Anyone Converted A D5 To Run On Veg Oil?

[RoyMacDonald]

Anyone with any experience of running a D5 on straight veg oil?

I'm interest hearing how practial and reliable it is to live with.

Roy

[STE-MAL]

I wouldn't!!!!!

My experience with pants diesel, aka, bio diesel. More breakdowns, more work for me.

I'm sure someone will tell me I don't know my own job, but if you run a vehicle tuned or designed to run on 98RON + petrol, you wouldn't put anything less in it.

Just my opinion. But anything less than real diesel is S$1T!!

Try it with a company car if you like, but I sure wouldn't put any in my own D5!!!!!

Just my opinion of course. But I, and many friends of mine, have spent rather a lot of time at the side of the road because of tight wad owners trying to save money by using crap fuel.

[Viper_7]

Older Diesels yes - but not with most modern Common Rail Diesel engines.

The injectors and everything else runs to very high tolerances.


You'd kill it using vegetable oil/chip fat etc

[tfb]

Elsbett do list a twin tank kit for D5 engined cars. However, unless you can afford to replace your car (about £4,000 minimum for a D5???) then I wouldn't risk it.
I can't emphasize enough, only tinker around with things you can afford to break!

Regards
TFB

[D5driver]

The D5 will not run on chip fat but will run perfect on biodiesel. :)

[RoyMacDonald]

Elsbett do list a twin tank kit for D5 engined cars. However, unless you can afford to replace your car (about £4,000 minimum for a D5???) then I wouldn't risk it.
I can't emphasize enough, only tinker around with things you can afford to break!

Regards
TFB

Why do you think I'm asking for actual experience? The stakes are a lot higher now the Government has remove fuel duty on veg oil used for fuel. Several grand a year.

And it's Straight Vegetable Oil fresh from the supermarket I'm interested in. Not used chip fat or biodiesel.

Roy

[tfb]

If you want to stay within the HMRC rules, then the most you can save is circa £1250 a year without registering as a "producer" (I think that is their term). Still, above 2500L usage you can still save about 30p a litre, which is nothing to be sniffed at.

Try posting a question at http://www.vegetableoildiesel.co.uk/forum/index.php if you are asking about specific experience and dont fancy being a guinea pig yourself. I don't think I've heard of anyone on there running a D5, but it's worth asking

Regards
TFB

[D5driver]

And it's Straight Vegetable Oil fresh from the supermarket I'm interested in. Not used chip fat or biodiesel.

Roy[/QUOTE]

The D5 will not run on SVO, But it will run on biodiesel.

[S60-MBS]

I think S60Ben has a document direct from Volvo regarding this issue ..i think he will post as soon as he sees this thread...i wouldnt risk my engine.

[RoyMacDonald]

And it's Straight Vegetable Oil fresh from the supermarket I'm interested in. Not used chip fat or biodiesel.

Roy

The D5 will not run on SVO, But it will run on biodiesel.[/QUOTE]

Elsbett sell a 2 tank SOV conversion kit for the D5, so it will run on the stuff. I would like to hear if anyone has pratical experience though.

Roy

[DLM48]

]

Elsbett sell a 2 tank SOV conversion kit for the D5, so it will run on the stuff. I would like to hear if anyone has pratical experience though.

Roy

may not be wonderfully helpful but why not ask Elsbett for contact details of people running the Volvo D5 with their kit?

[s60ben]

Diesel fuel requirements for S60/V70/XC70 with D5 engines

Today's Diesel engines are very sensitive to fuel quality and contaminations.
Use only Diesel fuel from well known oil companies fulfilling EN 590, JIS K2204 or similar.

The following fuel DOES NOT fulfill the demands according to Volvo's recommendation and it will cause increased engine wear and engine damage, which will NOT be covered under Volvo warranty:

-Heating oil (e.g. BS 2869)
-Marine Diesel fuel (e.g. ISO 8217)
-Rapeseed Methyl Ester (RME) maximum. 5%
Note:- A maximum of 5% RME is permitted however more than 5% is not and the above statement relating to engine wear/warranty cover applies.
-Special additives (e.g. lubricity, flow, cetan-improvers, etc)
-Alcohols
-Petrol
-Diesel fuel with water (free water) or emulsions of Diesel fuel and water (Aquazole)

Damage on engine or engine components caused by use of non recommended fuels or fuel additives are NOT covered under Volvo warranty.

[RoyMacDonald]

Diesel fuel requirements for S60/V70/XC70 with D5 engines

Today's Diesel engines are very sensitive to fuel quality and contaminations.
Use only Diesel fuel from well known oil companies fulfilling EN 590, JIS K2204 or similar.

The following fuel DOES NOT fulfill the demands according to Volvo's recommendation and it will cause increased engine wear and engine damage, which will NOT be covered under Volvo warranty:

-Heating oil (e.g. BS 2869)
-Marine Diesel fuel (e.g. ISO 8217)
-Rapeseed Methyl Ester (RME) maximum. 5%
Note:- A maximum of 5% RME is permitted however more than 5% is not and the above statement relating to engine wear/warranty cover applies.
-Special additives (e.g. lubricity, flow, cetan-improvers, etc)
-Alcohols
-Petrol
-Diesel fuel with water (free water) or emulsions of Diesel fuel and water (Aquazole)

Damage on engine or engine components caused by use of non recommended fuels or fuel additives are NOT covered under Volvo warranty.

