WVO=Waste Vegetable Oil, typically gotten from restaurants for free. It is not a fuel, it is cooking oil. It does not look like fuel, does not smell like fuel, and the name does not lend one to think that it is fuel. So say it, cooking oil, nope doesn't sound like fuel. Yet it will work but you have to modify the diesel to run on it, why do you have to modify the car, well it isn't fuel. Some wvo will not melt until 130*f or hotter. So imagine trying to run something like butter though your fuel lines.

Now some wvo is liquid to about 22*f but it is still thick stuff.
Biodiesel=wvo that has been through a chemical process called transesterification. The glycerin has been striped out and falls down to the bottom and what is left on top is called biodiesel. That biodiesel is taken off and filtered and sometimes even sold to the public at gas stations. Now biodiesel is fuel, it is recognized as fuel, and the name even sounds like fuel. As a fuel you do not need to modify
modern diesels to run on it. You can just poor it in the tank of any diesel car truck suv dozer loader generator and just drive off. You can mix it in any amount with regular diesel. At the gas pump you will find B5 up to B20. B5 is 5% biodiesel and 95% diesel. B10 is 10% biodiesel and 90% diesel. They don't sell b100 commercially yet, however you can make some yourself like I do. You don't need to know chemistry, or even how to work on cars to make biodiesel. Biodiesel is less toxic than table salt and biodegrades faster than sugar. It is a renewable fuel that can be homegrown to support our farmers, not terrorists.
RUNNING ON BIODIESEL
Remember when I said earlier that any
modern diesel will run on biodiesel? Well, so will the old ones, but biodiesel eats the rubber in the pump and the rubber fuel lines. Diesels made after about 94 have viton rubber in their injection pumps and and fuel lines. So what is one to do. Well, you can replace the rubber seals in your IP with viton ones for a few $. Or pay a diesel injection shop to do it. You can also replace the rubber fuel lines with viton as well. Then drive happy.
BIODIESEL AVAILABILITY
You can search the internet and find sites that will show you various gas stations that sell biodiesel in your area. Or you can make your own. It is not hard and is actually fun. If you want to know more email me and I will hook you up with lots of links and info that I have compiled.
RUNNING ON STRAIT WVO
Now, in order to run a diesel on strait wvo you need two fuel systems. One of which is heated. The normal system is for diesel. You need diesel to startup the engine on and warm it up to operating temp. When the engine is warm and the other fuel system is also up to temp then you can switch over. When you want to shut down you must switch back over to diesel to purge the fuel lines of wvo before you shut it off. You want to heat the wvo because the hotter it gets the thinner in viscosity it gets and the easier it moves through the fuel lines and injection pump. Also it has been proven that cold wvo in a cold engine will lead to coking of the injectors and piston rings, leading to ring seizer. None of that is good. I can back this up with paper work from studies. Ask me and I will email them to you. When the oil is at about 160*F it will work wonderfully. The smartest way to get the oil there is to use wasted engine heat from the coolant. The coolant has a thermostat that is usually controlled at 190*F That is perfect. You cannot over heat the oil at these temps, it is usually cooked in fryers at 400*F. Now some people get the bright idea that they can use the exhaust heat. Well, don't. It won't work. On a cold day I can grab the exhaust pipe on my running diesel with my bare hand. A diesel does not throttle by air, only by fuel, so at idle it is ingesting a lot of air, air that cools down the exhaust. A diesel only puts out heat from its exhaust when under full throttle, and then temps can soar higher than 1300*F. The temp difference from the exhaust manifold to the end of the tail pipe is too large of a difference. Also it is not thermostatically controlled. So why don't you just use the thermostatically controlled heat from the engine coolant, it is already at the ideal temp, KISS, keep it simple stupid. I have never seen or talked to anybody that has gotten a exhaust heated system to work. Just use the coolant. It is proven and will make your life easier.
SO WHICH WAY SHOULD YOU GO?
Honstly it really depends on you and what your needs will be as to which way you will go.
WVO=If you drive long distance regulary (20min or more so the fuel can get up to temp) and you are the only one who operates your diesel and you have space for a seperate fuel system, and you like tinkering with your car, and you like switch between two fuels every time you drive it then by all means go with wvo.
BIODIESEL=If however you don't have space for a seperate fuel system, or loan out your diesel to friends and family, or just take short trips arround town, or just want to beable to take it in to the mechcanic without him having a heart attact from looking at your fuel system, then you should go with Biodiesel. Running biodiesel you do not need to instruct anyone on how to operate the car. You can loan it out without worrie. You can run it on regular diesel in a pinch if need be without modification. And you mechanic need not know.
If you have any questions by all mean email me.
Matthew