Diesel Bunny: Filling up on Burgers and Fries

Post by **kuklaki** » Mon Oct 21, 2002 4:31 pm

(Note from kuklaki: Sorry, I deleted the old post by mistake)

Are you looking for a fairly unique mod? How about turning your diesel Rabbit into a Greasecar?

That is exactly what Justin Carven and Skip Wrightson did. They started their project on a VW Quantum, and fairly recently took Justin's VW Westfalia converted to run on used cooking oil donated by various fast-food restaurants on a cross-country trip.

Greasecar vegetable Fuel Systems allow any diesel vehicle to run on straight, unprocessed vegetable oil. Vegetable oil as fuel is a cleaner, safer and less expensive alternative to petroleum based fuel.

The folks at Greasecar are currently running several Diesel Rabbits on this conversion, and several customers have reported favorable results.

The conversion kits are for sale. If you want more information, visit
http://www.greasecar.com

Blades · Post by **Blades** » Fri Oct 03, 2003 8:24 pm

Yup yup

Been doing it for a year.

Save lots of money

Post by **kuklaki** » Fri Oct 03, 2003 11:07 pm

Wow! you are the first person I have run across that has actually done the conversion! How well does it work? What is your actual mpg? Do you have any pics? And what is the reaction from people when you ask for their used grease?
This definately has "COOL" factor written all over it, I'd love to hear more!

Blades · Post by **Blades** » Fri Oct 03, 2003 11:34 pm

I'm part of the TDIclub but the Montreal, Quebec area is highly active. We're about 20 dieselist that meet every tuesday at the weekly VW gathering (VR6, G60, etc, all models; around 50 to 100 cars). (Orange Julep on Decarie if anyone here is from Montreal)

Anyway, we're a few running either recycled waste vegtable oil or homemade biodiesel.

In my case, I'm running 50% filtered waste vege oil and 50% diesel directly in the tank and only during summer.

Vegtable oil freezes in winter.

Biodiesel is made of waste vegtable oil mixed with methyl hydrate. Bigger longer process but doesn't freezes in winter. (Directly in the tank too)

As for kits, we make them ourselves. Cheaper and customized exactly for what we want.

Running vege oil or biodiesel reduces smokes and is better for the environment (closed ecological cycle instead of open like fossil fuels; closed = better)

For some of us, biodiesel is a must (we're running non stock TDI, some more customized that thoses on the tdiclub (http://www.tdiclub.com) using specially machined components.)

As for fuel savings. well, in my case, it's 50/50, so I save 50% a year on fuel cost (in my case 200 to 300 dollars now as I only drive my diesel in summer, high-speed train in winter when I go to university) (used to be around 500$/year with my old job, did a lot of car travelling) (Canadian money)

With the AAZ I'm building and modifying (Canadian 1.9L Turbocharged EcoDiesel) I'll need biodiesel and/or veggie oil as it's going to smoke bad at low rpm of a street corner (due to turbo lag, not enough air)
I plan on running 25 to 30psi constant. (Around 125hp @ 3750rpm and too much torque) and still get 50mpg and save my money on diesel using vege oil.

Using vege oil: no difference in power or fuel mileage. I drive my current 1.6D (non-turbo); 52hp between 2500 and 3500 rpm, and I still get 50mpg.

Want to see some homemade kits ?

(Quick note: I know greasecar as I discuss with him often on another forum)

Post by **kuklaki** » Sat Oct 04, 2003 12:05 am

Yeah, I would be very interested in seeing some of the conversion kits. This has been an interest of mine for quite a while, but I dont have the means to try it at the time. So the fabracation of these were created by your group?
Interesting fix on the problem of winter driving-I believe the greasecar guys had a process on warming their fuel prior to running. this is fascinating to say the least. I was not aware that running these conversions had such a big following, and I sure wish that I wasnt so far away-I'd love to see this in person.

Blades · Post by **Blades** » Sat Oct 04, 2003 12:50 am

Homemade kit #1: (uber-quality, 100% custom)

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showflat.php? ... PHPSESSID=

Homemade kit #2

http://65.110.12.167/showphoto.php?phot ... 500&page=1

Cheapest solution so far:
Move battery to trunk.
Install plastic tank or metallic tank for veggie oil in place of battery.
Add a F-150 dual tank splitter valve (between the main tank fuel filter and fuel pump

Run tubing from the metal case to the F-150 valve. Run tubing from the valve to the fuel pump (since the one on the pump are now connected on the F-150 valve (you get the idea, 2 in, 1 out) (Recommended to add a filter for the veggie oil system)
Install an on/off switch in the car to switch fuel system (Can won't start on 100% veggie so ... Cabok, our crazy engineer added an electronic control to revert back to diesel if car is shutdown on veggieoil (homemade, 5$))
Filter your waste veggie oil from McDonalds (0.5 micron or less, aka very slow process but #1 quality))
Put filtered veggie oil in secondary tank and fill the line of veggie oil (Important: no air in lines)
Drive away

Homemade kit #1: 700$CDN (but the tank itself was almost 500)
Homemade kit #2: 150$CDN
Investment is worth it.

