Driving on vegetable oil is technically possible, but there are still some important points to consider, on a practical level as well as on a legal level. Indeed, on the roads of France, it is forbidden to drive only with vegetable oil.
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Originally, Rudolf Diesel wanted to operate the motor of which he is the inventor with vegetable oil. However, the economic constraints of the time pushed him to use diesel.
Vegetable oil, illegal on the roads of France
Ride onlyvegetable oil is illegal in France. This is a French exception because, on the rest of the European roads, it is possible to move by putting this type of fuel in its tank.
However, the use of a vehicle running exclusively on vegetable oil remains tolerated off the roads. Thus, after having been equipped with a specific kit, tractors and other agricultural machinery can run thanks to this ecological liquid and not fossil.
Certain engine problems with canola or sunflower oil
Due to the viscous nature of some oils, deposits may form on the injectors as well as on the combustion chambers from diesel engines. To avoid any risk of mechanical problems, it is wiser not to drive with 100% vegetable oil, but to choose a mixed solution combining vegetable oil and diesel fuel.
Concerning the diesel engines with indirect injection, you can opt for a Bosch-type injection system which offers the possibility of running on fuel composed of a maximum of 50% oil. For the engines new generation direct injection diesel of the TDI, HDI or DCI type, it will be necessary to be content to drive with a maximum of 30% oil. Note that all these percentages of added vegetable oil must absolutely be reduced in winter.
Reminder: the vegetable oils that can be used as fuel, mixed with diesel, come from rapeseedfrom sunflowerfrom linenalmonds… or are used oils such as frying oil.
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