Greasecar Vegetable Fuel Systems is the nation’s leader in the design, manufacturing, and sales of vegetable oil conversion kits for diesel automobiles and trucks. Founded in 2000 by Justin Carven, Greasecar has grown from a one-room shop to a thriving business with more than a dozen employees and annual sales in excess of $2 million.
Greasecar manufactures conversion kits for Volkswagen and Mercedes diesel passenger automobiles and Ford, Chevy and Dodge diesel pick-up trucks. The kits are designed so that individuals with some basic mechanical aptitude can install the conversion kits on their own over the course of a weekend.
A converted Greasecar veggie-powered car or truck helps reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil, releases fewer harmful emissions into our environment, and results in a significant reduction in the cost of running a car.
In order to run a vehicle on straight vegetable oil, the engine in the car has to be a diesel. Most diesel engines in the U.S. are in pick-up trucks or Volkswagen autos and older cars made by Mercedes Benz. While it may seem strange, the inventor of the diesel motor, Rudolph Diesel, used peanut oil in his original design.
The cost of a Greasecar kit for a car is about $1,000 and Greasecar truck kits start around $1500 and go up from there depending on the make and model.
Running an engine on vegetable oil requires two fuel tanks – one with diesel fuel the other with vegetable oil. The extra fuel tank is designed to kit in the trunk of a car or the back of a truck. The truck or car starts using diesel fuel. Once running, the engine heats the vegetable oil which is in a separate tank. The system's computer controller automatically switches the vehicle to vegetable oil when it is at the proper temperature. At the end of a trip, the driver will then switch back to diesel fuel so the engine will start properly when it is cold. Running on veggie oil is ideally suited for those who have long daily commutes or spend a great deal of time in their truck or car.
Obtaining used veggie oil is very inexpensive. Most Greasecar customers collect discarded oil from local restaurants and filter the oil before using it for fuel. Restaurants are more than happy to have someone take the waste oil away because otherwise they are required to properly dispose of the waste, usually at a cost.
Running on vegetable oil is very different from biodiesel. Biodiesel goes directly into the vehicle's standard diesel tank and is usually blended between 5% to 20% biodiesel while the rest is still petrol diesel. The cost of biodiesel is similar if not slightly more expensive than regular diesel.
Visit our web site to learn more about vegetable oil technology and why it might be right for you.
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