Vegetable Oil as an Emergency Fuel?

[jetpackjbd]

I’ve got a 2011 TDI, which I know can’t really run on biofuel stock, but could it work temporarily? I’m thinking of keeping a bit of vegetable oil in my trunk as it can potentially serve as a fuel, engine oil, and calorie source if I was ever stranded. It lasts longer than diesel and doesn’t smell if it leaks, which is great for a backup fuel.
In a modern diesel, could it briefly run on vegetable oil? I’d think I could run it for a little while before the injectors get clogged, hopefully enough to get me to a diesel station where I could dilute it.

 

[turbodieseldyke]

Just keep a jug of diesel back there. Better to risk a bad smell, than risk blowing your fuel injection system.

Also: "calorie source"?? For food? Ask your doctor about that.

 

[GlowBugTDI]

I just keep 2-3 of the family sized natural peanut butter's from mikes discount foods in my trunk. When my needle is sitting on E I pull over, pour the top oil off the peanut butter, and keep driving to the next station. Haven't not made it yet


Diesel lasts much longer then you would think. If you are worried about it dump it into the tank and refill the 1gal can once a year. Don't over complicate it or make it more work then it needs to be. I have seen 5+ year old diesel run fine in vehicles. Add a little 2 stroke oil if it's that old and it concerns you, but even so its not an issue.

 

[jetpackjbd]

Just keep a jug of diesel back there. Better to risk a bad smell, than risk blowing your fuel injection system.

Also: "calorie source"?? For food? Ask your doctor about that.

Yeah, just diesel makes more sense but it’s easier to get a quart of vegetable oil in a small size. The cars getting old and I’d like to be able to tell if I have an exhaust leak in the cabin or if my diesel can’s venting pressure.

I’m not saying raw oil is healthy by any means, but you’d survive longer with it than nothing. Not that I expect to ever be in a situation like that, more of just an example of how vegetable oil is more versatile

 

[turbodieseldyke]

Exhaust smells much different from raw diesel, and food oils go rancid. If you're worried about a gas can venting, you could use an empty gallon or 5qt oil jug. Fill it 1qt from the top, squeeze the sides in, then cap it off. That should allow thermal expansion & contraction without spilling over.

 

[DuraBioPwr]

I make biodiesel so I know all about veg oil. It does not last nearly as long as diesel. Goes rancid within a year of sitting in a hot trunk. Easily. Then your not eating it or using as fuel. Wont work at all in your common rail anyways.

If you want something that will last get a small container of JET-A aviation fuel. Would work as diesel if blended in with some other diesel. Will about last forever because it is highly refined.

 

[P2B]

When a TDI runs out of fuel, pouring diesel into the tank and cranking until it eventually starts may work but it's not the best approach, very hard on the starter, fuel pumps etc. Much better to prime the fuel system first.

I have serious doubts it would ever start if you poured in vegetable oil and cranked.

 

[GlowBugTDI]

When a TDI runs out of fuel, pouring diesel into the tank and cranking until it eventually starts may work but it's not the best approach, very hard on the starter, fuel pumps etc. Much better to prime the fuel system first.

I have serious doubts it would ever start if you poured in vegetable oil and cranked.

2011 cjaa... he has an in tank FP. not the smae issues as with the ALH. Though I would still never want to run one out of diesel. Same as any other car.
It would start just fine though it's not good for the car or system.

 

[jetpackjbd]

Good to know, looks like I won’t be keeping any vegetable oil in my car. If anything I’m more curious if it would work, but I won’t bother carrying any for that reason.
I keep an eye on my gauge so I can’t see myself ever running dry, but it’s still not the worst idea to carry a bit if it ever dies on me.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

What are the odds of you getting stranded? You're hardly located in the middle of nowhere. I've driven my TDIs around most of the lower 48 and never worried about running out of fuel or food. Maybe if I were driving to Alaska I'd want some backup, but even then...

 

[atc98002]

I’ve got a 2011 TDI, which I know can’t really run on biofuel stock, but could it work temporarily?

No, just no. Not with a common rail TDI, not any amount of any biostock fuel, other than a low mixture of Biodiesel. VW approves of B5, and in a few states were required to allow up to B20. But no pure biofuel of any kind in a CR.

 

[turbodieseldyke]

Says he's in florida, so maybe a hurricane? But still.

