Biofuels an overview

Biofuel is a broad term used to describe both vegetable oil and Biodiesel.

Using vegetable oils instead of diesel

In order of safety to the engine and fuel injection equipment, safest first:

Biodiesel

Biodiesel is vegetable oil that has been chemically converted. It is a much thinner liquid than vegetable oil and has a higher Cetane Number, making it suitable for use in most diesel engines.

Twin-tank

The engine is started on diesel, run until hot, and then switched over to vegetable oil. The oil is pre-heated before entering the injection system by the vehicle's hot engine coolant. This thins the oil and helps prevent ring gumming.

Blending

Vegetable oil is mix with Petrol or Diesel to thin the resulting liquid. This technique is considered unsuitable for direct injection and common rail engines.

Direct

Using vegetable oil directly in the tank (aka single tanking) is suitable for only the toughest fuel injection systems and engines (those with indirect injection and Bosch rotary mechanical injection pumps). Long term problems with piston ring gumming and loss of compression may occur.

PLEASE NOTE
Biopowered wiki is aimed at an international audience. To this end all aspects of Biofuels are included. As a result some fuels may not be legal for use as road fuel in some countries without payment of duty. The reader should satisfy him or herself as to the legality of use in a specific country. See Rules and Regulations for details pertaining to the UK.