PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - View Single Post - Pros and cons of running biodiesel vs WVO

derherr65 · #1 03-08-2007, 11:56 PM

The first person that says "do a search" dies.

From my all night reading, I'm trying to work up the pros and cons of homemade biodiesel vs wvo. Having not done either personally, I expect to miss some things. Please let me know what, and how it is important.

Category - Homemade Biodiesel / WVO

Collection - restaurants & chemical supply / restaurants
The WVO is gotten the same way for both, but biodiesel requires methanol(drag strip maybe?) and KOH from a chemical supplier... neither of which are free.
Processing - settle,filter,dewater,add chemicals,mix,separate / settle,filter,dewater
Making biodiesel is time consuming and involves hazzardous chemicals. You must do the same steps as running WVO then add on the conversion process and more separation. "It takes me less of my time to dewater and filter enough oil to run 3 cars and heat my house than it takes for me to produce enough biodiesel to run one car."(WD8CDH) Biodiesel also leaves you with glycerin to dispose of. Is glycerin good for anything?
Tanks - stock tank / 2 tanks
A second tank is needed for WVO and should be heated.
Fuel system - stock / complex
Biodiesel will eat a few lines and seals. For B100 new rubber or viton is a must. WVO will introduce solenoids, switches, and duplicate lines and filters increasing complexity and chance of breakage.
Operating - stock / monitor then switch
Biodiesel runs, for all practical purposes, just like diesel. WVO must be monitored until the proper temperature is reached then may be switched on. It must also be switched off before arrival. I personally rarely drive less than 30+ miles at a time, but short drives can severly limit WVO use.
If you screw up - Dead IP / Dead IP, carbon
Biodiesel can kill your IP by chemical reaction(pitting) while WVO can kill it by mechanical stress. Cold WVO can also cause carbon deposits in the combustion chamber.

It seems to me that WVO is cheaper per gallon, but has a higher install cost. This could be offset by the fact that homemade biodiesel is more time consuming to produce. In the long run WVO should be the cheaper solution.