, and businesses that share my main goal. This allows me to support only those individuals and businesses which I am convinced act in an ethical manner. This also allows me to enjoy my daily duties as well as a lifestyle which though not "lavish" by any measure is certainly sufficient to support my family at what I believe provides a maximum "happiness" potential. I essentially chose to create a pastime that I found much more rewarding than "retirement" possibly could. So far I have not been disappointed with the income, freedom, or constant challenge that this path has provided.
Why make my own VegOil conversion "kit"?
Most of our DIY customers primary consideration in making their own components is lowering the overall cost of their conversions. By making their own conversion "kits" most people can save from 1/2 to 2/3 compared to what converting using one of the currently available "kits" costs. Most customers soon discover that not only do they save a substantial amount of $$$$ by making their own components....they end up with a much more usable conversion. The most recent trend appears to be individuals using How-to files to fabricate and gather their own conversion "kit' components and then using the money saved to pay an experienced mechanic to install the "kit" they have made themselves. This not only results in a greater familiarity with the conversion by the owner..it usually results in a superior conversion as well.
This is due to two main reasons:
- There is no "one size fits all" universal kit.
Because climate/temperature and intended use of a vehicle is so variable, and at the same time so critical in determining what components must be included in a conversion to allow it to work well. Unless a kit is carefully tailored to the vehicle/climate/VegOil type/and main use it will either under perform or be overbuilt/overpriced.
and
- With few exceptions the components used in assembling kits were not originally designed for VegOil fuel. Rather they are parts designed for use with diesel fuel which are pressed into service as VegOil components because nothing better is available. The conversion components offered here are specifically designed for use with VegOil fuel. This means that they are much more efficient at accomplishing their tasks in addition to being less expensive. In the case of our ready to install components your are buying directly from the manufacture (us) and so avoid the "middle man" markups of kit assemblers. And in the case of fabricating your own components using "how-to" files you ARE the manufacturer.
Of course if you want to avoid having to run around finding all the individual components for a VegOil conversion a kit is the way to do it. And if you decide that this is the course you want to take I invite you to check out "the competition". In fact I encourage you to buy as many of the products they offer as you can. By and large they are honest folks trying to make an honest living..and I have a lot in common with them. I also encourage you to purchase what you need from them..and the rest from me to get the best possible conversion you can, at the most affordable price available, with the level of participation you want. There are however more and more individuals who after converting their own vehicle feel they have enough experience to start their own kit company. Few actually do and these new businesses seem to "fold" after less than two years. There are also kit and component vendors with "virtual storefronts" or Ebay auctions that have pirated designs of legitimate vendors and make cheap knock off copies until they are sued. These fly by night vendors are to be avoided for two reasons.
1. By pirating the designs of legitimate VO conversion part fabricators/vendors they discourage the development of new VO conversion technology.
and
2. The parts may look the same and the vendor may claim they ARE the VERY same BUT they rarely are. Most often they work marginally well or fail after a few months causing expensive secondary damage. Some are outright scams. Use your common sense when purchasing "cheap" conversion parts from Ebay or vendors with little history.
If you have "more time than money" the how to files are the only way to go. If you have "more money than time" buy the most expensive kit you can...and share the wealth. If you are some place "in between" use the information contained here and on the links to get the best VegOil available for the most reasonable price possible.
How hard are conversions to install?
VegOil conversion are surprisingly simple. All you are really trying to do is provide hot VegOil to the injectors so it will produce a fine spray into the combustion chamber similar to diesel fuel. Heating the VegOil thins it to a lower viscosity so it can be easily atomized and combusted inside the engine. No modification of the engine itself is required so the mechanical skill and funds needed to convert a diesel to VegOil is fairly minimal and within reach of many common folks....and well within the ability of any mechanic. The kits which are available for converting diesels to VegOil are composed mainly of components which warm the VegOil from ambient temperature to around 150*F -200*F before it is pumped to the Injector Pump (IP). As the VegOil is sent under high pressure from the IP through the injectors it is further warmed by pressure and the heat of combustion which has been transferred to the injectors themselves. VegOil cannot be used as a fuel in gasoline engines...only diesels. For a good overview of what is involved in converting a diesel engine to VegOil take a look at 10 steps to converting to wvo..the basic process .
Is heating thick fuels a new concept?
Not really. Some diesel engines are designed to run on a fuel known as Bunker Fuel which is a very thick..almost tar like petroleum product left over when lighter fractions like gasoline and diesel fuel are distilled from crude oil. These are mainly the huge marine diesel engines which power ocean going ships and the fuel systems in these vessels are very similar in design to the components used in most VegOil conversions. These components consist of a tank heater or heated fuel pickup, heated fuel lines, heated filters, and pre-injection fuel temperature boosters. In bunker fuel systems the injectors themselves are sometimes heated to help boost the temperature of the bunker fuel. But in the smaller diesel engines used in cars and trucks the injectors are heated to the temperature of the heads they are screwed into. In fact they are usually hotter than the surrounding metal of the head since they are exposed on their lower ends to the heat of combusting fuel. This is a very handy coincidence for those considering converting to VegOil fuel since it allows a minimum of heating components to be required for conversions...simplifying and lower the cost of the process.
What is needed to convert a passenger car or pickup?
