Vegetable Oil Motoring - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. It's more popular than you'd think.

No. It's a different form of combustion.

Tricky... as time goes on it gets harder I believe. Modern engines are increasingly complex and the more complex the engine, the less likely it is to accept veg oil. I'd recommend you contact a professional fitter and check your vehicle with them before you spend any money.

Yes, as long as the WVO has been properly de-watered / cleaned / filtered. From the engine's point of view, it really doesn't matter whether you use shop-bought veg oil or recycled WVO. See my WVO FAQ page for more WVO related questions.

I really wish people would not ask me this. I simply do not know. I don't claim to be an expert about cars or conversion systems. The best bet is to contact a professional fitter who will give you free advice.

Generally older engines are better suited as younger engines are more complex, but either may or may not be suitable, so check with a professional fitter.

No. It's perfectly legal and even the British government has been sensible enough to make provisions for it.

At the time of writing this, if you use less than 2500 litres of vegetable oil each year, then there was no duty to pay. If in doubt, check it out... HM Revenue & Customs

Unfortunately you do NOT need to notify the DVLA. Whilst this may seem a good thing, I think it's a shame. In their eyes a Diesel is a Diesel, regardless of the fuel it drives on. So with increased polution penalties starting to creep in, the Veg Oil driver has no chance of claiming exemptions. I dedicated a page here to this topic.

From my experience I would have to say no, but then I had my system professionally fitted and I use good clean oil. Check with a professional fitter if your car is suitable, get a proper conversion kit properly installed and don't use unfiltered oil.

Research I've read suggests not, and from my personal experience I can say that my miles per gallon is the same on either veg oil or diesel.

There's usually a colour difference (WVO tends to be darker) and WVO tends to be more viscous (less runny) but that's it really. As long as your WVO has been properly cleaned / filtered, there's no difference as far as your engine is concerned. It will run just as well on WVO as it will on virgin oil. See my WVO FAQ page for more WVO related questions.

Vegetable oil thickens in colder temperatures making driving on veg oil awkward. The solution is to thin the oil by adding ordinary diesel, typically in the ratio of between 25% and 50%. This YouTube Video may help.

In my opinion, insurance companies will use ANY excuse to avoid paying out on a claim, so I would strongly urge you to notify your car insurance company if you use vegetable oil. Some can be a little funny about it, but shop around. You'll find one that's happy for you to use biofuels. More details on car insurance.

No. As long as the conversion kit has been properly installed, there's nothing to worry about. And yes, I do have a current and valid MOT on my veg oil.

Very likely yes, but check anyway with the manufacturer. However, if your car is young enough to have a warranty, it probably can't be converted... it MAY be possible but younger engines are generally less able to cope. Check with a professional fitter if your car is suitable.

SVO simply means Straight Vegetable Oil. As some folk make Biodiesel, and as others mix additives into their veg oil, someone somewhere came up with the acronym SVO to make life easier.

Yes, they mix very well. Lot's of people run their engines on a cocktail of the two, mixing in proportions that they favour. I don't personally do this and have no knowledge that I can pass on to others, but if you're interested a search around the internet will yield results.

Of course there are some drawbacks associated with running a vehicle on vegetable oil. Consequently I've dedicated a page to the subject. Click here to view.

I suspect a Diesel is a Diesel, regardless of what fuel goes in the tank, so if your Road Tax says Diesel, then you're banned. I dedicated a page here to this topic.

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