 

[dieseldonato]

Even in hurricane season, he can keep a can filled up as an emergency stash. Just rotate it every now and then to keep it reasonably fresh. 5 gal /20L nato cans fit quite well in the trunk and don't leak like the garbage plastic cans sold everywhere. (So long as they are wavian, balerio etc.)

 

[turbobrick240]

No, just no. Not with a common rail TDI, not any amount of any biostock fuel, other than a low mixture of Biodiesel. VW approves of B5, and in a few states were required to allow up to B20. But no pure biofuel of any kind in a CR.

Renewable diesel is a biofuel and works great in commonrail diesels. Typically it has a small percentage of FAME biodiesel blended in for lubricity.

 

[atc98002]

Renewable diesel is a biofuel and works great in commonrail diesels. Typically it has a small percentage of FAME biodiesel blended in for lubricity.

True, but that's not the same as the OP was proposing. RD meets all the specs of dino diesel, so it's a drop in replacement. Most people probably don't even realize RD has any biostock in it.

 

[JELLOWSUBMARINE]

If you must run with veg oil due to no avalible fuel... extend your range by adding it to a (almost) full tank after the cars fully warmed up. This will increase volume but dilute the veg. Oil with no starting issues. My son ran 50% filtered motor oil in his 7.3 powerstroke but with any higher mix increasingly the drivability went south.

Yes the veg oil gets rancid. Diesel will outlast it. Just keep a 5 gal. Sealed container and fill/refill your tank with it ever 6 months.

Better yet, buy my 83' 1.6 idi diesel/veg oil/motor oil burning battle wagon. Hell it'll run off dead zombie blood.

 

[turbobrick240]

If you have a nearly full tank of good fuel, why the heck would you need to add vegetable oil? I also don't see the point in lugging around 5 gals of fuel you'll likely not need. 1 gal ought to be sufficient.

 

[turbodieseldyke]

I think he really just wanted to drink it, and the "fuel" was an excuse to carry it around.

 

[turbobrick240]

I guess that's better than the tide pod challenge or nutmeg thing. A little mini deep fryer rigged on top of the turbo might be fun.

 

[JELLOWSUBMARINE]

If you have a nearly full tank of good fuel, why the heck would you need to add vegetable oil? I also don't see the point in lugging around 5 gals of fuel you'll likely not need. 1 gal ought to be sufficient.

It was a patronizing answer really. All but the zombie blood

 

[dieseldonato]

If you have a nearly full tank of good fuel, why the heck would you need to add vegetable oil? I also don't see the point in lugging around 5 gals of fuel you'll likely not need. 1 gal ought to be sufficient.

The 5 gallon can would be extreme, 10L/2.5 gal would be plenty imo. however, natural disaster type scenario evacuation. Usually the fuel runs out quick or the pumps are shut down for safty reasons. There are also some fairly remote areas you can drive without hitting a fuel station for quite some distance down in Florida. We camped/ backpacked at the big cypress national preserve roughly 10 years ago. (Wife and i) I was quite glad I kept a jerry can full of gas in the rodeo once we found out exactly how far we had to drive back a sand covered road just to get to the campe site before. Nothing around for miles, no fuel stations etc. Getting stranded sucks, being prepared prevents that.

 

[turbobrick240]

The 5 gallon can would be extreme, 10L/2.5 gal would be plenty imo. however, natural disaster type scenario evacuation. Usually the fuel runs out quick or the pumps are shut down for safty reasons. There are also some fairly remote areas you can drive without hitting a fuel station for quite some distance down in Florida. We camped/ backpacked at the big cypress national preserve roughly 10 years ago. (Wife and i) I was quite glad I kept a jerry can full of gas in the rodeo once we found out exactly how far we had to drive back a sand covered road just to get to the campe site before. Nothing around for miles, no fuel stations etc. Getting stranded sucks, being prepared prevents that.

Yeah, there are instances when having a full Jerry can is good insurance. But lugging around a full 5 gal. 24/7/365 in your daily driver is overkill for just about everyone. If your daily driver is a pickup, I suppose there isn't as much downside.

 

[The Cream Dolphin]

I just keep 2-3 of the family sized natural peanut butter's from mikes discount foods in my trunk. When my needle is sitting on E I pull over, pour the top oil off the peanut butter, and keep driving to the next station. Haven't not made it yet


Diesel lasts much longer then you would think. If you are worried about it dump it into the tank and refill the 1gal can once a year. Don't over complicate it or make it more work then it needs to be. I have seen 5+ year old diesel run fine in vehicles. Add a little 2 stroke oil if it's that old and it concerns you, but even so its not an issue.