For DI diesel engine conversions I recommend a pre-IP VegOil temperature of 140*F to 160*F. The majority of this heat can be supplied by the coolant using simple heat exchangers. Normally the maximum temperature that can be achieved using only coolant heat is around 120-140*F. After as much heat has been added with coolant/fuel heat exchangers as possible 12 volt heaters are used to boost the VegOil fuel temp further if needed. These also speed the heating of the fuel allowing a shorter time to when "switchover" to VegOil fuel from diesel is possible. In very warm climates where the ambient temperature never drops below 65*F it is possible to convert some vehicles simply by installing an electric fuel heaters and adding prefiltered VegOil to your existing fuel tank. For those living in less tropical regions of the world the conversion is a bit more complicated..but still relatively simple. Generally speaking the colder the climate you plan to use the engine in the more fuel heating components that must be used to allow dependable use of VegOil and full power availability. If the VegOil is used fryer oil (WVO) which can contain large amounts of fats and tallow the fuel may solidify at room temperature and become rock solid at below zero temps. To allow use of WVO in all but tropical climates a tank heater must be used to liquefy the fuel so it can be drawn through the fuel lines. And because any liquid WVO in the fuel lines will also be solidified at ambient temperatures the fuel lines must be heated so this WVO is also liquefied and so allow fuel from the tank to pass. Luckily internal combustion engines produce a large amount of waste heat which is usually gotten rid of via the radiator. A small amount of this heat can easily be diverted to provide the majority of the energy used to warm the VegOil from whatever the ambient temperature is to up to 140*F.
Can I just pour filtered VegOil in my tank instead of diesel?
If you live in the tropics possibly. But since most diesel engines will not start on cold (but liquid) VegOil unless they are warm either a means to heat the engine or a "start/purge" fuel must be provided. In areas where the ambient temperature never drops below 45*F it may be possible to simply add a block heater to warm the engine with house current before starting. This of course ties you to the chore of plugging in the block heater to house current for at least a half hour whenever the engine has been shut off long enough to cool to ambient temp. It may be much better to consider providing a second fuel circuit to provide for a "start/purge" fuel. With most vehicles this is the preferred method of conversion. It allows the engine to be started normally (on diesel fuel) and then within a few minutes switched over to VegOil. Europeans have much higher petroleum based fuel prices than those of us living in the "the New World" and so the option of using virgin vegetable oil as a low cost substitute for "diesel fuel" exists there. And as North American petroleum fuel prices quickly rise this may become an attractive alternative here as well. But currently the most economic benefit for those in the US and Canada is accomplished by collecting and processing Waste Vegetable Oil (WVO) from restaurants with deep fat fryers in their kitchens. Collection is not as messy as you might expect using a "WVO sucker" I designed as an example of how a simple design can substitute for a large investment and make the whole process simpler at the same time. A free copy of the simple schematic for this unit is Here. And processing of WVO consisting of "prefiltering" to a level of 10 microns and removing any free or suspended water is also relatively simple using a similarly simple to fabricate Prefilter/Dewatering Units.
What if I live where it gets cold enough for VegOil to solidify?
Since some VegOil (especially WVO derived fuels which may contain fats) may thicken to the point they will not readily flow through the fuel lines unless they are warmed a bit. Coolant heated fuel lines and tank heaters (which warm the fuel in the VegOil tank) are the simplest answer to this and the preferred conversion method since most vehicles do not have enough electrical generation capacity to power much more than the 12vdc fuel "boost" heaters previously mentioned. The VegOil fuel tank heater may be installed fairly easily in the existing fuel tank but then a smaller tank must be provided for the start/purge (diesel) fuel unless the vehicle has dual fuel tanks already. In vehicles that do not have dual fuel tanks it is usually simplest to either have a small round fuel tank fabricated which fits in the place of the spare tire or use a slightly modified 5-20 gallon plastic "marine" fuel tank secured in the trunk which is used for VegOil fuel. In very cold climates it is possible to also install a house current powered VegOil tank prewarmer in any tank used for VegOil fuel.
How do I switch from one fuel to another?
While it is possible to use manual valves to provide a way to switch form one fuel to the other it is much simpler to use solenoid or "remote fuel" valves. I recommend using a 6 port solenoid valve since they will allow a single unit to switch both the fuel supply and return circuits simultaneously. Two 3-way solenoid valves may also serve the same purpose. Both 3 and 6 way solenoid valves are available as new units or can often be salvaged at junkyards for less than 1/2 the cost. The solenoid valve is connected to a switch (on-off-on) on the vehicle dash which is used to switch from one fuel to the other.
Where can I learn more about this subject?
The best place to learn about converting to VegOil is from those that have done it.
Until recently the Infopop SVO forum was one of the most active internet based VegOil forum with lots of individuals who had converted their own vehicles to VegOil who posted regularly. I also regularly posted there and used to encourage folks to ask questions there. Unfortunately the archives became larger and larger as time passed and so searching out useful information has become much harder.
VO Conversion Basics is a moderated forum which is designed primarily to provide an indexed information source on VO conversion and VO fuel processing. New information is constantly being added and "Newbies" are welcome.
For those who are just beginning the process of gathering information about VO conversion a basic tutorial is available HERE
For those looking for more detailed information on the components used in a modern (stage 3) conversion a tutorial is available HERE
Links to current vendors of VO conversion components can be found HERE
A list of terms and acronyms commonly used in VO conversion discussions is
If you need information on the differences between "single tank" and "two tank" conversions read THIS