7. Keep lots of cardboard around. Even the most careful person is bound to spill some oil…lots of it. If you pick up your oil in bulk from a restaurant rather than in the 5 gallon cubes it originally came in (as pictured here), lay down plenty of cardboard so you don’t spill grease all over the restaurant’s parking lot. This is a sure way to tick off your supplier and put an end to your free fuel.
8. Time vs Money. Decide what your time is worth to you. We all have our time/value equation. Whether you’re a plumber, doctor, cashier, or whatever, there is usually a fixed value to your time. With a grease car, you will no longer pay for fuel at the pump like you did before. However, you will probably spend a few hours a week gathering, filtering, and pumping your grease. Do the math. Figure out if this is worth your time. For some of us, there is more to it than the cash we save at the pump. Although that’s pretty good too.
9. You will meet and interact with some strange and wonderful people. Everyone will want to know how the hell a car can run on vegetable oil. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, will be to stand there in the parking lot, smile politely, and explain to complete strangers why you’ve chosen this unusual path.
10. Ask for help. There are dozens of great resources (here for instance) to gather all the information, and then some, that you’ll ever need to make the WVO leap. You’ll find that most greasers are very willing to help point you in the right direction.
Now go for it.
Image Credit: Robin Rarrick
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You are committed. I’ll give you that.
You are committed. I’ll give you that.
You are committed. I’ll give you that.
Thanks, this was very informative. Did you buy that tank you store your grease in, and if so, from where?
Thanks, this was very informative. Did you buy that tank you store your grease in, and if so, from where?
Thanks, this was very informative. Did you buy that tank you store your grease in, and if so, from where?
Thanks Reba. That’s just your basic plastic 55 gallon drum from U-Line.
Thanks Reba. That’s just your basic plastic 55 gallon drum from U-Line.
Thanks Reba. That’s just your basic plastic 55 gallon drum from U-Line.
Bravo! I put 20K miles on a WVO powered 91 Mercedes 300D before engine finally gave up in Dec 08. I got out of WVO game completely and find it easier (LOTS easier) to carpool to work instead of messing around with alt fuels.
Bravo! I put 20K miles on a WVO powered 91 Mercedes 300D before engine finally gave up in Dec 08. I got out of WVO game completely and find it easier (LOTS easier) to carpool to work instead of messing around with alt fuels.
Bravo! I put 20K miles on a WVO powered 91 Mercedes 300D before engine finally gave up in Dec 08. I got out of WVO game completely and find it easier (LOTS easier) to carpool to work instead of messing around with alt fuels.
Sounds like way more work, mess and storage space than I’d ever want to pursue..
Sounds like way more work, mess and storage space than I’d ever want to pursue..
Not really too much time or work at all, Phil. Probably about an hour a week. And now I make my son filter my grease as part of his weekly allowance chores (not his favorite job). As for storage–you saw that photo. Just a little corner space in my garage. However…yes, not for everyone.
Greaseman–regarding your comments on single tank systems…what is that based on? I’m not questioning your knowledge of POLYMERIZATION. Do you know greasers that have had failures with this system? I don’t. I’m in regular contact with about two dozen single-tankers, many who have put in 50K miles +, without failure. Bear in mind, most people don’t event convert these vehicles to grease until there are 150,000 + miles on them. Every vehicle has life span.
Not really too much time or work at all, Phil. Probably about an hour a week. And now I make my son filter my grease as part of his weekly allowance chores (not his favorite job). As for storage–you saw that photo. Just a little corner space in my garage. However…yes, not for everyone.
Greaseman–regarding your comments on single tank systems…what is that based on? I’m not questioning your knowledge of POLYMERIZATION. Do you know greasers that have had failures with this system? I don’t. I’m in regular contact with about two dozen single-tankers, many who have put in 50K miles +, without failure. Bear in mind, most people don’t event convert these vehicles to grease until there are 150,000 + miles on them. Every vehicle has life span.
