Diesel_Fuel

Diesel Fuel
If you have a diesel engine then you have obviously been affected by the rising fuel prices even more so then individuals with gasoline engines. With little help from the government, vehicle owners have to take matters into their own hands. Making fewer trips, consolidating trips and driving slower are all tricks that people are trying in order to lower their fuel costs. For owners of vehicles with diesel engines, another option is the use of biodiesel fuel. Biodiesel can be purchased or made from scratch. It?s ingredients are inexpensive and some of them can even be had for free. Biodiesel can be made from straight vegetable oil, pure plant oils or a mixture of the two.
SVO: Straight vegetable oil can be used. When a person refers to straight vegetable oil, they are generally referring to oil that has not been used or cooked. SVO is known as PPO in Europe.
WVO: Wasted vegetable oil has been used to cook something. It usually is a mix of vegetable, animal and fish oils.
There are advantages and disadvantages to both of these oils. Straight Vegetable Oil is a great deal thicker than regular diesel fuel. The chemical properties which make up vegetable oil as well as the combustion characteristics also make it different. When the oil is too thick, it can adversely affect the engine life and can give off increased emissions and exhaust.
Now, you won?t be able to just pour in vegetable oil into your tank. It will need to be mixed with other ingredients so that your vehicle can function properly and without damage. There are good biodiesel recipes on the internet which you can use. However, you will want to make sure that you get your recipe from a trusted source. You won?t want to injure yourself or blow up your garage.
The chemicals need to create biodiesel are ones that you can purchase from almost anywhere. You will be able to purchase them without any problem and without needing any kind of special licenses. The equipment which will be needed to process the biodiesel is also easy to find. If you do it correctly, you will be able to create fuel that is non-toxic, high quality, renewable and perhaps most important is cheap. You also will not need to modify your engine, which, so besides the chemicals and materials, there is no extra expense.
Even though the chemicals needed for biodiesel fuels are easy to access, you still have to be careful with them. If you are careless, you really can find yourself maimed or even killed. Always make sure that you purchase and wear protective gloves, an apron and protection for your eyes. Also, be sure to avoid inhaling vapors. Some materials that you will need to be careful with include Methanol and Sodium hydroxide. Methanol, if not handled correctly, can lead to death or blindness.
It is absorbed through the skin. Sodium hydroxide can also cause death and can burn you. When these chemicals are combined, they can be increasingly dangerous. Therefore, make sure that you have a good, tried and trusted recipe and directions before you get started. Once you find one, be sure to follow it to the letter. Make sure to work in a place which is extremely ventilated and where there is a running hose. Do not allow children or pets to be around your working area. This would be putting them in a potentially dangerous and deadly environment.