Top Gear cooking oil for 29p a gallon

[kghowe]

I know this popped up last week. But did anyone catch Top Gear tonight? Clarkson's back in the driving seat. Cooking oil for far less than was discussed in the forum previously. Did I hear right, 3p a gallon!! plus the duty of course at 26p. That puts all of the fuel barges prices out of court. If only it was known to be reliable.

 

[byron]

I saw it too but as I was on my PC didn't quite catch the price.
I watched him run the Volvo on the stuff and thought hmmmm... I will take 300 gallons please, do you have to empty your tanks of the red stuff first or can you mix and match?

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[DavidJ]

A teaspoon full of 'something' was added to the oil. What was it??
David

 

[chippie]

Probably Soltron;-]

 

[Dave_Snelson]

They make it in my home town, Chester. Its called Bio Diesel. The costs is 3p per litre and you need only add the 26p duty if you intend to use the fuel on the road. If you don't then its 3p per litre plus whatever the profit for the manufacturer is.

The additive is a non-petroleum base white spirit - so I guess wood alcohol or turps substitute would suffice. Of course you have to filter it first!

Used cooking oil is better than the new stuff because it has gone through a heating process but rapeseed oil is quite acceptable, and when you think of the green implications of disposing of cooking oil from all the "fast-food" joints in the UK it makes enormous sense.

I would seriously consider being a distributor of such product providing I can satisfy 3 points.

1) The major engine manufacturers ratify its use.

2) The duty implications can be satisfied, ie can the stuff be sold for marine aplications with a dye in it for identification.

3) I have a market for the product (which I believe I have)

Thoughts from the learned panel please....

Madoc Yacht Club
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.madocyachtclub.co.uk>http://www.madocyachtclub.co.uk</A>

 

[Dave_Snelson]

Could MBM Club help here?

Further to my post.

In order to get ratification here, could MBM lobby the engine manufacturers to test this fuel and accept or deny its usage. 2007 will see a review of the red diesel situation and it may not be in our favour.

Kim, any thoughts here please??

Madoc Yacht Club
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[Dave_Snelson]

No you don't, it mixes perfectly well with any proportion of ordinary diesel

Madoc Yacht Club
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.madocyachtclub.co.uk>http://www.madocyachtclub.co.uk</A>

 

[andrewa]

I saw this but did you notice that they put it into a crappy old Volvo, would you honestly want to put this stuff into a modern supercharged turbo diesel, also I would have thought any warranty would be invalidated straight away Volvo now is only one year how much is a rebuild????

 

[longjohnsilver]

29p per litre

I'm sure it was 29p a litre not per gallon, still a bargain for road vehicles if it's all ok.

 

[aztec]

simple.. don't buy a v*lv*.

mind you i can say that, mine when they're done would run on paint!

 

[rmashton]

It's only 23p a litre for 'proper' red diesel from that place just up from Laleham on the Thames.
MInd you - our marina charges 40p a litre for 'city diesel'. Hmm.

I'd stick with the proper stuff until you find out whether that Volvo's engine blows up!!!

 

[rmashton]

It's only 23p a litre for 'proper' red diesel from that place just up from Laleham on the Thames.
MInd you - our marina charges 40p a litre for 'city diesel'. Hmm.

I'd stick with the proper stuff until you find out whether that Volvo's engine blows up!!!

 

[coliholic]

So time to rename the boat.

How about "Cooking Fat"

 

[BarryH]

So haydns will be Big Mc Farter!!!/forums/images/icons/smile.gif

Yeah! I know its running rough, but your lucky its running at all!!

 

[byron]

or...... Fooking Cat or are Spoonerisms not allowed?

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[jacksong]

The stuff they had on top gear wasn't really true biodiesel as they were just adding a thinner, probably to stop the oil clogging the injectors [which people normally preheat the oil with exhaust heat to prevent.] Real biodiesel is a direct replacement for diesel and can be happily mixed in the same tank [and is sold in this blended form in the US and also in some countries in europe]. It is produced by treating used or fresh vegetable oil with sodium hydroxide and methanol to produce a glycerine soap and biodiesel.

Many european car engine manufacturers warrant their engines for biodiesel use so I can't see why the marine manufacturers would be any different. The main problem with it's use, primarily in the US, is that it will tend to rot rubber hoses and so synthetic hoses need to be fitted but these are common on most european engines.

The duty implications would probably be the only stumbling block as I can't see C&E or the government letting go of any duty willingly although playing on the exemption for diesel would be the obvious place to start. However, as it's a highly environmentally fuel there is the 20p reduction in duty on it so should the diesel exemption not survive then it will become a lot cheaper than regular fuel. In fact in a lot of european countries, notably Germany, the use of biodiesel attracts no duty at all so in theory there should be strong european support for this to be harmonised!

see http://www.biodiesel.org/ or read Joshua Tickells book "From the fryer to the fuel tank" for more info.

J

--
I am not a Frog, I am a free Womble

 

[byron]

I wonder... Cooking oil tends to go cloudy and slightly solidify at lower tempretures, would this be a problem.

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[davel]

You're thinking of chip fat ! /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

Dave L.

 

[Col]

That sounds like Lard!!! /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

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