Dealerships suspect a communication breakdown with the VTS module, which Porsche mandates on Russian-market cars for anti-theft. Temporary fixes involve disconnecting the battery for 10 hours or disassembling the alarm unit, but many owners need tow trucks for service centers. Rolf's service director hinted it "might be intentional," though no proof surfaces yet.

Porsche suspended new car deliveries to Russia in March 2022 after the Ukraine invasion, citing "uncertainty." The brand retains three subsidiaries Porsche Russia, Porsche Center Moscow, and PFS Russia unable to sell despite deals with "independent investors" pending government approval. Warranty service continues through local partners, but parts and updates lag.

This isn't the first headache. Porsche scaled back but never fully exited, facing failed asset sales and regulatory blocks. Recent global sales dips (down 8% in 2025) compound woes, with Russia a shrinking footnote. Owners fume in Telegram groups, dubbing cars "bricks" as winter bites.

Glitch from neglected remote systems? Or deliberate remote disablement tied to sanctions? Porsche stays silent. Russian owners pay the price either way prepped for failure in a market Porsche can't quit.

On the day itself, everything that could go wrong did. Traffic. Weather. Second-guessing my chosen lens. But the main issue was arriving at the helicopter to find a TV cameraman already in the window seat. Sitting on the other side wasn’t an option - only one side would have the view of the bridge. The helicopter pilot thought for a moment, then casually said 7 words that would stay with me forever: ‘You can just stand on the skid’. So that’s what I did.

Now I have 1000 thoughts running through my head, all of them bad. I’m standing on the outside of a helicopter heading to 3000ft, questioning everything. Then it got cold, really cold. I’d prepared for travel in a helicopter, not the intense icy winds you get standing inches below a massive rotor blade in the open sky at altitude. It was -10C in the air with massive windchill on top. I immediately couldn’t feel my fingers or face, the only way I knew I’d pressed the shutter is if the viewfinder blacked out for a split second as the mirror moved. 

Then came a radio call from the pilot - ‘we can’t hover’. It sounded bad, and in many ways it was, the air was too turbulent to hover at that height so we had to fly circuits, circles in the air but with the helicopter always facing the same direction so the bridge was in view. Which meant we’d fly forwards, then sideways, then backwards, then to the other side all whist gaining and losing copious amounts of altitude in the bumps. 

I made a conscious decision at this point to think of it as a stunt - this was the closest I’d ever get to hanging off the skid of a helicopter and I was doing it at 3000ft as an airliner passed underneath. My neck hurt from my heart beat. Then Concorde came into view. The immortal words the picture editor said as I left the office came back to me, “Don’t fuck it up.”

The rest is history.

CREDIT: Lewis Whyld

Rolls Royce began in 1884 as an electrical and mechanical company founded by Henry Royce. In 1904, Henry Royce teamed up with Charles Rolls in London who was already a quality car manufacturer. Rolls was the son of a baron as well and would become the business manager. While Royce would be the engineer and designer of the cars. These two were both experienced in their respective fields, which would get them success with the company.

The Rolls Royce company was finalized in 1906 and began making the six-cylinder Rolls Royce Silver Ghost. During that same year it was claimed to be the best car in the world. Rolls Royce continued to make cars until 1914, when the First World War broke out. Rolls Royce responded to the needs to Britain during the war and assisted by making aircraft engines.

When the war was over, and the 1920s came along, most car companies began to bring the coachbuilding of their cars in-house. The luxury car makers of that era would not do this and continued to outsource their coachbuilding to specialist. Rolls Royce did this as well, in order to not compromise the luxury of their cars. After all, it is what the company was founded on.

Unlike most car companies of the time, Rolls Royce would make a car using a customized chassis made by a coachbuilding of the buyer’s choice. Unlike Ford which standardized all their production and cars during this time, Rolls Royce made sure that choice and luxury was everything. Coachbuilding in the 1920s remained a difficult craft; a wooden frame was created, and steel or aluminum body panels were added to the car and shaped upon the request of the buyer.

The 1930s brought many good things to Rolls Royce. In 1931, it acquired its competitor Bentley, which was unable to weather the effects of the Great Depression. In the same year, the Rolls Royce “R” engine was fitted to a seaplane for Britian’s entry into the International Schneider Trophy competition. And during this seaplane competition the seaplane powered by the “R” engine obtained a world record by setting a speed of 400 mph.

(credit: Pinterest)

In 1933, the Rolls-Royce radiator monogram was changed from red to black because it was seen as interfering with the coachwork selected by some clients. As the 1930s came to a close, the Second World War was on the rise, and by 1940 Rolls Royce was a massive supplier of engines to the RAF. Particularly the Rolls Royce Merlin engine which powered the Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane, which heavily influenced the Battle of Britain.

Because of the reputation the Rolls Royce had gathered during the war for making quality engines. This made Rolls Royce a major name in the world of aircraft engine production. A business that they are still in today. After the war in 1946, Rolls Royce moved production to Crewe, in Cheshire, England. And in 1959, Rolls Royce added production to Mulliner Park Ward, in London, England. Rolls Royce also stopped the process of coachbuilding as it became impossible to continue in the modern era with their intended market.

The Silver Cloud was replaced by the Silver Shadow in 1965 to represent this change. Regardless of the change in tradition, Rolls Royce continued to prioritize luxury over all other things. Rolls Royce was nationalized by the British government following issues caused by the RB211 turbofan engine. Rolls Royce was split into its aviation sector, and its car company Rolls Royce Motors. The car section of the company was sent to private ownership in 1973, while the aviation side remained in public ownership until 1987.

