i have a tdi beetle that i've got to rebuild, and i'm going to do it myself.

as far as Dmerc's, i'm hooked. don't have one yet, but i plan on snagging an early 80's turbo model with a good body and reasonable miles [ebay, etc].

i'm also making my own biodiesel. this is my future. i'm a trial lawyer w/ 4 kids, the oldest being 14. i want economical vehicles that we can work on ourselves.

the biofuel we make is outstanding. works like a charm in everything we've put it in so far. i've surfed the link on this site as well.

biofuel will revolutionize this country. there are those that disagree, but they're wrong. when people can doitthemselves, they will.

cheers,

sv-

i said myself i was going to make biodiesel.. and im 16 i have spare time .. pfft im too busy now.. the whole getting oil securing sources methanol lye not making soap.. is a little hard but when perfect its easy as pie..

i have a farmer/friend/client that's made our fueling station. he's making a separate one for me to have at my house. we've secured our oil supply and have everything down to a science.

we're going to run our consumer vehicles on it first. he'll run farm equipment on it when our volume can handle it.

its like voodoo to many folks, "i don't believe in it but i've seen it work"

first of all:
WELCOME TO THE FORUMS!!!!!

second:
congratulations on getting a tdi, and rebuilding it yourself... awesome. diesels are just sooo simple to work on, theres nothing to em'. and like you said biofuel is the future. all my friends are like "those hybrids are the future, and diesels are killing the environment" needless to say, i explained why a diesel engine is/was/will always be superior to a gasoline engine, and he said... "huh".
maybe frybrids are the future, but we'll find that out later!!
you've also got the hardest bit already sorted out. getting the oil. i can't find a source, or maybe i'm just too shy to be trying to get oil. any suggestions on where/how to get good oil?? i've got the processing bit down, from oil that I have been "stealing" from friends stoves!! i've heard that chinese/japanese resaturants are good, but whats a fellow biodieseler have to say??
oh, have you been to biodieselnow?? over at their forums, i'm "Jarod" also!!

__________________
1982 300D (w123, "Grey Car")
1982 300D (w123, "Blue Car")
2001 Ford F150 "Clifford" (The Big Red Truck)
1997 Dodge Ram 2500 12V Cummins
1996 Dodge Ram 2500 12V Cummins
Previous Vehicles:
1995 E300D, 1980 300SD, 1992 Buick Century, 2005 Saturn Ion

to get the oil;

have some plastic barrels ready to drop off at each location.

rig each with a filter; something you can construct easily w/ screen, then cloth underneath.

go to the restaurant and tell him what you'll do; and that is come by each week and change out the barrels. he'll be tickled. on your first trip you'll probably find such a mess that you'll wonder how he stayed open. offer to clean up all the old oil, etc. most of'em simply keep dumping into 5 gallon buckets.

take it all home with you. dump into a larger container and start processing it. much of it will look like ****, but with heating, etc, it'll come back to being good oil.

the key is this; you must offer a repository and service it regularly. for small cooking joints, swap barrels often, at least once a week. it's just like the water business; leave a dry barrel when you pick up the grease.

you won't believe how much this improves the restaurant's cleanliness.

IF, however, you're in a market where the wvo is sold, chances are its dirt cheap, so you can beat the price. you'll still have to do all the above but it'll be worth it.

go to the boss and say "what do you do with your waste oil?" and take it from there. you'll find success.

good luck,.,.,.,

sv-

Howdy,
What needs to be rebuilt on the Beetle? ...Engine? ...Body?
Just curious.

-John

__________________
1986 190D, 2.5L, 5-speed swap, 180,000 Miles (60K by me).
Jeep CJ-7 with Cummins 4BT/NV4500/AtlastII 4.3.
Grand Wagoneer 4BT project in progress!

engine.

i was working on a brief at the office. got in to the jug a bit; do some of my best thinking that way.

drove over a rock and knocked the pan out. drained the earl without knowing it. drove it dry. replaced the pan, filled earl, and it smokes a beautiful deep winter sky blue.

thus, in a few months i will be a diesel mechanic.

thanks man, i'm going to have to see if i can get some oil using this method. theres a new chinese place in a nearby town, i'm hoping noone else has gotten there yet!! and maybe the restaurant that i eat at quite a bit. once again:
Thanks

__________________
1982 300D (w123, "Grey Car")
1982 300D (w123, "Blue Car")
2001 Ford F150 "Clifford" (The Big Red Truck)
1997 Dodge Ram 2500 12V Cummins
1996 Dodge Ram 2500 12V Cummins
Previous Vehicles:
1995 E300D, 1980 300SD, 1992 Buick Century, 2005 Saturn Ion

That stinks. I suppose the Beetle does not have a low oil level light like the Benz's do.

__________________
1986 190D, 2.5L, 5-speed swap, 180,000 Miles (60K by me).
Jeep CJ-7 with Cummins 4BT/NV4500/AtlastII 4.3.
Grand Wagoneer 4BT project in progress!

i don't think so; this was about 2 years ago and i was so pissed that its been setting up ever since. however, i've become overcome by the diesel revolution, what with homebrew and all.

truthfully,it wouldn't have mattered. i was tense with work, and i don't think i would've noticed the light.

thats a shame, isn't it?

but i'm determined to fix it myself. i have some good advisers around here, including some dedicated diesel mechanics.

which, btw, i've noticed that all desiel mechanics are alcoholics; at least here in arkansas. i wonder why that is?