Converting the Pug 106 to 100% Waste Veg Oil

  I haven’t done a 100% veg oil conversion for years....

  I’ve been running around on homemade Biodiesel, mainly because we do short journeys and it’s more convenient.  However, I’m doing a lot more longer trips lately and so a full veg oil conversion becomes viable.

  The reason is that running on 100% waste oil requires a twin tank system.  You start the engine on normal fuel and, when hot enough you switch over to veg oil – cold engines and cold veg oil do not work!  More info here:  www.andytyler.net/biodiesel.htm.

  This lends itself to long trips because the warm up can take a few miles and the purge back to normal fuel at the end of the trip is similar.

  Ok, below is the tool kit for the conversion.  In true Cosmic style, none of this is new, it’s either scavenged from the shed or homemade!  The crucial component is the long shiny thing – a simple heat exchanger.  Hot water from the engine runs through the middle and veg oil around the outside.  This heats it to 70—80 Celsius which lowers the viscosity enough for it to go through the injection pump & injectors without problems.

  

TIG welded Heat Exchanger

  So here it is installed:

 

New waste veg oil tank in the back……

 Bit of plumbing to enable to switch tanks whilst driving.  Right valve on selects biodiesel, left valve selects veg oil.

  And a view under the bonnet...

  A hot water hose from the car heater has been extended, looped round the front of the car and connected to the heat exchangers.  I fitted two in the end just to give the temp a bit of a lift in this cold weather.  One is covered with foam insulation, the other uncovered.

  Works a treat.  Best of oil, the rubbishy waste palm oil gloop for this only costs me 17p a litre.

  And here is the sound of it running….  Vroom… vroom…..