How To Defeat Big Oil Companies

Run a diesel engine car on plant oil.

This is a 1983 Mercedes-Benz 300SD that I purchased in 1992 for $8000. I drove my newborn daughter home from the hospital in it in 1996. Its odometer broke three years ago at 356,000 miles. It probably has 500,000 miles on it now, and it's still going strong.

Though I demonstrate Canola oil burning in this engine, I mainly use a similar, though non-edible, oil called jatropha that I grow in my back yard, at a cost of about 35 cents per gallon to produce. Canola (rapeseed) oil can be purchased in bulk for about $1.75 per gallon. On either oil, this car gets 40 to 45 miles per gallon versus about 27 miles per gallon on petroleum diesel.

These are the best cars for burning vegetable oil, because their iron blocks are more tolerant of hotter-burning plant oil than more delicate aluminum block engines in newer diesel cars.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• biodiesel
• david
• gair
• plant
• oil

[urbex2007]

Good job it's an old car - it will ruin it completely after a few thousand miles.

Injectors, diesel pumps and other items all suffer, plus it will not start too well in the cold.

[stevepearsonnl]

It has run over 30,000 miles on pure vege-oil with no problems.

[unimogman404]

You would not ruin the engine but in cold weather, it would be impossible to start. ( I live in Canada ! ). If you put new plant oil in it, it would be as and if not more expensive. The only way to save on driving SVO ( Straight Vegetable Oil ) is to filter old cooking oil and to run on two tank system if you live in a cold country like I do. Rudolf Diesel invented this engine to run on vegetable oil ( peanut it was ) and these old engine ( mercedes from the '80's ) wan't be affected.

[nukedude]

Early '80's Diesel Mercedes Benz's work just fine on vegetable oil. You may have to change fuel filters once the crud gets out of the fuel tank though. W123 300D here that has gone a long time one dino diesel and WVO filtered. No ill effects and low maintenance. The seats and interior are now my maintenance items. Not engine components.

[Rome19ification]

LMFAO ARE YOU KIDDING ME. that is ridiclous

[Begbucks]

Did you say 60 miles per gallon?

[pukkel10]

@urbex2007 a diesel engine can drive perfectly on plant oil if some things is adjusted. it just smells lige mac donalds when your engine runs:p

[wiigamer136]

@stevepearsonnl

what year, make, and model is that?

[richoverip]

@urbex2007 Those rumours are what the oil companies want you to believe. Though, I've heard of many real stories first hand whereby people have done this without any problems. 

[moqsta]

so basically your just putting canola oil in there that you buy from the store? i have 1987 mercedes 300sdl, would it work on canola oil without any modifications?

[unimogman404]

Now I don't understand, you are doing nearly 4 times what I can do with my car !

[unimogman404]

I get only 37 mpg with my 1985 300D, that is smaler then your SD. And more, the American gallon is 3.77 liter and the Canadian one ( when there was one ) is 4.55Liter !

[unimogman404]

Ok, if with half a gallon, you do 60 miles, it means that 1 gallon will cover 120 miles ! So, your car does 120 mpg ? Wow !