Preparing Vegetable Oil for Your Engine

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  Have a safety plan and safety equipment to protect yourself and the environment.safety lable image by Greg Pickens from Fotolia.com
  
  Draw up a basic safety plan. Consult local fire and safety officials and research local and state regulations for biodiesel production, especially with regard to fire safety and disposal of glycerin. Prepare an emergency plan, including Material Safety Data Sheets and emergency phone numbers for fuel and chemical spills.
  
  
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  Have fire extinguishers handy in case of a chemical spill or fire.fire extinguisher image by Mat Hayward from Fotolia.com
  
  Gather your personal safety equipment such as chemical-resistant gloves, a respirator mask and eyewash station, or purchase these items if you don't already have them. Also obtain lye neutralizer, running water, fire extinguishers and spill containment supplies.
  
  
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  Prepare your storage and production area.diesel storage tank image by Jim Parkin from Fotolia.com
  
  Put in place your biodiesel processor, as well as storage for feedstock, finished biodiesel and byproducts. Biodiesel is produced by combining an oil, such as canola, and methanol with a catalyst, such as sodium hydroxide. Biodiesel is also known as methyl ester, and the process is called "transesterification." Byproducts like glycerin and unreacted oil and methanol must be stored and disposed of very carefully.
  
  
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  Canola oil is a common source of vegetable oil for biodieel production.Canola Field with tree image by FrankU from Fotolia.com
  
  Purchase bulk vegetable oil. Canola performs better at temperatures below freezing and is readily available. Bulk Waste Vegetable Oil (BWVO) may be available in your area, but this oil is dirtier than fresh vegetable oils, will require more processing time and tends to have more solvent characteristics, making it harder on the engine's seals and hoses.
  
  
• 5). Combine your oil and methanol with a catalyst, such as sodium hydroxide, to produce your biodiesel. Store the biodiesel and prepare to test it on your engine. You will likely void any warranties that exist on your engine and fuel system when you switch to biodiesel, including most after-market fuel system components.
  
  
• 6). Freeze a sample of your biodiesel to test for cloudiness and formation of crystals. Compare fuels made from different feedstock.
  
  

Prepare your Engine for Biodiesel

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  Be prepared to replace all the seals and hoses in your fuel system.fuel valve image by Luis Bras from Fotolia.com
  
  Replace seals and hoses in your diesel engine. The rubber blends used to manufacture them will generally not stand up to biodiesel's solvent characteristics. This is especially true of original fuel seals and hoses on the 6.2 L diesel.
  
  
• 2). Blend biodiesel 50-50 with regular diesel and run it for a few days in city and highway conditions. Check all your seals and hoses regularly for leaks or other wear. If the 50 percent blend is working well, then go to a 75 percent or 100 percent biodiesel blend.
  
  
• 3). Monitor your fuel system carefully in winter. Cold weather can cause crystals to form in the fuel, and these crystals will build up in your fuel filters and eventually clog them. Your diesel engine will not perform well if fuel cannot travel freely from fuel tank to the injectors.