VW Jetta Diesel converted to Straight Vegetable Oil

One lesser-known movement in green car technology is converting diesels to run on SVO, or Straight
Vegetable Oil. Unlike biodiesel, which is produced by chemically modifying vegetable oil so that it can be
used in a diesel vehicle with no modifications, SVO requires a second fuel system for the vegetable oil in
addition to the standard diesel fuel system. Also, one doesn’t operate and fill up an SVO vehicle like a
normal petrol or diesel car. It sounds like a lot of work, so why are more and more people kicking up the
veggie quotient of their diesels’ diet? We decided to look into it.

No automaker offers an SVO-powered vehicle in its line-up, so tapping a press fleet for a quick
evaluation was out of the question. Fortunately we stumbled upon Chuck and Tom Norton, a pair of sibs
who run Turtle Plastics, an eco-friendly plastics business in Lorain, OH.  The Norton boys recently had a
2003 Volkswagen Jetta TDi converted to run on SVO. Though Tom’s the primary driver, Chuck was happy
to hand over the keys to their “Vega Jet” for a spin last week and helped us understand what it’s like to
own and operate a vehicle that eats out of a dumpster. Let us explain…

Vegetable oil can be found in abundance throughout our daily lives. It’s the can of canola or pint of
peanut oil in the back of your kitchen cabinet. It’s also the vat of boiling grease in which fries are
drowned at your local family restaurant. People who own SVO vehicles often get their fuel for free from
restaurants, literally taking it right from the grease dumpster out back. This gives SVOs their reputation
as dumpster divers, but it also means an SVO vehicle can potentially pay for its $2,000-$3,000
conversion in less than a year thanks to free fuel. Owners shouldn’t count on free grease as a given, but
America’s appetite for fried foods knows no bounds so the supply seems virtually limitless.

Before we dive deeper into the question of why someone would choose to convert a vehicle to run on
SVO, let’s go over exactly how it works. While modern diesel engines require no modification to burn
vegetable oil, a separate fuel system is required because SVO takes on the viscosity of a cinder block as
the temperature drops. On account of this, a diesel fuel system is still needed to operate the vehicle
until the SVO can warm up and thin out.

Though each installation is different, an average SVO conversion involves adding a separate fuel tank,
filter and fuel lines for the vegetable oil, as well as modifying the coolant system to transfer the engine’s
heat to these new components. On the Nortons’ Jetta the fuel lines carrying SVO up to the engine are
cleverly packed with coolant lines that run all the way to the SVO fuel tanks custom mounted in the
trunk.

At startup the “Vega Jet” will run off of its diesel fuel system until the engine has warmed. Normally that
heat energy would be lost via the car’s radiator, but this SVO vehicle reuses the heat thanks to the
modified coolant system that quickly thins out the vegetable oil so it can flow freely in the system.

After about five minutes of operating on diesel the fuel systems can be switched and SVO can take over
combustion duty. The two fuel systems meet up front under the hood where a solenoid is activated via a
dash-mounted switch to change between the two. From there the two fuel systems share a fuel line for
a short distance, usually about eight inches. The Nortons need to purge that line of vegetable oil if
they’re going to leave the car to cool down after being used. This involves simply switching back to
diesel fuel for the last five minutes of a trip. If vegetable oil were left in the fuel line to cool and congeal,
it would block the flow of diesel on the next start up.

Full Circle Fuels in Oberlin, OH converted the Norton brothers’ “Vega Jet” to run on SVO by installing a
pair of custom fuel tanks in the Jetta’s trunk. The Nortons must open the trunk in order to fill the smaller
tank, which then automatically feeds a larger one fitted under the floor and around the spare tire. The
system hardly reduces the useable trunk space, except for the SVO paraphernalia stowed back there to
facilitate transporting barrels of veggie oil filled up at local restaurants.