And there's the "directly in the main tank" solution.

It's all about reading.

btw, TDIs don't like veggie oil as much as the old IDI. (injectors have 1/2 life span on TDI so about 100000 miles to be safe)
Old TDs are indestructable.

Post by **kuklaki** » Sat Oct 04, 2003 1:12 am

Blades wrote:Homemade kit #1: (uber-quality, 100% custom)

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showflat.php? ... PHPSESSID=

Hmm link #1 no workie-unless the server they are running is down for the evening.
However, this whole topic was very inspirational-I talked with the hubby and we would be very interested in taking this on as a project next year. There is nothing like this down here in GA, and I have been following the guys of Greasecar for a while now.
Yeah, it does have to wait a good bit, though since we are having enough to keep us busy just trying to get our existing cars up and running right.
Well, i shouldnt really thank you just yet since this is just one more thing that will keep me from getting my Ghia restored...

Seriously though, I appreciate the info, and you'll likely be hearing from me again when it comes time to start this endeavor. Since it doesnt get nearly as cold here as it does up North, I'll have to do a little researching on the best setup for my climate. (As in, what problems does extremely hot and humid cause?)
Thanks very much for the info!!!

Blades · Post by **Blades** » Sat Oct 04, 2003 11:51 am

Hot and humid = no problems if the system is well sealed.

In summer here in Quebec, we do get 30C and 80% humidity. (usually gives around 37-38C with humidity factor)

It's not always cold up north, we do get freaking hot weather in summer.

I've got 2 projets going on right now. My AAZ 1.9TD engine for my Golf and I'm picking up the parts for the Cabriolet (high torque output instead of high hp)
(ABA bottom, 2H head, ajustable cam gear, 4-2-1 downpipe with homemade 16.5mm extender, digifant chip and 0.75 5th gear (0.71 = 1500rpm gap between 4th and 5th)

Post by **SoCal_Cabby** » Mon Oct 13, 2003 1:25 am

so does your exhaust smell like french fries?

1lowcab · Post by **1lowcab** » Mon Oct 13, 2003 1:37 am

mmmmmmmmmm french fries!!

Post by **SoCal_Cabby** » Mon Oct 13, 2003 7:27 pm

1lowcab wrote:mmmmmmmmmm french fries!!

now i'm all hungry

Blades · Post by **Blades** » Tue Oct 14, 2003 7:53 pm

I smells slightly (you really have to snif the exhaust pipe)

It smells more like Onion rings.

the nice thing: 0 black smoke. We have a test TDI we all work on and using normal fuel, it smokes bad. Using biodiesel or vegtable oil, 0 smoke.
The car is pushing 145whp

Post by **SoCal_Cabby** » Tue Oct 14, 2003 11:00 pm

Blades wrote:I smells slightly (you really have to snif the exhaust pipe)

It smells more like Onion rings.

the nice thing: 0 black smoke. We have a test TDI we all work on and using normal fuel, it smokes bad. Using biodiesel or vegtable oil, 0 smoke.
The car is pushing 145whp

mmm... onion rings...lol

145 whp??? impressive

Blades · Post by **Blades** » Wed Oct 15, 2003 9:15 pm

145whp @ 3800rpm
310 lb-ft @ 2200rpm

A stock A3/B4 TDI 90 will dyno at 85whp
A stock A4 TDI 90 will dyno at 90-95whp

A stock European A4 PD TDI 150 dynos around 165whp

VW has been cheating on the numbers. Why, no idea.

Post by **Briano1234** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 1:49 pm

I had a diesel bunny for 20 plus years, never thought to do that. But in the winter in Illinois, I used to mix 2 gallons of unleaded to 8 gallons of diesel to prevent jelling. I tried all kinds of additives but at 17 below gas worked the best. Would thinnning it down with gas help in the winter? In my old rabbit book in the very back it gave the ration of 2 to 8 if unwinterised diesel was unavailable? Then the other question is since that is an alternative fueled car could I ride in the HOV lane in atlanta with only one person?..... hmmmmmmmmmmm makes me wonder

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Diesel Bunny: Filling up on Burgers and Fries

Diesel Bunny: Filling up on Burgers and Fries

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