My eye! Sweet Jesus, Ouch!

[Hedganian]

How do I recalibrate my car's speedo?

[Xaccers]

I've been doing 56mph everywhere (well, everwhere that it's legal) simply because I get 45mpg doing that compared to only 32mpg doing 70mph+, and now vegetable oil is over 100ppl at Costco, with the miles I do, I need to save as much as possible.

Most of the time other drivers aren't an issue, I'm in lane 1, they can pass, but now and again you get some jerk screaming up behind, nipping into lane 2 and then swerving back into lane 1.

[amateurstuntman]

It depends on the car.

 

Because my car is a Jap import it had to be converted from Km/h to mph. To do that I used an electronic box that has the ability to be calibrated.

 

If yours can't be calibrated then do it mentally. Time your car over a measured mile (16 markers on the motorway) at 60mph and it should take exactly 1 minute.

If it doesn't (I'll bet you a tenner it take more than 65 or 66 seconds) then you are off.

Speed up a couple of mph at a time until it takes exactly 1 minute and that is a true 60mph.

Calculate the %error, a bit of maths and bob's your auntie.

 

*edit*

 

Xaccers:

 

I'd have you down as a Driver. You choose your speed deliberately and understand driving dynamics (I remember you discussing lateral G at one point).

I leave plenty of space (unless some douche pulls in front of me with an inch of clearance).

[Hedganian]

Xaccers - Buy used veggie oil from your local takeaway. In a lot of cases, they'll just give it to you (they have to pay someone to take it away, normally) Even if you have to pay, it won't be much more than £5 or £10 for a 20l drum. And, believe it or not, once filtered to 5 microns, waste cooking oil is actually MORE efficient as a fuel in your car than the unused oil. It's something to do with the heating and picking up extra carbon atoms from the cooking process, or something like that, but I'm not a chemist, so I don't really know.

 

Also, what car are you driving? My 2005 VW Passat Estate gets 45-50mpg on a 35 mile motorway journey when my cruise control is pegged at 80.

 

 

Lane discipline, especially on motorways, is a real bugbear for me. In the UK, drive on the LEFT! You move right to OVERTAKE, then when you're done overtaking, you move back to the LEFT again! How hard is that? So why do I see people behind each other in the middle lane, overtaking in the outside lane, and seeming to ignore the mostly empty inside lane?? It's not just for trucks, people!!!

 

EDIT:

 

Stunt - I don't want to do maths while I'm driving...

 

Also, it's worth mentioning that things can affect the accuracy of a speedo. If it's not been calibrated recently, then God knows what it's like.

 

Have you fitted new tyres? Your speedo's calibration is now off. Have you been using the same tyres for a while and they've worn down? Then your speedo is off *again*...

 

You'd think the calibration of such an important instrument would be part of the MoT, wouldn't you? How are you supposed to rely on it to tell you how fast you're going if it has never been checked for accuracy since the factory installed the damn thing?

 

Interestingly, my SatNav will tell me the speed it thinks I'm doing and it's always 5-10mph lower than the needle on my speedo says. Then again, I'm not sure how accurate the SatNav speedo is, it doesn't update very rapidly, for one thing...

[Xaccers]

Buy used veggie oil from your local takeaway. In a lot of cases, they'll just give it to you (they have to pay someone to take it away, normally) Even if you have to pay, it won't be much more than £5 or £10 for a 20l drum. And, believe it or not, once filtered to 5 microns, waste cooking oil is actually MORE efficient as a fuel in your car than the unused oil. It's something to do with the heating and picking up extra carbon atoms from the cooking process, or something like that, but I'm not a chemist, so I don't really know.

 

Been running on SVO for over 4 years now, so well aware of what needs to be done to use WVO safely (for the pump), and I don't have the time or space, it's a lot more than just filtering. SVO gives me more mpg than everyone I know with same cars (or slightly lighter hatchback versions) running on WVO, no need to carry a spare fuel filter all the time, and 5mph higher top speed than derv

Been looking for any WVO (properly treated) suppliers in the local area but they all seem to be bio makers and I love my cars too much to do that to them (that and it's even more expensive than SVO).

Still, spring is nearly here so the price should peak soon and drop back down.

[amateurstuntman]

Take a passenger for a calibration run and then memorise the true readings for the major speeds, 50, 60 and 70.

I go with indicated speeds in towns anyway because you can never tell when some suicidal idiot will throw himself at your car.

