Are any modifications needed to run Biodiesel in my diesel powered vehicle?
In most cases the answer to that question is no. In some older powered diesel vehicles it may be wise to change out the natural rubber hoses and pump seals used in the fuel delivery system due the fact that the alcohol in the fuel may cause them to deteriorate.

Can I use Biodiesel in a petrol powered vehicle?
Absolutely not! Petrol engines are designed to use spark plugs used to ignite very thin (atomized) fuel at a much lower compression ratios than diesel engines. Diesel engine ignite the fuel-air mixture by compressing the air inside of the cylinder until it heats up enough to cause combustion

What types of oil can be used to make Biodiesel?
Any type of vegetable oil or animal fat can be used to make Biodiesel fuel. The BTU (British Thermal Units) per gallon, or the amount of energy contained in a gallon of Biodiesel fuel is less than that in diesel fuel, but in practice you will not notice much of a difference.

Will using Biodiesel in my vehicle void my warranty?
depends. Most diesel vehicles produced in Europe are still covered under the manufacturers warranty if you use blends of Biodiesel as a fuel. In South Africa you would need to check with the manufacturer of the vehicle to see if their warranty covers the use of Biodiesel fuel. Some vehicle manufacturers will not cover fuel related problems if you are using Biodiesel but still will cover other issues related to non-fuel system problems. The best advice we can offer is to check with your vehicle manufacturer.

Is the power or fuel economy affected by using Biodiesel in my vehicle?
There have numerous tests conducted by universities in Europe and the United States that show that the acceleration, torque and horsepower produced by diesel engines running on Biodiesel are similar than the results with those same engines running on petroleum diesel. Our experience using Biodiesel is that engines tend to be quieter at idle and accelerate more smoothly when using Biodiesel. Biodiesel has roughly eight percent less power then petroleum diesel fuel so you may see a horsepower drop by up to eight percent. With all the added benefits however we believe this to be acceptable.

Are changes in my maintenance schedule needed when running Biodiesel?
Maintenance schedules will remain the same whether you are using petroleum or Biodiesel fuel. Some claim that your engine runs cleaner, which may mean less maintenance, but we have not verified these claims as of yet.

What are the limitations on making or using Biodiesel in cold weather climates?
Biodiesel will gel at a higher temperature than petroleum diesel fuel which may be an issue in colder climates.

Are there any harmful effects on the engine from using Biodiesel?
No. As a matter of fact studies at some leading universities have shown that using Biodiesel prolongs engine life due to the increased lubricity of the Biodiesel fuel. Biodiesel does is a natural solvent and will over time degrade natural rubber hoses in the fuel system. These hose should be replaced with synthetic hoses before switching to Biodiesel. Most new vehicles already come with synthetic rubber hoses so this should not be necessary. Check with your vehicle manufacturer to be sure.

What are the other uses for Biodiesel besides fuel?
Besides being able to use Biodiesel as a replacement for diesel fuel in engines, it has many other potential uses.
Aircraft fuel
Replacement for home heating oil
A lubricity additive for petroleum diesel fuel
Adhesive remover
A mold release agent
An asphalt cleanup agent
An oil spill cleanup agent
Auto wax remover
A corrosion preventer
A parts degreaser and cleaner
Paint and resin cleaner
A hand cleaner
A metal working lubricant
A screen printing ink remover
As you can see there are several other uses for Biodiesel and the list keeps growing. As we find other uses for Biodiesel we will post recipes and instructions for making Biodiesel byproducts.

What is Cetane and what is the purpose of the Cetane Rating for diesel fuel?
Cetane is defined in Merriam-Webster's as "a measure of the ignition value of a diesel fuel that represents the percentage by volume of cetane in a mixture of liquid methylnaphthalene that gives the same ignition lag as the oil being tested.

What is Octane?
Merriam-Webster's defines octane as "a number that is used to measure the antiknock properties of a liquid motor fuel (as petrol) with a higher number indicating a smaller likelihood of knocking -- called also octane rating".

Currently there isn't enough land to produce enough Biodiesel to replace petroleum Diesel fuel. How can this be implemented as a long term solution?
That is correct. Currently there isn't anywhere near enough production to replace our current usage of petroleum diesel fuel. However, many thousands of acres of farm land are left bare each year and farmers are actually paid to not grow or put their crops on the market. If they did, the supply would far outweigh the demand and the prices for these commodities would plummet. If we made use of those crops and farm lands not used we could supplant more petroleum diesel than we currently do. Algae is currently being researched as a crop that could actually produce enough oil to replace all of our countries use of petroleum diesel.

Other fuels (LP, natural gas and alcohol) burn cleaner than Biodiesel so why not use those?
While in some cases these fuels burn cleaner than Biodiesel they are derived from non-renewable resources and do nothing to lessen our dependency on foreign oil resources. Internal combustion engines that run on LP or natural gas also achieve 40 to 60 less fuel mileage than when running on petrol. This compounds the problem further because you need more fuel to go the same distance. However, LP and natural gas are widely used where air quality is the major concern.

What byproducts are produced during the production of Biodiesel and are any special disposal methods necessary?
Normally, the only byproduct you will have after the production of a batch of Biodiesel will be glycerin. This glycerin is biodegradable and can be safely dumped in a landfill or used to make any of about 1,600 other products including soap.

Why can't I just use straight oil in my diesel engine instead of converting it first to Biodiesel?
You can run a diesel engine on straight vegetable oil (SVO) however, you must first heat it up so that it can be injected correctly into the engine by the fuel injectors. This usually requires a complicated fuel delivery system that heats the oil first and someway to switch between petroleum diesel to the SVO when you first start up the vehicle and before you shut it down. If the SVO were allowed to cool it would clog your fuel system and you would not be able to start the vehicle the next time around. There also are durability problems when using SVO.

Why should I be interested in using Biodiesel?
There are many reasons as to why you would want to use Biodiesel. Some of them are listed below:
It is a natural fuel made from renewable sources such as new and used vegetable oils and animal fats.
It is a much cleaner burning fuel when compared to petroleum diesel.
It can be used in all compression-ignition (diesel) engines with no modification necessary.
You can pour it into the fuel tank of any diesel engine.
Fuel consumption, torque, and horsepower are unaffected by switching to Biodiesel.
It is non-toxic, biodegradable, free of sulfur and reduces visible smoke, noxious odors, and tailpipe emissions.
It helps to reduce major gases in the atmosphere that contribute to the greenhouse effect.
It can be made from renewable resources such as soybeans.
It is safer to store since it is non-flammable.
It is much more lubricating than petroleum diesel fuel so it has the potential to increase engine life.