Forget the injectors, that peanut butter will pull your teeth out if you no longer have that oil to mix in it. With the PB you should keep some diesel in the trunk to mix back into the PB to keep it an edible texture once you pour the oil out in the tank.

 

[GlowBugTDI]

Forget the injectors, that peanut butter will pull your teeth out if you no longer have that oil to mix in it. With the PB you should keep some diesel in the trunk to mix back into the PB to keep it an edible texture once you pour the oil out in the tank.

Right mate, good thinking!

 

[philngrayce]

As others have stated, diesel lasts a lot longer than vegetable oil. You can add biocide to make it last much longer, but then you definitely can’t drink it anymore. I would concur with the advice that, if you must carry anything, carry diesel.

But ifI could carry one thing in anticipation if a roadside emergency, it would be a spare fuel filter, not spare fuel.

You could also get an auxiliary fuel tank and carry another 10 or so gallons, giving you a 1,000 plus mile range.

 

[casioqv]

It would work just fine. I've done this in an old 1980s Volvo 760 diesel (VW engine)- I happened to be coming home from grocery shopping, ran out of fuel, and was able to make it to a diesel pump by adding the half gallon of vegetable oil I happened to have purchased with my groceries. Noticeable 'french fry' smell but the engine started and ran like normal. Obviously those engines are less sensitive than modern ones, but I think this would be fine in any diesel for a very short emergency drive.

A modern common rail diesel engine will have some serious running on vegetable oil long term, but realistically, doing it just once in an emergency won't cause any problems. Even when ran "empty" you are looking at a substantial amount of diesel still in there that will dilute the vegetable oil, and the overall properties will still be pretty close to real diesel. Viscosity will be higher, but these fuel systems are already designed to handle high viscosity short term during extreme cold weather starts. As long as the oil is liquid, water free, and lubricates about as well as diesel it will work. Most problems with WVO are caused by dirty oil or water in the oil, but food grade brand new oil from the store will be extremely clean and dry.

One could likely also use engine oil for an emergency fuel in a diesel. I can't recommend it, but I'd imagine most diesels could survive removing half a gallon or so from the oil pan and pouring it into the tank in an absolute emergency. I'd need to be in a life or death situation to do that to any of my diesels, but I'd bet it would work.

 

[turbobrick240]

Yup, the smart move would be to drain the sump, put that yuck in the tank, and then add the Wesson to the engine. I wouldn't run it for the full 10k mile interval, though.

 

[J_dude]

Oh man how did I miss this gem of a thread?! Peanut butter...

It would work just fine. I've done this in an old 1980s Volvo 760 diesel (VW engine)

As for this, a diesel from the 80's and the OP's 2011 are two vastly different creatures...
A diesel from the 80's will run on waste motor oil that's been filtered through a sock, I cannot imagine a CR TDI would make it a block.

 

[casioqv]

As for this, a diesel from the 80's and the OP's 2011 are two vastly different creatures...
A diesel from the 80's will run on waste motor oil that's been filtered through a sock, I cannot imagine a CR TDI would make it a block.

Did you only read that far into my post? I addressed that immediately after the part you quoted. Although not ideal, there is absolutely no reason to think a CR would fail suddenly from clean vegetable oil heavily diluted in diesel fuel during a short drive in emergency conditions. Although generally not advised long term, there are even a few cases of people successfully running high mileages in modern Bosch CR engines on waste vegetable oil. There are even commercial engineered WVO/SVO kits for most common rail VWs. Here is a commercial kit for OPs specific vehicle: https://www.elsbett.com/epages/6310...4/Products/481001K2/SubProducts/481001K2-0004 I wouldn't personally use such a kit on my own vehicles, or put vegetable oil in a CR diesel unless it was a serious emergency, but I would be very surprised if the engine failed to run after a short distance.

 

[P2B]

Here is a commercial kit for OPs specific vehicle: https://www.elsbett.com/epages/6310...4/Products/481001K2/SubProducts/481001K2-0004

If you read the fine print "The modification kit is not suitable for an engine with an original FAP / DPF system" - so actually not engineered for the OP's vehicle.