Situated near the bay doors of the Turtle Plastics warehouse is a large storage tank for vegetable oil. The
fuel is transferred through a tube to the car’s fuel tank via gravity since the storage unit is elevated
above the dock in which the Jetta is parked. Before used grease from a restaurant is added to the
storage unit, however, the Nortons must filter out any impurities using a filter bag. SVO vehicles can also
run on fresh, unused vegetable oil, and Full Circle Fuels helped the Nortons score this pallet of expired
cooking oil for around a $1.50/gallon. Remember when gasoline was $1.50/gallon?

We had a chance to drive the “Vega Jetta” on local roads and are happy to report that the experience
was pleasantly ordinary. While the “Vega Jet” handles like there’s a hippy locked in the trunk due to the
extra weight of the SVO tanks, acceleration and overall performance was on par with other diesel-
powered Jettas we’ve driven. The only interior modifications we could find were the purge switch
located on the Jetta’s dash and a fuel gauge custom-mounted in the door to keep tabs on the SVO tanks.

Although not much study has been performed on the emissions of an SVO-powered vehicle, they are
comparable to what a biodiesel powerplant puts out, which is a marked improvement over that of a
straight diesel. According to the website Energy Bulletin, there are no sulfur emissions, lower unburnt
hydrocarbons, and somewhat lower carbon monoxide and particulates. While biodiesel has been shown
to emit slightly higher levels of nitrous oxide than diesel, studies performed locally by Full Circle Fuels
itself have indicated that running on straight grease emits less NOx than even diesel. SVO vehicles are
virtually carbon dioxide free, as well, except for the small amount of CO2 released during start up or
purging while running on diesel. Assuming one is careful about purging the vegetable oil from the
vehicle’s fuel system, an SVO-powered vehicle will also enjoy the same durability as its diesel-powered
countered thanks to the natural lubricity of vegetable oil.

Fuel economy also remains largely unchanged from a similar diesel-powered vehicle, which is to say
these things will go great distances on a tank of grease. While saving money on fuel was an attractive
quality for the Norton brothers, their reasons for burning vegetable oil are more closely aligned with the
desire to use renewable resources that leave less of an impact on the environment than gasoline or
diesel fuel, as well as the oft-cited hope that one day this country won’t be beholden to other oil-
producing countries for its energy.

While this review was meant as a window into a day in the life of an SVO-equipped vehicle owner, we
plan to return to the topic of SVO again in the near future to examine how the greasy technology fits
into the increasingly varied mix of alternative fuels and powerplants. We’ll introduce you to Sam Merret
and Bob Beckett, the two SVO-advocates that operate Full Circle Fuels in Oberlin, OH and perform SVO
conversions on a daily basis. We’ll also examine Golden Fuel Systems, of which Full Circle Fuels is an
affiliate of sorts. Formerly known as Greasel, Golden Fuel Systems is widely considered one of the best
producers of SVO conversion kits in the business. Until then, we hope you’ll look twice at the bottle of
cooking oil in your kitchen cabinet knowing that there’s a “Vega Jet” driving around looking for some
free fuel to sip.

See Plant Drive

http://plantdrive.com

VEGETABLE OIL Cars and Converting Your Car to VEGETABLE OIL

http://plantdrive.com
http://www.greasecar.com
http://www.vegpoweredsystems.com
http://www.goldenfuelsystems.com
http://www.goodgrease.com
http://www.vegpower.com
http://www.elsbett.com
http://biocar.de
http://www.enviofuel.com
http://www.frybrid.com
http://www.vegiecars.com
http://www.theorganicmechanic.org
http://www.fattywagons.com
http://greasebenz.com

http://www.vtvegcar.com

http://www.vegengine.blogspot.com

http://www.greenconversion.net

http://www.alaskavegoil.org

http://www.ehow.com/how_2004136_vegetable-oil-fuel.html

http://www.vegdvw.com

http://www.greendiesel1.com

http://vegwerks.wordpress.com

http://www.vegiecars.com

http://vegetablepowersystems.com
http://danalinscott.netfirms.com

http://www.bebioenergy.com

http://www.instructables.com/id/Biotour.org-Waste-Vegetable-Oil-Conversion-Diesel-/

DVD LIQUID GOLD 2

Learn the Do’s and Don’t's of Gathering and using Waste Vegetable oil as a fuel. Perfect for anyone who
is currently using, or planning on using SVO (Straight Vegetable Oil) or Bio Diesel as a fuel!

