rapesead oil/veg oil

[philpdr]

Asian supermarkets/cash+carry places are pretty good.My local one currently has 20 litres veg oil for £17.99.

[Titan1995]

Just got back from the Bongo SW meeting. I used near 100% veg oil on both for the outbound and return legs of the trip.
Looking to fit a small aux tank for starting though...have sourced electrical isolator valves....

My Bongo appears to run much smoother on veg oil when motorway driving.

[Diplomat]

Has anyone any experience as to what percentage of vegetable oil causes non starting?

Mine refused to start at all when I had a large proportion of sunflower oil in the mix but the glow plugs had all failed. That was in July (if outside temperature makes a difference).

With no active glow plugs it had to be given a puff of starting aerosol (Ether?) first time each day for the few days until I did the plugs but it would restart quickly after that. Needless to say, I only put diesel in until I fitted the new glowplugs.

The previous time all my plugs failed it would start after a lot of cranking but in those days I was on plain diesel.

An extra tank seems overkill when there is bags of space under the bonnet to fit a 3 or 5 litre container to supply enough fuel for a few weeks of cold starting.


Frank

[chipvan]

titan it will, before you add conversion make sure your insurance will take it on, you will need a 22 ltrs start up tank,a coolant heated heat exchanger,and 2 valves..

dont get cheap valves!

i can help you if needed.

[The Great Pretender]

before you add conversion make sure your insurance will take it on,

Second that, there is a 'computer says no' mentality with most companies as it is modified.
I'm insured with Highway and they are happy to cover me, first with veg conversion then camper conversion and finally even after three attempts by muppets trying to write off the Bongo a body kit fitted.
You have to go through a broker to insure with them and I found that for 'UNBEATABLE RATES' and respectful treatment this company is all2gether the best........

http://www.performancedirect.co.uk/car-insurance/

[Hanksy]

Ive just tried veg oil for the first time a couple of days ago....i just bought 20L of "crisp n Dry" from asda £2 for 2L and put it straight in the tank on top of about 1/3 diesel all has been good so far about 100-150 miles starts the same in cold mornings runs the same .....smells like a chip van though,


if i made a weaker mix would that smell go or is that the price to pay for cheaper motoring??

[chipvan]

nope the smell will always be there

[Driver+Passengers]

Ive just tried veg oil for the first time a couple of days ago....i just bought 20L of "crisp n Dry" from asda £2 for 2L and put it straight in the tank on top of about 1/3 diesel all has been good so far ...

Did you put the whole 20L straight in? On a third of a tank of diesel, that's a strength mix of about 40-50%! For a first timer - you're a braver man than most!

[Hanksy]

Ive just tried veg oil for the first time a couple of days ago....i just bought 20L of "crisp n Dry" from asda £2 for 2L and put it straight in the tank on top of about 1/3 diesel all has been good so far ...

Did you put the whole 20L straight in? On a third of a tank of diesel, that's a strength mix of about 40-50%! For a first timer - you're a braver man than most!

Like A wise man once said Either DO or DO NOT, there is no try........Yoda.


So I did although if I had realised the strength I Probally wouldn't of, ha ha

[Titan1995]

I carried 50litres of the stuff on board to the NW Bongo Meeting......

Worked a treat for me on the long run to Cornwall.

Only use high % mixes on long runs when hot. Then put some diesel in when the other end to flush. Then go to the mix when hot.

A word of warning, veg oil will search out any weak seals on your fuel pump seals and exacerbate leaks.

I am in the process of having my pump resealed. I am assured by the Bosch [Zexel] engineers that veg oil won't be a problem for the newer seals.

[Gripped]

I used the 20 litres of Asda rapeseed too. It was slightly misfiring when cold, so I topped the tank up with diesel so the mix was about 30% veg. No problems since. The oil needs to be thinned enough to allow easy starting.

I've decided never to go about about 50% veg, but in practice it will be 20 litres per full tank of diesel..... or 20 litres veg to 45 litres diesel.

Hopefully the fuel pump will prefer it.

Did my first MPG test on 30% veg and got 27 mpg, so about the same as normal.

[David Edwards]

It is all about trial and error and what suits your bongo best, hard to believe it is about 8 years since I caused the price rise of cooking oil,lol.