Several years ago, I read an article in practical Sailor about using soybean oil as fuel in diesel engines. Has anyone tried this? If so, where did you get it? In addition, can you burn kerosene (K1) in a diesel? I’m hoping to reduce the amount and smell of my emissions. Hayden Watson S/V Papilla 1988 C30 tr/bs Spokane, WA
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Check with the manufacturer
I know that soy diesel is sold in my area, but as an additive to reduce smoking. It is very costly although I do not recall the price. I also know Yanmar will not (per one distributor) warrant an engine operating on soy, for what it is worth. As to kerosene, I am not qualified to respond but to say that I have never heard of it and imagine the fuel ignition point varies from design. IMHO, if emissions are the issue, the most cost-effective way to reduce them would be to see that the engine is in top-tune, the injectors clean, filters fresh, fuel clean and good quality, prop clean and of the correct pitch and the bottom clean. Good luck. RD
I know that soy diesel is sold in my area, but as an additive to reduce smoking. It is very costly although I do not recall the price. I also know Yanmar will not (per one distributor) warrant an engine operating on soy, for what it is worth. As to kerosene, I am not qualified to respond but to say that I have never heard of it and imagine the fuel ignition point varies from design. IMHO, if emissions are the issue, the most cost-effective way to reduce them would be to see that the engine is in top-tune, the injectors clean, filters fresh, fuel clean and good quality, prop clean and of the correct pitch and the bottom clean. Good luck. RD
More expensive but has benefits.
Hay Hayden: Check out www.cytoculture.com. If you figure that you are only going to use about 25-35% mixture and the SoyOil is $5/gal and your diesel is around $2/gal you are going to have about a 50% increase in total fuel costs. There are benefits with the lubrication of the engine and the amount of smoke that the engine produces. I have used it and if it were easily accessable I would use it every time I fill up. Read the review and see what you think.
Hay Hayden: Check out www.cytoculture.com. If you figure that you are only going to use about 25-35% mixture and the SoyOil is $5/gal and your diesel is around $2/gal you are going to have about a 50% increase in total fuel costs. There are benefits with the lubrication of the engine and the amount of smoke that the engine produces. I have used it and if it were easily accessable I would use it every time I fill up. Read the review and see what you think.
I have no Diesel available
There is no diesel available on our lake so I have to haul all of my fuel anyway. Part of my concern with fumes is from my heater. I have an arctic diesel heater and it belches a big cloud of white smoke every time it shuts off. Hayden Watson S/V Papillon 1988 C30 tr/bs Spokane, WA
There is no diesel available on our lake so I have to haul all of my fuel anyway. Part of my concern with fumes is from my heater. I have an arctic diesel heater and it belches a big cloud of white smoke every time it shuts off. Hayden Watson S/V Papillon 1988 C30 tr/bs Spokane, WA
Make your own
Here's a link to a site that explains how to make your own biodiesel from fast food waste. Perhaps you can tweak the fuel to meat the manufacturer's requirements. http://www.veggievan.org Best of luck, Ken s/v Pendragon
Here's a link to a site that explains how to make your own biodiesel from fast food waste. Perhaps you can tweak the fuel to meat the manufacturer's requirements. http://www.veggievan.org Best of luck, Ken s/v Pendragon
Soy Diesel
From all that I have been able to learn, soy diesel fuel is a great alternative fuel with its only drawback being cost. In all other respects it appears to be superior to petro-diesel. It has higher lubricity. It has a pleasant exhaust aroma. It produces no soot. It doesn't grow bugs that you have to kill. Though I don't recommend the practice, I am told that you could accidentally spill a small amount into the water of your lake and cause no harm to the environment as it is virtually the same as vegetable oil. I personally have my doubts about recycled soy product because I worry about possible chemical changes and most notably microscopic contaminants. I think virgin soy fuel is the way to go. Go to Soy Gold's web site for the real info: soygold.com Or call them at: 1-800-599-9209. Also try inputting "biodiesel fuel" on your favorite search engine to get more. Soy Gold has distributors all over the country and can ship in 5 gallon jugs by UPS ground. I heard that Soy Gold sponsored a twin Yanmar powered vessel on a global circumnavigation using soy diesel a year or two ago. Ron
From all that I have been able to learn, soy diesel fuel is a great alternative fuel with its only drawback being cost. In all other respects it appears to be superior to petro-diesel. It has higher lubricity. It has a pleasant exhaust aroma. It produces no soot. It doesn't grow bugs that you have to kill. Though I don't recommend the practice, I am told that you could accidentally spill a small amount into the water of your lake and cause no harm to the environment as it is virtually the same as vegetable oil. I personally have my doubts about recycled soy product because I worry about possible chemical changes and most notably microscopic contaminants. I think virgin soy fuel is the way to go. Go to Soy Gold's web site for the real info: soygold.com Or call them at: 1-800-599-9209. Also try inputting "biodiesel fuel" on your favorite search engine to get more. Soy Gold has distributors all over the country and can ship in 5 gallon jugs by UPS ground. I heard that Soy Gold sponsored a twin Yanmar powered vessel on a global circumnavigation using soy diesel a year or two ago. Ron
Hayden - white smoke?
Hayden, most likely the white smoke is a shot of air somehow getting into the heater's fuel system during shut down. White smoke is indicative of air in the fuel system on diesels.
Hayden, most likely the white smoke is a shot of air somehow getting into the heater's fuel system during shut down. White smoke is indicative of air in the fuel system on diesels.
More
Ron, I second all you say but am not sure just how agreeable the odor is! When using SoyDiesel, you can get sick of that "french fry" smell pretty quickly. As to white smoke, in a diesel it can also mean water in the combustion process, either the fuel or a headgasket among other things. Air in the fuel supply will stop the engine.
Ron, I second all you say but am not sure just how agreeable the odor is! When using SoyDiesel, you can get sick of that "french fry" smell pretty quickly. As to white smoke, in a diesel it can also mean water in the combustion process, either the fuel or a headgasket among other things. Air in the fuel supply will stop the engine.
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