Project Bio Bus

May 20, 2003 7:55 PM

Project Bio Bus... ROAD TRIP! Smells like a french fry, looks like a school bus.
posted by thunder (13 comments total)

There is a conspiracy between the oil producers, car manufacturers and governments of the west to hold back the progress of renewable vehicular fuels. These kids should be careful about getting a horse's head stuffed under their duvet.
posted by Pretty_Generic at 8:12 PM on May 20, 2003

Cool post, thanks.

It states that they need to start it using diesel to heat and thus lower the viscosity of the veggie oil - any chemists out there who know of a better way of doing this? Enzymes, perhaps? Cracking?
posted by spazzm at 8:25 PM on May 20, 2003

[this is good]
posted by dg at 8:50 PM on May 20, 2003

Where I live (Melbourne, Australia - Eastern suburbs for the curious locals) a few of our public buses have been converted to use canola biodiesel, and i must say - it is the first time I've ever actually enjoyed being stuck behind a bus at a red light. The smell from these things is pleasant (when you can smell it).

Mind you, I don't recommend deliberately inhaling bus exhaust.
posted by cheaily at 8:57 PM on May 20, 2003

There have been a few similar trips in the past. I remember a few years ago some Greenpeace kids took a VW bus across the country on used French Fry grease.

VW is the only auto manufacturer selling diesel cars in america today, and they happen to run great on biodiesel. There are sites offering info on where to find biodiesel and how to make your own.
posted by mathowie at 9:49 PM on May 20, 2003

3F - Freedom Fry Fuel.
posted by Pretty_Generic at 9:59 PM on May 20, 2003

I don't recommend deliberately inhaling bus exhaust.
If you must though, be careful not to burn your lips.

So what is required to convert a diesel engine to run on biodiesel?
posted by dg at 10:06 PM on May 20, 2003

This is so kick-ass that I currently have my foot wedged up to the ankle in someone's bum-crack...
posted by i_cola at 4:45 AM on May 21, 2003

They should plant some meat trees on top of that biodiesel bus so they can fry up some burgers on the hot exhaust pipes en route.
posted by troutfishing at 6:12 AM on May 21, 2003

I have a vw tdi that we've run biodiesel in. We use regular diesel too, no conversion necessary (it's a 2001). It ran quite nice and the mpg actually improved. Since we ran regular diesel, we had to clean up the sludge that the biodiesel got out. We didn't run it very often because it was about $3.00/gallon. That was mostly road fees/taxes. We will probably start running it more often now that we have moved and the folks here are around $1.80/gallon.
posted by miftik at 8:55 AM on May 21, 2003

There is no conversion at all required to run biodiesel in newer vehicles. (note, biodiesel is not the same a Straight Vegetable Oil or "SVO") Older models might need new fuel lines and seals, since biodiesel eats at rubber. Newer polymers are resistant.
posted by bug138 at 10:00 AM on May 21, 2003

'...as some municipalities in England have...'

Fuel taxes are levied across the United Kingdom, of which England is a part, by national govt.
posted by i_cola at 11:19 AM on May 21, 2003

So what is required to convert a diesel engine to run on biodiesel?

Nothing, apparently.
posted by Wet Spot at 4:09 PM on May 21, 2003