Thanks s60ben. This would be Volvo's answer for all their engines, and what you would expect given they haven't tested or designed the D5 or D24tic for running on SOV with a conversion. Elsbett say something different and they have. There's plenty of experience running the D24tic but I havn#t seen any on the D5, and that's what I want to hear about.

I use Shell V Power Diesel at £1.14.9 per litre at the moment.

Roy

[MATHIUS]

Anyone with any experience of running a D5 on straight veg oil?

I'm interest hearing how practial and reliable it is to live with.

Roy

Hi Roy,

I know someone who runs there D5 on a 70/30 ratio of Veggie oil and diesel. He said by doing this, the 30% diesel still lubes the pump and keeps everything running as it should.
So far, so good. Emissions were alot lower than a standard D5 on its last MOT!

[RoyMacDonald]

Hi Roy,

I know someone who runs there D5 on a 70/30 ratio of Veggie oil and diesel. He said by doing this, the 30% diesel still lubes the pump and keeps everything running as it should.
So far, so good. Emissions were alot lower than a standard D5 on its last MOT!

Thanks Mathius.....Thats kind of funny because biodiesel is added to ordinary diesel to provide lubricant for the pump, and SOV is renowned for it's lubricating properties when used as a fuel.

Do you know how long he's been running on the mix?

Roy

[MATHIUS]

Hi Roy,

I think he's been running it for about 6 months. I don't see him that often, The next time i see him i'll interigate him!!! lol.

[IC]

Volvo do have guidelines as to what are appropriate fuels for the D5 - there may of course be an issue if Volvo do deem that a fuel that they do consider inappropriate has been used in an engine and there is a problem that requires warranty work. On thinking about the issues of fuels and the D5 - what about the impact on second-hand values on cars that owners have used fuels of a quality that have not been recommended by Volvo?

[STE-MAL]

http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=19332&highlight=Anyone+thinking+of+useing+bio+diesel

Old thread I know, but the owners of the vehicles using the fuel that caused the problems shown in post number one, have stopped using such rubbish fuel. And guess what he has saved more money by not having to pay out on breakdowns and fuel filter replacements than he saved by buying pants fuel.

Is it really worth the risk?

Anyway, I thought the modern Diesel produced 900 B.H.P and still did 600 M.P.G. Or is that just the golf TDGTi 9000:natur008:So therefore you don't need cheaper fuel.

[RoyMacDonald]

http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=19332&highlight=Anyone+thinking+of+useing+bio+diesel

Old thread I know, but the owners of the vehicles using the fuel that caused the problems shown in post number one, have stopped using such rubbish fuel. And guess what he has saved more money by not having to pay out on breakdowns and fuel filter replacements than he saved by buying pants fuel.

Is it really worth the risk?

Anyway, I thought the modern Diesel produced 900 B.H.P and still did 600 M.P.G. Or is that just the golf TDGTi 9000:natur008:So therefore you don't need cheaper fuel.

Thanks for the interest STE-MAL but I'm not interested in biodiesel just Straight Vegetable Oil. I know that plenty of cars can run fine on it without problems but I'm looking for experience of it in the D5.

Roy

[STE-MAL]

No problem Roy.

I just hate the thought of someone with a GREAT car, doing some nasty damage to it for the sake of a few pounds.

I do hope you get the answers you want.

Best of luck matie!!!!!:thumbs_up:

[RoyMacDonald]

No problem Roy.

I just hate the thought of someone with a GREAT car, doing some nasty damage to it for the sake of a few pounds.

I do hope you get the answers you want.

Best of luck matie!!!!!:thumbs_up:

I'm not planning to change fuels (just yet anyway) but it's a subject that comes up quite often, since the Government abandoned the fuel tax on SOV, amongst my friends and I like to make informed comments rather than just say no... bad idea without good reasons.

Roy

PS It's not a few pounds more like £1250 a year.

[GSMGuy]

I too am interested in this- - Surely a mix of SVO and regular diesel???

What concerns me, is that SVO is a LOT thicker than diesel......

Wonder if it's worth making our own Biodiesel.....

Like this guy......


pL-M2IzYGuU



Mike

[GSMGuy]

Hi Roy,

I know someone who runs there D5 on a 70/30 ratio of Veggie oil and diesel. He said by doing this, the 30% diesel still lubes the pump and keeps everything running as it should.
So far, so good. Emissions were alot lower than a standard D5 on its last MOT!


SVO or Straight Veg Oil actually has BETTER lubrication properties than diesel once they are both up to operating temp!

