Biodiesel

John Hamilton is a film executive who makes biodiesel in his parents' garage. He runs his Volkswagen GTI on it and wonders why the biodiesel trend has yet to hit Quebec. Follow him to his parents' house to see how he makes it and then take a spin in his biodiesel-fuelled car through town.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• biodiesel
• shadow
• reports
• john
• hamilton

[michaeldespain]

you will ruin you engine if you don't wash the diesel

[Intersonus903]

1. Of course you have to run it on biodiesel to get its benefits! It's not like the fuel works just sitting in a can doing nothing. What, pray tell, was your point in bringing up the obvious?

2. For its size, a diesel model gets decent MPG: 18 avg. Note that I say "for its size" and I agree that trucks like this are appropriate if you need them. Otherwise, reap the benefits of diesel with a Volkswagen Golf TDI over gas hybrids.

[pastorserrano]

one of the fews cars made whith diesel engine ? thats a european car and here in europe we use 50% of the cars runing on diesel

[gmcjetpilot]

love how he had to prove something that's a 100 yrs old. 60% to 70% better milage is an exaggeration. 25% realistically, but you can twist the numbers and come up with 50%, but that is not really apples and apples. With that said I am a fan of Diesel and even making bio-diesel but there are potential problems with COKING in injectors. VW TDI only approves of 5% Bio-diesel to 95% petrol diesel or the warranty is void. Just be aware and don't swallow the disciples hype hook & line. There are cons.

[lesodgers]

I agree!

[Intersonus903]

That's because there aren't many places that offer them due to lack of infrastructure. At least you can make your own biodiesel, but that requires effort that some may not be willing to put forth as well as space for equipment that some may not have.

And, it seems, the best way to deal with the fuel problem is to find more oil from untapped sites to stabilize the market while engaging in strong initiatives to begin a gradual changeover to carbon neutral fuels.

[lesodgers]

BTW the GM versions of all the light truck gas and diesel trucks/vans get better mileage than their counterparts including the japenese. The Isuzu diesel and Vortec V-8 motors are the best in the business for their SFC.

[lesodgers]

Many who get alt fuel vehicles actually rarely run them on the alt fuel. Like E85. I agree on the TDI, I'm waiting for the Diesel Honda Minivan in '09. There's a BMW in the EU that might be brought into the USA, but all these vehicles have all sorts of junk on them to clean the exhaust that Biodiesel only cars don't need .

[lesodgers]

Yeah, but you actually need to run it on BioDiesel and it still guzzels too much for an ego purchase!

[aaqelah]

This is cool to have for the future or even better right now one day. I would like to buy a used car that can use biodiesel. How would I find out about what used cars can use biodiesel? Or is Biodiesel only for newer cars and where could I find out more info in different states?