These questions and more are answered on this DVD:

• The legality of collecting waste vegetable oil and burning it as a fuel.

• Overview of how diesel engines burn waste vegetable oil as fuel.
• How to identify good waste vegetable oil.
• How to identify bad waste vegetable oil.
• How to ask a restaurant for their waste vegetable oil.
• How to fuel up on the fly with the automated One Shot Filtration Unit.
• How to setup your own waste vegetable oil accounts.
• How to collect large quantities of oil for later filtration at home.
• How to filter waste vegetable oil using filter bags.
• How does salt, sugar and animal fats affect waste vegetable oil for fuel?
• How to tell if there’s water in the oil?
• How to filter the oil once it’s been gathered.
• Cold Weather gathering techniques and tips.

http://www.goldenfuelsystems.com

DVD S.V.O. Seminar 2006

Lately there's been a lot of talk about the effects of Global warming due to our love of gas guzzling
vehicles and our dependency on foreign oil. Scientists and entrepreneurs around the world are busy
developing what they hope will be our answer to cleaner burning vehicles. What many people don't
realize is that this technology already exists and it's been around for quite some time now.

This DVD was Shot during a seminar on Straight Vegetable Oil at Ecoversity in Santa Fe, New Mexico and
is packed with 2.5 hours of valuable information. Listen along while many of the most frequently asked
questions about this technology are discussed and answered.

These questions and more are answered on this DVD:

• The History of Straight Vegetable Oil

• Different Alternative Fuels
• Straight Vegetable vs. Biodiesel
• Straight Vegetable Oil Facts and Fiction
• Diesel Engines vs. Gasoline Engines
• How a Straight Vegetable Oil System Works
• The Importance of a Vehicles Air Filter
• Increase Power and Economy/Computer Mods
• Oil Gathering 101
• Filtering on the Fly with the One Shot
• Using Filter Bags
• What to do with leftover Nasty Oil
• Diesels Available in the USA

http://www.goldenfuelsystems.com
DVD GREASY RIDER

Picture a cross-country road trip powered by vegetable oil in a 1981 Mercedes-Benz. Greasy Rider
follows the two filmmakers, Joey Carey and JJ Beck, as they meet with fellow Greasecar drivers, friends,
and critics. Traveling as far south as New Orleans and as far north as Seattle, the car is fueled by used
cooking grease collected at restaurants along the way.

Interviews include Morgan Freeman who is opening up a Biodiesel plant in Mississippi. Political analyst
Noam Chomsky, “You're supposed to believe we would have liberated Iraq even if its main product was
pickles,” appears along side Yoko Ono, “This whole world is now ruled by corporations and their greed,”
and Tommy Chong, “You guys figured it out. You got your little bio-car, and there you go.” Additional
interviews include the founders of the four major vegetable oil conversion kit companies, Greasecar,
Greasel, Neoteric, and Frybrid, as they discuss the reality of vegetable oil as a fuel.