[Xaccers]

Xaccers:

 

I'd have you down as a Driver. You choose your speed deliberately and understand driving dynamics (I remember you discussing lateral G at one point).

I leave plenty of space (unless some douche pulls in front of me with an inch of clearance).

 

Thanks

 

To me there are two types of speeders, those who drive at a speed they feel comfortable with keeping a mindful eye out and having no problem with slowing down well in advance of reaching slower traffic ahead, and then there are those who want to be in front. They're the dangerous ones, they'll swap lanes without looking, they have no concept of safe driving, they'll scream up behind someone a few feet away and flash their lights.

[amateurstuntman]

Yup, just another kind of user - only one with a faster car and a chip on his shoulder.

[Hedganian]

I run on no more than 50% WVO, 50% regular diesel from the pump, that could well be the reason. In the winter, I tend to stick to 1/3:2/3. I don't carry a spare fuel filter, but I do have it changed every year come service time, whether the manual says it needs it or not.

 

At the moment, I'm finishing off my two-stage filtration system, which consists of a pair of 120l drums, some filters, a pump and will be adding some taps and hoses. I've got a heater for the first-stage filter (600m down to 75m) and I'm trying to find suitable immersion heaters without breaking the bank to heat the whole drum upto around 60 C to help remove as much water as possible.

 

But even pouring the WVO straight into the car through the 75m filter hasn't produced any noticeable issues so far. I consider that the extra investment in equipment will be offset by the saving in fuel cost over time. At least, that's the idea. Also, I quite like using a waste product as fuel, it makes my inner-environmentalist happy. And it makes my exhaust smell a bit like chips, which amuses me endlessly....

[Xaccers]

I run on no more than 50% WVO, 50% regular diesel from the pump, that could well be the reason. In the winter, I tend to stick to 1/3:2/3. I don't carry a spare fuel filter, but I do have it changed every year come service time, whether the manual says it needs it or not.

 

At the moment, I'm finishing off my two-stage filtration system, which consists of a pair of 120l drums, some filters, a pump and will be adding some taps and hoses. I've got a heater for the first-stage filter (600m down to 75m) and I'm trying to find suitable immersion heaters without breaking the bank to heat the whole drum upto around 60 C to help remove as much water as possible.

 

But even pouring the WVO straight into the car through the 75m filter hasn't produced any noticeable issues so far. I consider that the extra investment in equipment will be offset by the saving in fuel cost over time. At least, that's the idea. Also, I quite like using a waste product as fuel, it makes my inner-environmentalist happy. And it makes my exhaust smell a bit like chips, which amuses me endlessly....

 

I can run 100% SVO all year round, although when there's snow I'll add some derv otherwise she hunts on tickover until she warms up.

It helps that the XUD has a built in fuel heater too.

Like you, I only ever mix with derv, I've seen what white spirits/paint thinner can do and it isn't pretty, but several WVO runners I know use unleaded petrol as it lets them run higher percentages whilst keeping the costs low. Adding petrol to diesel is something that is done anyway in extremely low temperatures.

Next time you fill up, try some v-power instead of standard diesel

 

With the miles I do, I hit that 6000 service every couple of months, so I normally change all the filters at the same time.

Did have a WVO friend who didn't carry a spare and got stranded on the M3, another friend had to drive down with a new one.

 

As for the smell, I'm anosmic so I have no idea what it's like, but apparently if you use corn oil it makes your exhaust smell of popcorn

[Hedganian]

I'm not up for changing a fuel filter on the hard shoulder.

 

I have run my car, totally unmodified, on pure SVO for a few days in the summer. But if I was going to run on pure oil all the time, I'd want to fit a heated fuel system, and I'm not going to do that. It's too expensive. The point of putting veggie oil in my car is to *save* money!

 

Of course, all the money I've spent on barrels, filters, pumps and things could be wasted anyway once I go to somewhere warm and sandy later in the year...

 

Not a lot of people seem to know this, but apparently the very first compression-ignition engine ran on peanut oil. So, really, those of us running on veggie oils are just going back to what the engine was designed to use in the first place!

 

Likewise, the first internal combustion engines ran on alcohol...

[Xaccers]

I'm not up for changing a fuel filter on the hard shoulder.

