Most people – including me a year or so ago – seem to think that converting a diesel vehicle to run on veg oil is a very complicated and difficult process. A two-tank conversion seems even more daunting to all but a seasoned mechanic. In a little over an hour-and-a-quarter, Veg My Ride, a new DVD clearly documents a two-tank conversion of an early 80’s Mercedes Benz 240D, from beginning to end, convincing people like me – non-mechanics with an adventuresome streak – that we can do it ourselves. And we certainly can.

The film takes the viewer through the conversion in a clear step-by-step process. The information is divided in to chapters by mechanical system such as, plumbing tank, mounting filter, routing coolant system, routing fuel system, etc.

The video is professionally shot and edited and is not a glorified home-video. It uses inset close-ups, animated diagrams and video effects to point out specific hoses and parts. The DVD even includes schematic diagrams and a parts list (in PDF format) that can be accessed by inserting the DVD in a computer. Viewers will appreciate that the film doesn’t waste time showing tedious tasks like cutting a hole through the chasis, tightening a dozen hose clamps or attaching the hoses to the undercarriage. Instead, the film describes the task and cleverly shifts to high-speed accompanied by the surf-punk music of Rob’s band, Man or Astroman?, or simply cuts to the completed task as would a cooking show.

The film doesn’t deal with the glitches, goofs, missing parts and other snags that inevitably interrupt any do-it-yourself auto project. I for one did not mind this omission, as it would take hours (or possibly months) to detail all of the possibilities. The film shows how it should be done and it is up to the converter to adhere as closely to possible to its direction.

The film’s writer/producer, Rob Del Bueno, founded Atlanta Biofuels and Veg Energy, providing vehicle conversion and wvo filtering services as well as biofuel classes. Rob is also an excellent actor. It is not quite right to call him an actor, as he is playing himself in the film. He is clearly energized by the subject matter, well-informed and experienced. He explains the conversion steps very clearly and performs the work, on screen, in a clean and efficient manner.

This video will be extremely helpful for anyone considering a two-tank conversion. The DVD can be purchased online for $19.95 from vegmyride.tv.

Note: vegcar.net has no financial relationship with vegmyride and will not receive any monetary compensation for this review.

See preview below:

Donald Rumsfeld proves once again that he can be as out-of-touch with reality as Bush. His glibness is astonishing. This from one of the chief architects of preemptive war and the invasion of Iraq. Read the transcript of the Secretary answering reporters questions here. Here is the key quote:

Q: Is the country closer to a civil war?

SEC. RUMSFELD: Oh, I don’t know. You know, I thought about that last night, and just musing over the words, the phrase, and what constitutes it. If you think of our Civil War, this is really very different. If you think of civil wars in other countries, this is really quite different. There is — there is a good deal of violence in Baghdad and two or three other provinces, and yet in 14 other provinces there’s very little violence or numbers of incidents. So it’s a — it’s a highly concentrated thing. It clearly is being stimulated by people who would like to have what could be characterized as a civil war and win it, but I’m not going to be the one to decide if, when or at all.

Oh, I don’t know!? La-la-la! He discusses the misery, death and destruction happening in Iraq as cavalierly as if it were an announcement of windfall oil company profits. It is good however, to see that he was, “musing”. I’ve heard that musing is very relaxing for the soul. 100 dead Iraqi civilians (human beings) each day.

The 100+ degree heat would have been bad enough but WITH HUMIDITY! Down in Fresno it is currently 112 degrees! Here in the foothills we are certainly accustomed to heat but summer humidity is an oxymoron. In the afternoons, like right now, I am hot, sweaty and lethargic. I have discovered at least one advantage to the oppressive heat. It is absolutely wonderful for pre-filtering wvo.

My filtering setup includes two 55-gallon drums, each with a sock filter hanging inside. The filters hold between 5 and 8 gallons of oil. When recently cleaned the oil flows fairly quickly but after filtering 10 gallons or so, the flow slows down considerably. What I normally do is to fill up the filters once in a while on my way to work and once in a while when I come home. That way I keep up with my useage.

Yesterday I collected 55 gallons of oil from my favorite source – a Chinese restaurant. I had another 25 gallons of unfiltered wvo standing by. After putting 15 gallons through the filter I realized that it was flowing through nearly as fast as I filled. When the oil level neared the top, I started filling the other filter. After only 15 minutes or so I had filtered 80 gallons of wvo, a personal record.

