New member, my question

[dodger098]

My .02 if price is no issue would be to go out and get a 6.7L ctd.  Then go out to different restaurants in the area and buy their used vegetable oil and convert that to biodiesel.  The whole set up would cost 5-10k to get that done, but then your emissions would be squeaky clean.  Just because it says hybrid on it doesn't make it more environmentally friendly.  I've read that it costs more to the environment to drive a prius than a hummer because of the batteries involved.

[MegaTruck]

If you do get a CTD get the lowest gears you can.  They have enough torque to make great mpg at low rpms.

[no spoiler]

If you do get a CTD get the lowest gears you can.  They have enough torque to make great mpg at low rpms.

I thought most people got better MPGs by going to higher gears.  100% of the people on other forums that have gone to 4.56 gears report better mpgs anyways.

[george]

My .02 if price is no issue would be to go out and get a 6.7L ctd.  Then go out to different restaurants in the area and buy their used vegetable oil and convert that to biodiesel.  The whole set up would cost 5-10k to get that done, but then your emissions would be squeaky clean.  Just because it says hybrid on it doesn't make it more environmentally friendly.  I've read that it costs more to the environment to drive a prius than a hummer because of the batteries involved.

That is an interesting idea.  Do you know where I could go about finding literature on this? 

[MegaTruck]

My .02 if price is no issue would be to go out and get a 6.7L ctd.  Then go out to different restaurants in the area and buy their used vegetable oil and convert that to biodiesel.  The whole set up would cost 5-10k to get that done, but then your emissions would be squeaky clean.  Just because it says hybrid on it doesn't make it more environmentally friendly.  I've read that it costs more to the environment to drive a prius than a hummer because of the batteries involved.

That is an interesting idea.  Do you know where I could go about finding literature on this? 

DG posted this in the ethanol at home thread: http://www.homebiodieselkits.com/

It costs a lot up front but it looks like you'd be able to make 100% biodiesel and not have to pay up to the oil companies.

[NitroNanny]

Be careful with those though.  If you get caught using biodiesel in your vehicle you can be fined huge.  Before doing that you should look up your state laws and see if there's a way to pay taxes on the bio that you make.

[dodgerider]

Be careful with those though.  If you get caught using biodiesel in your vehicle you can be fined huge.  Before doing that you should look up your state laws and see if there's a way to pay taxes on the bio that you make.

I've never heard of that.  I think the gov would be hard pressed to charge you with anything if you're able to figure out how to make your car run on anything other than gas from the station.

[raman noodles]

Be careful with those though.  If you get caught using biodiesel in your vehicle you can be fined huge.  Before doing that you should look up your state laws and see if there's a way to pay taxes on the bio that you make.

I've never heard of that.  I think the gov would be hard pressed to charge you with anything if you're able to figure out how to make your car run on anything other than gas from the station.

The biodiesel pump is cheaper here at the station but that's because the fuel is cheaper.  We still pay the same amount in taxes.  They use those taxes (or are supposed to) for road construction and repair.  You can't just use the road and not help to pay to keep it maintained.

[george]

Be careful with those though.  If you get caught using biodiesel in your vehicle you can be fined huge.  Before doing that you should look up your state laws and see if there's a way to pay taxes on the bio that you make.

I've actually heard of this.  A couple in illinois were fined and prosecuted but that received so much press that the illinois congress shut that down.

My .02 if price is no issue would be to go out and get a 6.7L ctd.  Then go out to different restaurants in the area and buy their used vegetable oil and convert that to biodiesel.  The whole set up would cost 5-10k to get that done, but then your emissions would be squeaky clean.  Just because it says hybrid on it doesn't make it more environmentally friendly.  I've read that it costs more to the environment to drive a prius than a hummer because of the batteries involved.

That is an interesting idea.  Do you know where I could go about finding literature on this? 

DG posted this in the ethanol at home thread: http://www.homebiodieselkits.com/

It costs a lot up front but it looks like you'd be able to make 100% biodiesel and not have to pay up to the oil companies.

Thanks for the info.  That looks promising but quite spendy.  I don't know if I could secure a steady source of vegetable oil without buying it though.  I'll have to look into that.

[MegaTruck]

Many restaurants pay to have their waste oil taken away, you could probably get it for free if you just offered to take it away from them.  That's how a lot of the guys out there are doing it these days.

[dodger098]

Many restaurants pay to have their waste oil taken away, you could probably get it for free if you just offered to take it away from them.  That's how a lot of the guys out there are doing it these days.

That's what a lot of people are doing these days.  If you live in a rural area I would see if a local place is paying to have theirs picked up but they might already be taken.

[raman noodles]

Many restaurants pay to have their waste oil taken away, you could probably get it for free if you just offered to take it away from them.  That's how a lot of the guys out there are doing it these days.

That's what a lot of people are doing these days.  If you live in a rural area I would see if a local place is paying to have theirs picked up but they might already be taken.

That's how the station by my house is doing it.  They get a couple of restaruants to give them used vegetable oil and make the rest from some farmers growing flax.  The start up costs were pretty big but they get more business than any other diesel station around here because of the bio so I'd say it worked out.

[george]

I have a lot to think about here.  I don't need that big a camper so a diesel would be overkill, I can't imagine all the effects on the environment manufacturing all that extra vehicle that I don't need.  However, if I can get much better mpg it might be worth it.  I don't know how often we'd go camping so I think I'll have to figure that out first.