 

I have run my car, totally unmodified, on pure SVO for a few days in the summer. But if I was going to run on pure oil all the time, I'd want to fit a heated fuel system, and I'm not going to do that. It's too expensive. The point of putting veggie oil in my car is to *save* money!

 

Of course, all the money I've spent on barrels, filters, pumps and things could be wasted anyway once I go to somewhere warm and sandy later in the year...

 

What's your car?

Have you considered an in-line electric heater?

[Hedganian]

I did mention a few minutes ago, that I have a 2005 2.0TDI 130bhp VW Passat Estate.

 

Would it be worth fitting a heater to the fuel line alone? The tank would still be cold, as would the filter and engine itself, so at low temperatures the waxing of the oil would still presumably be an issue.

 

In the really cold weather before Xmas, I had about 20l of WVO in my tank with 50l of regular diesel and I experienced no real problems - it was a little reluctant to start, but not very. I'd guesstimate ignition within maybe 5 seconds or so compared to almost instantly in normal conditions.

 

I'm not sure I could acquire, filter and store enough WVO to replace regular fuel completely in my car, given the setup I'm working with at the moment and the miles I'm currently doing. Unfortunately, I haven't been able - as yet - to set up a system for filtering the oil that doesn't require me to supervise it. I'm hoping that experience and trickle-investment will improve that situation.

[Xaccers]

I did mention a few minutes ago, that I have a 2005 2.0TDI 130bhp VW Passat Estate.

 

And you're using WVO in that?!?!??!?!?!

 

I know the 1.9TDIs could run on veg, but the 2.0TDis only seem to be good enough for bio, and not that high a concentration either!

[Hedganian]

Not had any issues so far. Like I said, I keep the ratio of regular diesel to veggie oil above 50%, which seems to help.

 

My Dad has a slightly older version of the same car and same engine, but the 100bhp version of the engine-management software, and he's not had any issues either. He uses much lower percentages than I do, though.

 

To the best of my knowledge, pretty much any diesel made after 2000, certainly after 2005, is more than capable of running on 50% veggie oil.

[Xaccers]

Not had any issues so far. Like I said, I keep the ratio of regular diesel to veggie oil above 50%, which seems to help.

 

My Dad has a slightly older version of the same car and same engine, but the 100bhp version of the engine-management software, and he's not had any issues either. He uses much lower percentages than I do, though.

 

To the best of my knowledge, pretty much any diesel made after 2000, certainly after 2005, is more than capable of running on 50% veggie oil.

 

No, made before 2000.

IDI engines are the ones to go for, post 2000 with the mass introduction of DI engines meant that they're so poor at running on anything other than derv that some (common rail) struggle on more than 5% biodiesel.

 

From the looks of things you need to do some considerable conversion to get your car to run on SVO, let alone WVO with trouble free motoring (remember even a roto diesel pump like a Lucas can run on veg for a while until it goes bang), look up Eisbett and single tank conversion.

Or find a reputable biodiesel supplier.

[Hedganian]

Hmmm....

 

That's worrying.

[Xaccers]

Hmmm....

 

That's worrying.

 

 

Have a look through http://www.vegetableoildiesel.co.uk/forum or sign up and ask, plenty of veg heads on there

I've tried searching for your engine on there and it looks like it's biodiesel only, which is what other websites are suggesting, unless you fit a conversion kit.

 

See, if you wanted to be environmentally friendly, you should have saved an old Xantia 1.9TD from the scrappage scheme

 

That's another thing which narked me off!!!

How is encouraging people to buy new cars, and therefore increase pollution through the production of those cars actually good for the planet?

A 10 year old fiesta is not going to produce more polution during it's servicable lifetime than what is produced in making a brand new fiesta.

[Seraphim989]

When my car is doing 60 mph, it doesn't cause any damage. Nor does it cause any damage when going at 100 mph

 

Oh ruddy hell, come on don't be an *albatross* about it. It's obvious I meant a car going 100mph causes more damage in an accident than a car going 60mph in an accident

[Xaccers]

Oh ruddy hell, come on don't be an *albatross* about it. It's obvious I meant a car going 100mph causes more damage in an accident than a car going 60mph in an accident

 

A car going 60mph causes more damage in an accident than a car going 10mph in an accident

Should we all do 10mph?

[Hedganian]

That's another thing which narked me off!!!

How is encouraging people to buy new cars, and therefore increase pollution through the production of those cars actually good for the planet?

A 10 year old fiesta is not going to produce more polution during it's servicable lifetime than what is produced in making a brand new fiesta.