I have been running my van (It's my own as self employed) on SVO for a good few months now, and have covered a couple of thousand miles with no probs @ approx £0.48 per litre... (1999 Citroen Dispatch 1,9TD with the all important BOSCH pump)

Anyway, now that a friend of mine who has a "wacky warehouse" type place a few miles away is now going to be delivering me aprox 80ltrs of WVO (Wast Veg Oil) a week, I am going to build my own filtration plant... Plus I am prob going to go the next step and build a reactor to make proper Biodiesel :)

Will keep you all up to speed as and when it progresses... Here we go on the way to 10p a litre Bio for the D5 and FREE Veg for the van!!!

PS I currently spend approx £400 a month on fuel for the two, so its a BIG saving...

Mike

[GSMGuy]

Ok, as an update... My GL Biodiesel processor has now produced it's 1st batch.....

The XC90 has been purring away on it for the last 2 weeks, during which, as the kids have been off - I have done over 800 miles (meaning replacement of 2 tyres :( )

But seeing as I am using WVO (waste veg oil - ie FREE) the cost, with the Methanol I've not been able to recover has worked out at approx £0.09 per litre :) :D :)

Fuel cost to me for 800 miles @ 27mpg avg, 134.51L (town) = £12.11

Fuel cost at pumps (£109.9 by me) for same miles/mpg, 134.51L = £147.83

Saving? = £135.72 or £1.01 per litre!!!! thats £70.70 on a 70l tank :)

Mike

[jimcolyer]

Well, in my old V70 (2002 model) I drove for over 30000 miles using varying mixes of normal vegetable oil (not BioDiesel).

I bought from Makro at £9.95 for 20 litres, and generally mixed at 50%-70% in the summer, and around 20% in the winter, the remainder I topped up with normal pump diesel.

Sold the car with 90000 miles, and still sweet as a nut.

[jezza5986]

Ok, as an update... My GL Biodiesel processor has now produced it's 1st batch.....

The XC90 has been purring away on it for the last 2 weeks, during which, as the kids have been off - I have done over 800 miles (meaning replacement of 2 tyres :( )

But seeing as I am using WVO (waste veg oil - ie FREE) the cost, with the Methanol I've not been able to recover has worked out at approx £0.09 per litre :) :D :)

Fuel cost to me for 800 miles @ 27mpg avg, 134.51L (town) = £12.11

Fuel cost at pumps (£109.9 by me) for same miles/mpg, 134.51L = £147.83

Saving? = £135.72 or £1.01 per litre!!!! thats £70.70 on a 70l tank :)

Mike

Glad it's working out for you. It's useful to get the info 'straight from the horses mouth' when it comes down to something like this.

Have you noticed any of the problems mentioned by previous posters regarding changing your fuel filter due to the bioderv being more of a solvent that dissolves the gunk out of your fuel system?

This is currently the only thing stopping me from trying it in my D5, so it'd be useful to know :thumbs_up:

Jezza

[DLM48]

Ok, as an update... My GL Biodiesel processor has now produced it's 1st batch.....

The XC90 has been purring away on it for the last 2 weeks, during which, as the kids have been off - I have done over 800 miles (meaning replacement of 2 tyres :( )

But seeing as I am using WVO (waste veg oil - ie FREE) the cost, with the Methanol I've not been able to recover has worked out at approx £0.09 per litre :) :D :)

Fuel cost to me for 800 miles @ 27mpg avg, 134.51L (town) = £12.11

Fuel cost at pumps (£109.9 by me) for same miles/mpg, 134.51L = £147.83

Saving? = £135.72 or £1.01 per litre!!!! thats £70.70 on a 70l tank :)

Mike

Very interesting BUT the set up costs are what?

[GSMGuy]

Set up costs?

Not totalled it all up yet, but between £100 and £150, certainly no more than £200..... Was in profit by 3rd tankful....

On the filters issue, yes I have a spare on hand, but bearing in mind that on the XC90, the majority of the fuel line is "post filter" as the filter is very close to the tank, then it's only any "gunk" in the tank and short line to the filter that will cause any probs, of which I haven't had any yet...

TBH on a fairly modern car like mine, with less than 60k on the clock, I presume the previousl (company) owner had a fuel card and as such used decent quality fuel.. So really can't see there being that much "gunk" in there in the first place....


And with the recent fuel price hikes (ie last couple of weeks) I am now saving approx £79 per 70l tank based on pump price of £113.9 at my local....

Mike

[GSMGuy]

Thought I'd update this after my last post - 10 months ago...

Have now been running both the XC90 and the van on home made bio...

Done approx "a lot" miles in the XC90 and about "the same" in the van..

Problems to report??

None whatsoever.....

Slight drop in MPG on the Volvo, of approx 2mpg.. But at a final finished fuel cost of £0.14 per Litre, I ain't complaining...

Passed its MOT in April with one of the lowest readings the tester had ever seen on a diesel car.....

no probs during cold weather, just add 5% regular diesel to an almost full tank to "winterise" the Bio - additives are available, but as my Bio is giving about 98-99% esters (very high quality - much better than you can actually buy it at) I don't have any waxing at all down to about -2 degrees... Then the 5% diesel will let it go to about -4...


All in all, I've save a good few ££££

I "brew up" about once a month, making about "Cough" Litres per batch, but of course staying within my 2500L annual exemption...