The heat is felt in this political documentary as America's energy consumption continues to grow. With
gas prices on the rise and the reality of global warming setting in, Greasy Rider points to vegetable oil as
one part of the solution to our energy problems.

http://www.goldenfuelsystems.com
JOURNEY to FOREVER
http://www.journeytoforever.org

The Film:   FUEL

http://thefuelfilm.com

FUEL is an insightful portrait of America’s addiction to oil and an uplifting testament to the immediacy of
new energy solutions. Director, Josh Tickell, a young activist, shuttles us on a whirlwind journey to track
the rising domination of the petrochemical industry — from Rockefeller’s strategy to halt Ford’s first
ethanol cars to Vice President Cheney's petrochemical company sponsored energy legislation — and
reveals a gamut of available solutions to "repower America" — from vertical farms that occupy
skyscrapers to algae facilities that turn wastewater into fuel.

Tickell and a surprising array of environmentalists, policy makers, and entertainment notables take us
through America’s complicated, often ignominious energy past and illuminate a hopeful, achievable
future, where decentralized, sustainable living is not only possible, it’s imperative.

DVD :   Biodiesel #2

Filmed at the National Biodiesel Board Conference and Expo in Palm Springs, CA, this 45 minute video
helps qualify the emissions benefits of biodiesel and illustrates how biodiesel can reduce cancerous
diesel emissions.

http://fryertofuel.com

DVD:   Biodiesel 101

In this 45-minute presentation, biodiesel author Josh Tickell provides an economic, social and practical
context for biodiesel. "Biodiesel 101" goes deep into the technical world of the biodiesel production,
showing how the fuel is chemically formed. This video also examines current data and trends within the
biodiesel industry to illustrate growth patterns and future potential.

http://fryertofuel.com
Convert GAS Cars to Plug-In ELECTRIC Autos
http://www.electroauto.com http://www.kta-ev.com http://www.nedra.com
http://www.evparts.com
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book: Convert It; by Michael Brown and Shari Prange
DVD: Convert It http://www.electroauto.com

`
Convert HYBRID Cars to Plug-In ELECTRIC Autos
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LOCAL Groups Supporting ELECTRIC AUTOmobiles

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Electric MOTORCYCLES
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http://www.patente-erfindungen.de/erfindungen_fahrraeder.htm
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Electric BICYCLES
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http://www.greenspeed.us
http://www.sourceguides.com/energy

TAX CREDITS
http://www.dsireusa.org
HOME POWER
http://www.homepower.com

SOLAR TODAY
http://solartoday.org

Solar Industry NEWS

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http://www.solarbuzz.com

Solar Industry MAGAZINE

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Recharge your Electric Auto with RENEWABLE ENERGY

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Do not bend over and allow Big Oil to molest your Family, Friends and Community
VOTE SOLAR

VOTE SOLAR
http://votesolar.org
http://www.seia.org
http://www.blackboxvoting.org
http://valparaiso.indymedia.org/news/2006/09/8723.php
DVD: Uncounted; Director: David Earnhardt
DVD: Hacking Democracy; Director: Simon Ardizzone
book: What Went Wrong In Ohio; by Congressman John Conyers
book: What Happened in Ohio; by Bob Fitrakis

IS YOUR CONGRESSMAN IN BED with BIG OIL?

How much bribes (campaign contributions) did your congressman take from the sleazy OIL
Companies?

CAMPAIGN FINANCE INFORMATION CENTER

Where does the money come from?
http://www.campaignfinance.org/states

CENTER FOR PUBLIC INTEGRITY

stop the Fat Cats from BRIBING your politicians
http://www.publicintegrity.org

POLLUTION and RACISM, INJUSTICE

book: Confronting Environmental Racism; by Robert Bullard
book: Environmental Injustices; by David Camacho
book: Environmentalism and Economic Justice; by Laura Pulido
book: Pollution and the Death of Man; by Francis Schaeffer
book: From the Ground Up, Environmental Racism; by Luke Cole
book: Struggle for Ecological Democracy; by Daniel Faber
book: No Safe Place, Toxic Waste and Community Action; by Phil Brown

FREE eBook on Oil Spills: Not One Drop

http://www.scribd.com/doc/31483843/Not-One-Drop

Big Oil’s Dirty Secrets

http://bigoil101.insanejournal.com