Due to the war in Ukraine and speculation going on i petrol and diesel fuel prices over 2 euros per liter have shot up, with diesel fuel even exceeding the cost of petrol. Hoping for some government help, at least on the excisemotorists wonder how to save and cope with the expensive fuel and among the owners of diesel cars, especially of older vehicles, there is someone who has tried to put cooking oil in the tank (rapeseed oil) or the one for cheaper heating.
Cooking oil instead of diesel
The engine of Rudolph Diesel it was originally thought in the late 19th century by its inventor to run on vegetable oil. Only later was it replaced bymineral oil, referred to as diesel fuel. It was subsequently shown that rapeseed oil, properly treatedcan be transformed into biodiesel and used as biofuel for diesel engines.
Biodiesel is obtained through a chemical process, which can only be used if the car is prepared by the manufacturer (with small modifications or expedients in the design phase). In the laboratory chemical production of biodiesel, according to the European standard EN14214rapeseed oil is used without glycerine.
During the Second war world was used as fuel for nautical vehiclesdue to the difficulty of finding fuels of mineral origin.
What to put in place of diesel?
With diesel prices soaring many are wondering how to replace the diesel. Many are tempted to use rapeseed oil, just as the Germans did during World War II, also because it is much cheaper than diesel at the pump. Rapeseed oil can be bought in supermarkets at approx 1.50 euros per litre and compared to the current price of diesel it means saving from 10 to 25%.
However, neither vegetable oil nor heating oil, which is also noticeably cheaperare suitable as an alternative for the vehicle tank.
In fact, with the advent of technology common rail and ad systems direct injection more and more sophisticated things have changed and these gimmicks in diesel engines are just harmful.
Oil instead of diesel, what happens to the engine?
To dissuade motorists from using rapeseed oil in diesel engines they have taken to the field the experts ofGerman Automobile Club (ADAC)who have listed a number of reasons explaining because frying oil cannot be used directly as an alternative fuel.
The biggest problem is the net viscosity difference compared to conventional diesel. Vegetable oils lead to starting difficulties and have a negative effect on engine performance and service life.
Also, the injection pump and the injection nozzles of modern diesel vehicles are not designed for the more viscous vegetable oil, this means that combustion is not optimal. Not only is a reduction in engine performance to be expected, but in the medium term the engine and fuel system will damaged.
Also, they can form deposits and blockages in the filters fuel and in the fuel lines. Unburned vegetable oil can also enter themotor oilwhich in turn can cause damage to the power unit. Also, the acidic components of vegetable oils can attack seals and destroy them permanently.
Older diesel engines work with much lower injection pressures. Also, often they have no sensors sensitive that immediately recognize differences in driving behavior with the wrong fuel. This is why older diesel engines with distributor injection pumps they work with vegetable oils, at least sometimes. However, even here the service life of these thrusters is limited in the long term.
In order for viscous vegetable oil to be usable as fuel, it should be rendered more fluid and flammable. Or the engine must be converted for the special fuel. However, the costs for this are high and, depending on the scope, are included between 1,500 and 5,000 euros (including installation).
Can heating oil be used in diesel engines?
Like rapeseed oil, also the one normally used for heating cannot be used in diesel engines. In addition to being prohibited by law due to the different taxation from a technical point of view it is not advisable to fill up with heating oil, even if both fuels are related in their chemical composition.
The following risks arise when driving with heating oil:
- Number of lowest cetane (flammability of diesel fuel): combustion may be incomplete due to excessive ignition delay. The effects are loud, ‘thumping’ of the engine, with reduced performance, higher pollutant emissions due to more soot in the exhaust gases and contamination of the engine by heavier deposits.
- Insufficient lubrication: Lubrication is characterized, among other things, by viscosity. Heating oil causes insufficient lubrication of the injection pump and nozzles (too thin) or insufficient atomization (too thick). Here too, the effects are reduced performance and higher pollutant emissions as well as increased wear on the fuel supply and injection pumps.
Seed oil in the tank, is it legal?
In addition to being technically harmful, using rapeseed oil in diesel engines is illegal. In fact, according to the Italian law on fuels, very precise taxes are imposed which, if they were evaded, would be committed crime of fraud to the detriment of the state. And precisely because of a different taxation also the agricultural diesel it is prohibited in car engines.
based onarticle 21 of Legislative Decree n. 504 of 10/26/1995any other product intended to be used, offered for sale or used as fuel or as an additive to increase the final volume of fuel is taxed as fuel.
According to article 40 of the Decree, it is punished with the six months’ imprisonment to three years and with a fine ranging from double to ten times the tax evaded, in any case not less than 7,500 euros, whoever uses exempt or subsidized products for uses subject to tax.
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The article Cooking oil instead of diesel, can it be used on a diesel engine? comes from newsauto.it.
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