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Is chip fat diesel making a comeback? - RichT54

Some years ago the use of diesel made from reclaimed chip-fryer fat became quite popular for a time but then seemed to fade into relative obscurity. However, in the last few weeks I've smelt that characteristic pong several times, while out driving (and no, I wasn't driving past a fish & chip shop at the time!).

Has the recent rise in price of diesel made from crude oil triggered a revival of this more pungent alternative?

Is chip fat diesel making a comeback? - Manatee

Diesel sales having dropped so much, we should be bathing in the proper stuff soon.

Is chip fat diesel making a comeback? - badbusdriver

My understanding is that used cooking oil is not suitable for the majority of modern diesels, only older designs.

Is chip fat diesel making a comeback? - RT

My understanding is that used cooking oil is not suitable for the majority of modern diesels, only older designs.

Common-rail diesels use a high pressure fuel pump, typically 2,000 bar (30,000 psi) or more, which is marginal for lubrication on regular diesel since the sulphur was removed and just not usable with bio-diesel.

Is chip fat diesel making a comeback? - bathtub tom
Common-rail diesels use a high pressure fuel pump, typically 2,000 bar (30,000 psi) or more, which is marginal for lubrication on regular diesel since the sulphur was removed and just not usable with bio-diesel.

They are, but not for long.

Is chip fat diesel making a comeback? - expat

I saw an old Land Rover a couple of weeks ago with a sticker on the window saying that it was running on recycled cooking oil. It was parked at the time so I couldn't smell whether it was chip fat or doughnut oil.

Is chip fat diesel making a comeback? - Xileno

The dieselbob website used to list cars that could tolerate veg oil, but even then it depended on what injection pump was fitted as some manufacturers changed pump supplier over the years. But yes, it's going to be the old vehicles of which there won't be many around now.

Is chip fat diesel making a comeback? - Bromptonaut

The dieselbob website used to list cars that could tolerate veg oil, but even then it depended on what injection pump was fitted as some manufacturers changed pump supplier over the years. But yes, it's going to be the old vehicles of which there won't be many around now.

As others have related use in cars is, for now, incompatible with modern engine tech.

On the other hand Maccy D's lorries are branded to the effect they run on recycled cooking fat. There's also a business with a depot locally who seem to make a go of collecting/recycling the stuff.

Is chip fat diesel making a comeback? - Bolt

The dieselbob website used to list cars that could tolerate veg oil, but even then it depended on what injection pump was fitted as some manufacturers changed pump supplier over the years. But yes, it's going to be the old vehicles of which there won't be many around now.

Plenty of private vans running on paraffin though, got behind some over the weeks and been surprised how many use it, smell reminds of 70s when paraffin heaters were used

Is chip fat diesel making a comeback? - John Boy

There's a business on the South Coast, which still collects used cooking oil and fat. I always noitice their two lorries because they're old TK Bedfords.

Is chip fat diesel making a comeback? - Steveieb

Diesel Bob is concerned about the damage that the additional bio in diesel is creating and advises adding two stroke oil or ZX1 additive. In particular damage to seals.

But which fuels have extra lubricants already ? Maybe V power . But with ordinary diesel costing £1.54 a litre paying any more needs to be justified.

Is chip fat diesel making a comeback? - focussed

The dieselbob website used to list cars that could tolerate veg oil, but even then it depended on what injection pump was fitted as some manufacturers changed pump supplier over the years. But yes, it's going to be the old vehicles of which there won't be many around now.

Plenty of private vans running on paraffin though, got behind some over the weeks and been surprised how many use it, smell reminds of 70s when paraffin heaters were used

That will probably be C2 grade heating oil - kerosene - about £0.62 per litre in the UK.in bulk.

The C1 refined grade is much more expensive - about £235 per 200 litre drum.

You can run old school diesels on kerosene or jet fuel but you need to add 2% ordinary engine oil to lubricate the pump elements.

We use refined odourless kerosene for inverter heaters here on France, all the major supermarkets sell it in 20 litre bidons, it costs about €0. 97 per litre ( about £0.82)

The diesel fuel price over here has gone sky high at €1.46/litre from a supermarket - it was around €1.05 /litre just before Biden got elected.

Is chip fat diesel making a comeback? - alan1302

The diesel fuel price over here has gone sky high at €1.46/litre from a supermarket - it was around €1.05 /litre just before Biden got elected.

He's president of France as well? ;-)

Is chip fat diesel making a comeback? - edlithgow

The diesel fuel price over here has gone sky high at €1.46/litre from a supermarket - it was around €1.05 /litre just before Biden got elected.

He's president of France as well? ;-)

As well as the UK, you mean?

Is chip fat diesel making a comeback? - focussed

The diesel fuel price over here has gone sky high at €1.46/litre from a supermarket - it was around €1.05 /litre just before Biden got elected.

He's president of France as well? ;-)

Meaning that the crude oil price started to climb in January this year from $40 a barrel to the current around $80 a barrel as soon as the Biden administration started interfering with pipelines, drilling, fracking etc.

