# My Vegetable Oil powered truck made the news!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 15, 2005, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-vegetable-oil-powered-truck-made-the-news/317074 "2005-08-15T10:38:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![hlanelee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3bc359/32.png) [@hlanelee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hlanelee)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-vegetable-oil-powered-truck-made-the-news/317074/1 "2005-08-15T10:38:42Z")
Some of you saw this thread: [My summer project](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=326614) Well, I made the news: [Article about me!!!](http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/local/12353867.htm) I am doing my part to make the world the better place. Actually I did it for the bragging rights. I need to get a life. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-vegetable-oil-powered-truck-made-the-news/317074/2 "2005-08-15T11:20:36Z")
Seriously, what’s the milage, the pollutant level & why can’t you go above 45? Y’all may just save America! and “fried chicken smell” while idling isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but boy- my appetite would be on overload!!! ---
**Author:** ![dbuzman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de0a6/32.png) [@dbuzman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dbuzman)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-vegetable-oil-powered-truck-made-the-news/317074/3 "2005-08-15T11:48:26Z")
The only drawback I can see with that type of vehicle is that there is only so much used deep fryer oil to go around. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-vegetable-oil-powered-truck-made-the-news/317074/4 "2005-08-15T12:06:51Z")
How very cool! I’ve been following along your other postings, even found a bunch of links and sent them to my Dad hoping to spark his interest. He’s mechanically inclined, owns a diesel truck already and recently retired so he’s got the time to tinker around, he’s looking into it. So there you go, you’re in the news and possibly influencing my Dad a thousand miles away. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-vegetable-oil-powered-truck-made-the-news/317074/5 "2005-08-15T12:27:41Z")
Three cheers for **halenlee**! 🙂 Bio-fuel seems to be a small but growing trend over here too. This can only be a good thing. And a vehicle that smells like frying chicken instead of the usual disgusting stink … ? WOW1 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-vegetable-oil-powered-truck-made-the-news/317074/6 "2005-08-15T13:30:35Z")
That’s awesome. You’re doing a great thing, and it’s always nice to be recognized for it. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-vegetable-oil-powered-truck-made-the-news/317074/7 "2005-08-15T15:04:54Z")
WWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! You go! It’s nice to be recognized for your talents and ability. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-vegetable-oil-powered-truck-made-the-news/317074/8 "2005-08-15T15:14:23Z")
> [@dbuzman](#): > > The only drawback I can see with that type of vehicle is that there is only so much used deep fryer oil to go around. 🙂 > [@The State](#): > > “If two or three other people started doing it in the area, I’d be scraping for oil,” he said. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-vegetable-oil-powered-truck-made-the-news/317074/9 "2005-08-15T15:23:51Z")
Congrats! That’s really cool. We’re in the process of saving up to put a biodiesel engine in our tour van for the band. Unfortunately, it’s gonna be a bit expensive, as we need a whole new engine - it’s a Ford 350 gas engine currently, but since the engine itself is about done (it needs new rings, seals and gasket) we figure the price difference isn’t that great. This year I’d estimate that fully 20% of our income went directly to fuel and travel costs, and I don’t see fuel prices dropping in the future. So it can’t hurt. We’re currently exploring underwriting options with an alternative energy company that’s trying to build a biodiesel distro network. We figure a touring band with “powered by biodiesel” on the side of the van is a big boon for biodiesel awareness. In fact, we’re throwing a big harvest hoedown at our farm in Madison in September to help pay for it and raise awareness. Hopefully, we’ll have a new engine ready to go before next summer’s tour schedule. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-vegetable-oil-powered-truck-made-the-news/317074/10 "2005-08-15T15:32:47Z")
Last time I checked at the grocery store Crisco Vegetable Oil sold for $4.50/64oz. That’s nearly $9/gallon. Are they going to be able to make vegetable oil cheaper than gas? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-vegetable-oil-powered-truck-made-the-news/317074/11 "2005-08-15T15:52:11Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > Last time I checked at the grocery store Crisco Vegetable Oil sold for $4.50/64oz. > > That’s nearly $9/gallon. > > Are they going to be able to make vegetable oil cheaper than gas? The idea is to recycle used cooking oil. Restaurants have to get rid of their used oil somehow, and there may be a cost involved. (I don’t know if there is, but I assume so.) People like **hlanelee** can collect the oil from restaurants. The restaurants save the (assumed) disposal fee, and the driver gets his fuel free or cheap. ---
**Author:** ![kellner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c2a13f/32.png) [@kellner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kellner)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-vegetable-oil-powered-truck-made-the-news/317074/12 "2005-08-15T16:00:29Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > Last time I checked at the grocery store Crisco Vegetable Oil sold for $4.50/64oz. > > That’s nearly $9/gallon. > > Are they going to be able to make vegetable oil cheaper than gas? Is it really that expensive? Here you can easily buy oil for about a dollar per liter, not even four per gallon, at your local supermarket. AFAIK standard groceries are usually not cheaper in Germany than in the US. And here, that _is_ cheaper than diesel, but of course that is caused by taxes. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-vegetable-oil-powered-truck-made-the-news/317074/13 "2005-08-15T17:22:49Z")
1999 U.S. oil consumption was 18,490 barrels or 776,580 gallons **per day!** That’s a lot of used vegetable oil for restaurants to produce. ---
**Author:** ![hlanelee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3bc359/32.png) [@hlanelee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hlanelee)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-vegetable-oil-powered-truck-made-the-news/317074/14 "2005-08-15T18:30:52Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > 1999 U.S. oil consumption was 18,490 barrels or 776,580 gallons **per day!** > > That’s a lot of used vegetable oil for restaurants to produce. I’m just trying an alternative that works for me in my little part of the world. I can’t solve the world’s problems. What are you doing to contribute? ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-vegetable-oil-powered-truck-made-the-news/317074/15 "2005-08-15T19:10:04Z")
> [@hlanelee](#): > > I’m just trying an alternative that works for me in my little part of the world. I can’t solve the world’s problems. What are you doing to contribute? Sorry, just playing devil’s advocate. I do my part by keeping my daily work commute to less than 20 miles round trip and driving a Toyota Corolla. I know too may people that live 40 miles out of the city, drive (solo) to work in their Ford F150 / Expedition / Suburban / Durango, and then complain about how much they have to pay for gas. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2005, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-vegetable-oil-powered-truck-made-the-news/317074/16 "2005-08-16T22:21:05Z")
That’s fantastic, **hlanelee**! I still want to hear the answers to **FriarTed** ’s questions: Why can’t you go above 45mph? Will it just not go that fast, or do you have to be careful not to let it go that fast? And what’s your (ahem) oil mileage? This sounds like a really cool idea! Was the conversion a lot of work? Could a non-mechanic do it? ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2005, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-vegetable-oil-powered-truck-made-the-news/317074/17 "2005-08-16T22:30:11Z")
Is this the kit from [PlantDrive.com](http://www.plantdrive.com/)? Do you know anything about similar kits from [Greasel.com](http://greasel.com/), and how they compare? I have a co-worker who has the Greasel kits on two vehicles, and he’s been trying to talk me into it too. (I have an '83 diesel Mercedes.)