After my filtering challenges last winter, I have set out to stockpile enough filtered wvo to carry me through the winter months.

For a long time I have wanted to determine definitively how much cleaner svo (straight vegetable oil) burns compared to diesel and compared to gasoline. In a post on the lovecraftbiofuels website forum, Stephen Blackburn posts the results from having his car smogged. Remember, in California diesel vehicles are exempt from smog inspections (brillian idea, eh?).

The results are impressive and confirm what many of us have believed all along, namely that using vegetable oil as a fuel reduces dangerous emissions significantly, even compared to many late model gasoline powered cars.

Here are the highlights:

1. HC (Hydrocarbons) – 8 ppm (parts per million)
   • new cars are allowed 40 ppm
2. CO% (Carbon Monoxide per gallon of fuel burned): 0.03%
   • new cars are allowed 0.9%
3. CO2% (Carbon Dioxide per gal. fuel burned) 14.3
   • Average is 14-15%. NOTE: the carbon removed from the air while growing the plants is greater than that released when it is burned. Therefore, airborne carbon is reduced with svo as a fuel.

Read the post for more details. One of these days I’ll get my car smogged to see how it rates on these emission measures. If anyone else out there has had their vegcar smogged, please send me the results.

I think it is important (and fun) to get immersed in the technical details of vegcar conversions and the politics of oil. But I don’t want to lose sight of how fun it is to have a vegcar. Yesterday I was driving to a friend’s house and passed a small gas station/convenience store where I collect wvo from time to time. They have a small “restaurant” inside the gas station where they make tacos and fried foods.

I went around back and 15 minutes later I drove away with 28 gallons of really clean wvo in my trunk.

• Not only is that more than $80.00 worth of fuel;
• Not only will that provide me with 700 miles of driving;
• Not only will that reduce greenhouse gasses;

More exciting to me than all of that, I get to withhold my money from the big oil companies and their chief lobbyists Dick Cheney and George Bush.

After filtering the wvo at home in my 55-gallon drum and 10-micron “sock” filter, I fill my own tank with the recycled cooking oil. I feel empowered. I feel like I’m really doing something to help the environment. I feel like a pioneer (even though Rudolph Diesel ran his engine on peanut oil at the end of the 19th century).

I was interviewed recently for an article on wvo cars and they asked if I did this to save money. I told them that I do it because it feels good. First, I give a little less to the petroleum/war machine. In a close second, I help the environment. In a bit more distant third, I like being a wvo evangelist, showing others that this can be done, is a good thing to do and is fun. Fourth, I can use the saved money to do repairs on my 22 year-old car and to contribute to political candidates and causes who:

• Work bring home our troop ASAP
• Oppose illegal (preemptive) wars
• Oppose illegal warrentless spying on americans
• Oppose illegal leaking of CIA operatives identities
• Oppose illegal torture and other war crimes

If you are considering a vegcar, do it. You won’t be sorry and the planet will thank you.

Here is an interesting segment from All Things Considered last week.

It has been just over one year since I bought my 1984 Mercedes Benz 300D vegcar. See the post here.

Here are the vital statistics from year one:

• Total mileage: 12,000 miles
• Percent of driving on svo*: 75% – 9,000 miles
• Gallons of svo used: 360 gallons
• Money that didn’t go to the big oil companies (approx.): $1,080
• Reduction in airborne carbon (greenhouse gasses): Significant
• My happiness and pride: Big.
• Vegcar conversions worked on: 1
• Thumbs up and honks received while driving: >50
• Discussions with people interested in vegcars: >30
• Vegcar.net hits (avg): 1,100/day
• Vegcar.net visitors (avg): 88/day

* All svo was waste vegetable oil except for around 40 gallons of new veg oil used during parts of the winter.

Over the past year I have spoken to several people who generate their home power with a generator running on wvo. In all cases, these generators were modified to run on wvo. This generator made by the folks at www.affordablepower.com has no injector pump, rather, it uses “a positive displacement fuel pump which supplies fuel continuously to the injectors.” Very interesting.

I have been told by several generator sales people that they burn very clean and don’t make too much noise but I have yet to see one in action. If you have any information about these generators (any brands) please drop me a line.