Is chip fat diesel making a comeback? - Mike Lyons

in January this year from $40 a barrel to the current around $80 a barrel as soon as the Biden administration started interfering with pipelines, drilling, fracking etc.

If only any president /world leader had that much influence. I think you'll find the increase in demand is a global phenomena & it's that which drives the price increase.

If Biden could limit US output, then Saudi's would happily fill the gap even at $40 Barrel.

Is chip fat diesel making a comeback? - focussed

in January this year from $40 a barrel to the current around $80 a barrel as soon as the Biden administration started interfering with pipelines, drilling, fracking etc.

If only any president /world leader had that much influence. I think you'll find the increase in demand is a global phenomena & it's that which drives the price increase.

If Biden could limit US output, then Saudi's would happily fill the gap even at $40 Barrel.

As soon as Biden got into the white house he cancelled the Keystone XL oil pipeline. And cancelled the issueing of new oil drilling leases.

Breifly he turned the USA from being an oil exporter to an oil importer that has to scrabble for oil contracts on the open world market.

So if the USA went from exporting 10% of it's production it's now looking to buy that 10% that it doesn't produce on the open market.

10% + 10 % = 20% more demand on the market.

Supply and demand - the oil price went up.

Is chip fat diesel making a comeback? - Mike Lyons

in January this year from $40 a barrel to the current around $80 a barrel as soon as the Biden administration started interfering with pipelines, drilling, fracking etc.

If only any president /world leader had that much influence. I think you'll find the increase in demand is a global phenomena & it's that which drives the price increase.

If Biden could limit US output, then Saudi's would happily fill the gap even at $40 Barrel.

As soon as Biden got into the white house he cancelled the Keystone XL oil pipeline. And cancelled the issueing of new oil drilling leases.

Breifly he turned the USA from being an oil exporter to an oil importer that has to scrabble for oil contracts on the open world market.

So if the USA went from exporting 10% of it's production it's now looking to buy that 10% that it doesn't produce on the open market.

10% + 10 % = 20% more demand on the market.

Supply and demand - the oil price went up.

I think you need a fact check.

Both the existing Keystone & the cancelled Keystone XL pipelines are designed to IMPORT oil from the Canadian oil sands in Alberta to US refineries. The oil is still produced & imported to US , but it's Canadian oil and a lot goes by train .Keystone XL would have replaced some or all of the trains but it wouldn't have been completed for a few years yet.

I know the above because I previously worked for an oil company in Alberta & still keep up to date , but it's all freely available on the 'net.

Is chip fat diesel making a comeback? - edlithgow

The above posts don't make a clear distinction between biodiesel made from bio-sourced fats/oils, which is chemically modified, and SVO (straight vegetable oil) and WVO (waste vegetable oil), though the latter is probably intended.

I understand the former is mixed with pump diesel at 5-10% in the UK and here in Taiwan, so should not cause problems.

The main issue with the latter (assuming the solid contaminants are adequately filtered out) is its oxidative instability, causing coking, ring sticking, and in extreme cases, lubrication oil gelling and engine runaway. Chunks of detached carbon can also destroy turbo impeller blades.

Lubricity should not be an issue since both biodiesel and SVO are better lubricants than straight diesel

Is chip fat diesel making a comeback? - RT

The above posts don't make a clear distinction between biodiesel made from bio-sourced fats/oils, which is chemically modified, and SVO (straight vegetable oil) and WVO (waste vegetable oil), though the latter is probably intended.

I understand the former is mixed with pump diesel at 5-10% in the UK and here in Taiwan, so should not cause problems.

The main issue with the latter (assuming the solid contaminants are adequately filtered out) is its oxidative instability, causing coking, ring sticking, and in extreme cases, lubrication oil gelling and engine runaway. Chunks of detached carbon can also destroy turbo impeller blades.

Lubricity should not be an issue since both biodiesel and SVO are better lubricants than straight diesel

Bio-diesel is limited to 7% in UK pump diesel, from the B7 definition on the pumps.

Is chip fat diesel making a comeback? - focussed

The owner's club for the L200 has a few members who were running their trucks on straight veggie oil from Tesco/Bookers when it was cheap. OK in summer but gets to be a problem starting in cold weather. Some went to a twin tank system with straight diesel for starting and warm up. This was for the older L200 classic like mine, not the modern common rail engine.

Is chip fat diesel making a comeback? - daveyK_UK
I know someone who tried it in a 15 plate fiesta van and soon regretted the decision.

3 tanks of supreme diesel cleared the hesitation issue but it could of quite easily been a lot more expensive than having to buy premium fuel.
Is chip fat diesel making a comeback? - straggler100

I have a 1996 Peugeot 406 with the 1.9XUDT engine and Bosch fuel system. In the past I've used anything up to approx 80% veg oil. In the winter I cut this down to about 30%. There would be a little coughing and spluttering on cold starts but this would soon clear. The car would then run as normal.

Had no qualms shoving veg oil into a ropey old Peugeot but would not do it with anything much newer.

Edited by straggler100 on 11/11/2021 at 14:58