using veg oil in sprinter

[piggybax]

Hi all, I have a sprinter 412 2.9 ambulance on 2000 plate, can I use veg/rapeseed oil in a mix with the diesel?, the tranny people are all doing it.
cheers

 

[240D 3.0VNTi]

Vegetable oil does not work well with direct injection engines. That engine's rotary injection pump is especially sensitive to fuel viscosity and temperature. Just because others are doing it doesn't mean you should too.

 

[nickcc101]

If you get stopped using veg oil you will now get prosecuted by the revenue people for evasion of duty. They are introducing sniffer devices to detect veg oil in your exhaust gasses. You can smell when a vehicle is using used oil as it smells like a chip shop. This advise applies to the UK don't know about the States.

 

[240D 3.0VNTi]

This advise applies to the UK don't know about the States.

It's illegal in the states because vegetable oil is not approved for use as a fuel by the EPA. Unfortunately, it's rarely enforced and there are many companies taking advantage of it to "convert" vehicles.

 

[Schtum]

If you get stopped using veg oil you will now get prosecuted by the revenue people for evasion of duty. They are introducing sniffer devices to detect veg oil in your exhaust gasses. You can smell when a vehicle is using used oil as it smells like a chip shop. This advise applies to the UK don't know about the States.

So very wrong I'm afraid. The Gov has scrapped all duty (was 28.5 per litre) on home produced biofuel as of June of this year. You will now be allowed to produce 2,500 litres = 550 gallons per year for personal use (Not for re-sale obviously) without paying a single penny to the VAT man. So if your motor does 40mpg, then that's 22,000 miles a year. A saving of £712 and some change. This really has been kept very QT by HM REV. I wonder why?

However...

Getting it wrong! Could potentially run to the cost of a replacement engine or big repair (how much!?). Proceed with extreme caution and seek the advice of an expert or 3 before doing anything would be wise (IMHO).

 

[John Kerr]

If you get stopped using veg oil you will now get prosecuted by the revenue people for evasion of duty. They are introducing sniffer devices to detect veg oil in your exhaust gasses. You can smell when a vehicle is using used oil as it smells like a chip shop. This advise applies to the UK don't know about the States.

It is not illegal to use veg oil unless you are using more than 2500 lts per annum,new law came out June this year

 

[JEZ.S320L]

I think I'll stick to BP Ultimate - I don't like the idea of knackering the engine for the sake of saving a few pence..!! :cry:

 

[roadhog]

^^ What they said ^^ (except nickcc101)

You can use Biofuel or convert your vehicle but not run SVO, sorry. CDI engines don't tolerate it, well not for long anyway.
Rotary fuel pumps don't like it up 'em either. Cold veg oil that is
I run SVO in mine but it's an old school IDI diesel with mechanical fuel injection and inline fuel pump.
Apparently you can buy kits to brew your own Bio diesel for approx. £700, depending on your mileage it should pay for itself soon enough.
Hope this helps.

 

[PaulWales]

My old E300 diesel 1994 is fab:mrgreen:, loves straight vegetable oil. No conversion, done thousands of miles. (Newcastle to Sheffield in winter 100%SVO several times) Has a faint whiff of Harry Ramsden's fish bites +chips but hey!. Canola oil is a bit more expensive and it has a pleasant aroma of a good quality mexican restaurant. I am now reluctant to pay £1.11p for diesel. I'm not greedy this is a bit more eco. Long live mercedes diesel! Paul