Not really too much time or work at all, Phil. Probably about an hour a week. And now I make my son filter my grease as part of his weekly allowance chores (not his favorite job). As for storage–you saw that photo. Just a little corner space in my garage. However…yes, not for everyone.
Greaseman–regarding your comments on single tank systems…what is that based on? I’m not questioning your knowledge of POLYMERIZATION. Do you know greasers that have had failures with this system? I don’t. I’m in regular contact with about two dozen single-tankers, many who have put in 50K miles +, without failure. Bear in mind, most people don’t event convert these vehicles to grease until there are 150,000 + miles on them. Every vehicle has life span.
I encourage hobbyist experimentation, but spreading such poor practices on a website that claims to be “Empowering Sustainable Choices” and “Written by experienced professionals and topic experts” is just irresponsible.
I encourage hobbyist experimentation, but spreading such poor practices on a website that claims to be “Empowering Sustainable Choices” and “Written by experienced professionals and topic experts” is just irresponsible.
I encourage hobbyist experimentation, but spreading such poor practices on a website that claims to be “Empowering Sustainable Choices” and “Written by experienced professionals and topic experts” is just irresponsible.
Colin–how many trouble-free (and just plain “free”) miles do I need to drive on WVO before, in your opinion, I can be deemed a “topic expert”? I like to think I speak for the millions of less technically minded WVO drivers who actually took the plunge, rather than just reading about it in books or talking about it at work. Perhaps what we need is a little more “hobbyist experimentation”.
Colin–how many trouble-free (and just plain “free”) miles do I need to drive on WVO before, in your opinion, I can be deemed a “topic expert”? I like to think I speak for the millions of less technically minded WVO drivers who actually took the plunge, rather than just reading about it in books or talking about it at work. Perhaps what we need is a little more “hobbyist experimentation”.
Colin–how many trouble-free (and just plain “free”) miles do I need to drive on WVO before, in your opinion, I can be deemed a “topic expert”? I like to think I speak for the millions of less technically minded WVO drivers who actually took the plunge, rather than just reading about it in books or talking about it at work. Perhaps what we need is a little more “hobbyist experimentation”.
A non-starting car is hardly ‘trouble-free’, and you’re kidding yourself if you think you’re actually driving for ‘free’. Filters, barrels, and pumps cost money, and as you stated, you have to decide what your time is worth to you.
I’m not just an internet naysayer, I drove a 240d on Vegetable oil 80mi/day for about as many miles on a one and then two tank system in sunny California. It’s doable, it’s fun, it’s rewarding, but it’s not as easy or sustainable as you make it sound.
A non-starting car is hardly ‘trouble-free’, and you’re kidding yourself if you think you’re actually driving for ‘free’. Filters, barrels, and pumps cost money, and as you stated, you have to decide what your time is worth to you.
I’m not just an internet naysayer, I drove a 240d on Vegetable oil 80mi/day for about as many miles on a one and then two tank system in sunny California. It’s doable, it’s fun, it’s rewarding, but it’s not as easy or sustainable as you make it sound.
A non-starting car is hardly ‘trouble-free’, and you’re kidding yourself if you think you’re actually driving for ‘free’. Filters, barrels, and pumps cost money, and as you stated, you have to decide what your time is worth to you.
I’m not just an internet naysayer, I drove a 240d on Vegetable oil 80mi/day for about as many miles on a one and then two tank system in sunny California. It’s doable, it’s fun, it’s rewarding, but it’s not as easy or sustainable as you make it sound.
I really enjoyed reading your post. There were a number of things I had no idea about when it came to the cars that ran on grease. Not sure if it’s for me quite yet but I do get a sense of there being a bit of adventure in doing it.
I really enjoyed reading your post. There were a number of things I had no idea about when it came to the cars that ran on grease. Not sure if it’s for me quite yet but I do get a sense of there being a bit of adventure in doing it.
I really enjoyed reading your post. There were a number of things I had no idea about when it came to the cars that ran on grease. Not sure if it’s for me quite yet but I do get a sense of there being a bit of adventure in doing it.
John, did you convert the 240d to a single tanks wvo system or did you just start putting WVO in your tank?