 

On average, a new car produces less harmful emissions per mile than an older car which would qualify for the scrappage scheme. Therefore, replacing the older cars with new cars reduces the amount of harmful emissions coming from cars overall. And reduce the amount of fuel used by cars, thus extending the supply of fuel a little bit.

 

In the Big Picture, perhaps producing a new car will use more energy and resources than running an older car. But that's not the goal of the scrappage scheme. It was primarily economic, in that stimulating sale and therefore manufacture of new cars would help the economy. It had secondary impacts in that new cars are generally safer and less damaging to the environment.

 

My Dad often says that producing electric cars is just moving the pollution to another source - from car exhausts to power-station chimneys, as if this justifies not bothering to do it. My reply is simple - you solve one problem at a time.

 

Solve the problem of dwindling automotive fuel supplies and harmful automotive emissions by having electric cars. THEN solve the problem of fuel and emissions from power stations - easily done by using as much wind, tidal, wave, hydroelectric, solar and geothermal power as possible and using nuclear reactors to supply the rest. Safe, clean, reliable, cheap. It's the only source that makes sense. Until Cold Fusion comes along, anyway.

 

Oh ruddy hell, come on don't be an *albatross* about it. It's obvious I meant a car going 100mph causes more damage in an accident than a car going 60mph in an accident

 

Just as it was obvious that my point is that just because you're driving at 100mph doesn't mean you will HAVE an accident??? Yet again, I say to you, SPEED IS NOT THE CAUSE OF ACCIDENTS.

 

Yes, if you HAVE an accident going at higher speed will make the damage worse. I never said otherwise. But the cause of the accident will not be that you were driving fast, but rather that either your vehicle or another vehicle was being driven unsafely.

[DarkLite]

Hedge, going faster makes you more likely to have an accident due to decreased reaction time, increased braking distance and reduced control.

[FireKnife]

Hedge, going faster makes you more likely to have an accident due to decreased reaction time, increased braking distance and reduced control.

 

Think this is related to a basic question on the driving theory if i remember rightly called 'what are the issues associated with driving above the speed limit'.

 

Then again i also remember an answer being 'you will cause more interesting roadkill' or maybe that was what i wanted to put.

 

'FireKnife'

[Xaccers]

On average, a new car produces less harmful emissions per mile than an older car which would qualify for the scrappage scheme. Therefore, replacing the older cars with new cars reduces the amount of harmful emissions coming from cars overall. And reduce the amount of fuel used by cars, thus extending the supply of fuel a little bit.

 

Except overall, a new car will produce more pollution, maybe not from the exhaust pipe, but overall it will be higher due to the materials involved and the manufacturing process.

What's worse is that cars these days aren't designed to last. 20K between services? Good for fleet owners and dealers who dump cars when the warranty is up after 3 years, but not for the 2nd hand market.

It's in the manufacturers' interest to make it seem more worthwhile to scrap a car than repair it, hence why parts are going "no longer available" after just 10 years (in some cases sooner!).

 

 

My Dad often says that producing electric cars is just moving the pollution to another source - from car exhausts to power-station chimneys, as if this justifies not bothering to do it. My reply is simple - you solve one problem at a time.

 

Solve the problem of dwindling automotive fuel supplies and harmful automotive emissions by having electric cars. THEN solve the problem of fuel and emissions from power stations - easily done by using as much wind, tidal, wave, hydroelectric, solar and geothermal power as possible and using nuclear reactors to supply the rest. Safe, clean, reliable, cheap. It's the only source that makes sense. Until Cold Fusion comes along, anyway.

 

The problem is electric cars are expensive and impractical, and until hydrogen cells, or some other quick recharge/long range technology becomes mainstream, we're stuck with internal combustion engines, and fudging the type of pollution it spews out.

 

The other problem we have in tackling the energy issue is that people like a nice neat single solution, so they complain about wind farms because you'd have to cover the nation in them to power our needs and therefore we should have none, or complain about nuclear because it's not good at coping with surges so lets have none. People seem to have a hard time realising that we actually need a mix of whatever works. Nuclear as you say, for the bulk of the constant requirement, hydro/wind/solar/clean coal for the rest and to cope with surges/drops in demand.

[DeadBolt]

Wai... wait... wWHAT???

 

there are cars that run on vegetable oil?

 

Holy crapola i'm behind in the times