Grease: Yea, You Want It

You heard about it before. You were unsure and a bit skeptical about it. You probably even forgot about it by now. All that left over, fast food grease has gotta go somewhere. Why not in your gas tank?

Powering your car with grease is really easier than it seems. If done correctly, it will pay itself back quicker than you can imagine. The only requirement is that your vehicle has to be a diesel.

Now unless you want to destroy your engine, you will have to make a few modifications, first. You can make the modifications yourself, but it is usually easiest to buy a kit. There are a number of kits out there that have been tested and work very well, so that should probably be your first place to look.

The contents of most kits are similar. The main component in most systems is a combination of heating elements. Since vegetable oil/grease is thick and congealed when it is cold, there has to be a way to heat it up to allow it to work in the internal combustion engine.

The oil is usually heated in at least the storage tank, but many times the fuel lines themselves are heated to maintain a suitable temperature.

Along with heat, the oil always has to be filtered. Most of the oil you would obtain will have many particulates still in it. To prolong engine life and prevent damage, the oil must be filtered. For optimum engine performance, the oil should be filtered to 5 microns. Like the engine kits, filters can be found online from a number of different vendors.

The best part about the whole thing is that you can typically get the oil for free. Local restaurants are overflowing with leftover grease that they have to pay to have removed. Most establishments would be thrilled for you to take some of the grease off their hands each week.

Even though you will have to spend a decent amount of effort to install this system, it is definitely worth it.

Russell Bennett is a mechanical engineer dedicated to helping people save money at the pump. He regularly writes informative articles about gas saving tips, alternate fuel, and car technology. For more gas saving information visit Gas Savers.