In 1990, Rolls Royce began a joint venture with BMW regarding aircraft engines. Rolls Royce Motors was sold to Volkswagen, although BMW held the rights to the Rolls Royce name and badge. Volkswagen sold BMW the Rolls Royce Motor company and kept the Bentley company. Rolls Royce was now completely with BMW, and Bentley was completely with Volkswagen.

After the turn of the century, Rolls Royce has captured the market with the Phantom. Rolls Royce continues to press on with luxury with its current lineup, all you need to do it head to their website to find that out. Over the years, most car companies seemed to have lost the focus of what they started as, but not Rolls Royce. It is good to see a company that has remained loyal to the same principles that it was founded on. And Rolls Royce is the perfect example of that company. It started with an unwavering allegiance to luxury, and it still has that same allegiance.

Thank you for reading the article, and I sincerely hoped that you enjoyed the article. If you enjoyed the article and love Rolls Royce, please let me know in the comments. I also have an Instagram page for my car as well, if any of you are interested.

ChrisFix: Your Ultimate DIY Car Maintenance and Repair Guide

ChrisFix is a renowned car YouTuber known for his expertise in do-it-yourself (DIY) automotive content. With a passion for cars that started at a young age, Chris Fix has transformed his YouTube channel into a valuable resource for car enthusiasts and owners alike. From providing step-by-step tutorials to sharing essential maintenance tips, ChrisFix has garnered a massive following and become a go-to authority in the automotive DIY community.

A Journey of Passion and Dedication:

ChrisFix's YouTube journey began in 2007 when he was just a teenager with a love for cars. Despite joining a military academy at the age of 17, Chris continued producing videos, showcasing his dedication to sharing his automotive knowledge. Over the years, his channel has evolved, attracting a loyal audience that appreciates his thorough explanations and easy-to-follow instructions.

The DIY Specialist:

What sets ChrisFix apart is his specialization in DIY car maintenance and repairs. His channel serves as an invaluable resource for individuals looking to tackle various automotive tasks on their own. With an extensive library of how-to videos, ChrisFix covers a wide range of topics, including basic maintenance, repairs, upgrades, and troubleshooting. His expertise and attention to detail make even complex tasks accessible to non-professionals.

Educational and Engaging Content:

ChrisFix's videos are not only informative but also highly engaging. With a friendly and approachable on-screen presence, he guides viewers through each step, ensuring they understand the process thoroughly. Whether it's changing oil, repairing rust, or super cleaning a car, ChrisFix's videos provide practical guidance, empowering viewers to take control of their vehicle maintenance.

Diversified Content:

While cars remain the primary focus of ChrisFix's channel, he also ventures into other areas of interest, including home improvement and electronics. This diversification allows viewers to explore a variety of topics and broaden their knowledge beyond automotive repairs. ChrisFix's versatility contributes to the channel's appeal, attracting a diverse audience with different interests.

Unparalleled Success:

ChrisFix's dedication to producing high-quality content has earned him an impressive subscriber base of over 8.84 million. Some of his most famous videos, such as "How To Super Clean Your Car," "Drill Your Well Series," and "How To Repair Rust On Your Car," have amassed millions of views, solidifying ChrisFix as one of the most successful YouTubers in the automotive genre. His ability to combine educational value with entertainment has undoubtedly contributed to his popularity.

ChrisFix's YouTube channel is a treasure trove of DIY automotive knowledge, offering enthusiasts and car owners a wealth of practical tips and step-by-step guides. From basic maintenance to more complex repairs, ChrisFix's dedication to empowering viewers shines through in his meticulously crafted videos. With a diverse range of content and an engaging on-screen presence, ChrisFix has solidified his position as a leading figure in the automotive DIY community. Whether you're a seasoned DIYer or a novice looking to learn, ChrisFix's channel is a must-watch for anyone seeking to enhance their automotive skills and take control of their vehicle's maintenance and repair.

The police argue that they clamp down on speed for safety reasons and in some circumstances this is entirely warranted. BUT, evidence suggests that the police’ attitude is more about being out to get you. 

Let’s face it, if this was all about safety and then why not hand out fines of $1,000 for every KPH over - people wouldn’t speed then.  They’d be recklessly concentrating on their speedo.

The police will argue they only place covert cameras in high crash rate sites. If you want people to slow down through these high-risk areas, you clearly won’t accomplish it by hiding a camera and informing drivers a few weeks later of their transgression.

During a journey it is virtually IMPOSSIBLE to not exceed the limits occasionally.

Whilst driving, the motorist should concentrate on the road and hazards and regularly glance down to check the speed.  The problem is that whilst processing the thousands of distractions on the road, speed naturally fluctuates and the police appear to be hell-bent on catching and prosecuting responsible motorists for those few seconds of excess speed. In my opinion this is not speeding and not deserved of large fines that often have further consequences. 

I have followed many traffic cops and they always creep above and drop below the limit. They spot a motorst doing the same and serve them with a ticket.

I am prompted to write this article after two highly dubious stops. As you’ll read, the police in question did not follow the operations manual in any way shape or form, therefore the readings obtained were unreliable and were unenforceable.

In this article I will be detailing excerpts from the police operations manual and outlining the a clear and valid defence should you choose to take the case to court.

DOWNLOAD POLICE SPEED TRAP OPERATIONS MANUAL HERE. (It’s a new Zealand copy but is effective for all forces using the Stalker unit across the world) 

THE RADAR TRAP

The Stalker device is very sophisticated and capable of taking a forward and reverse facing reading. It is also capable of taking a reading for either the fastest or largest target in the field of view.

Having said that it is also a dumb device and CANNOT determine WHICH target is producing the reading.

This failing is well understood therefore a Code of Operation is published and must be followed. It outlines the correct procedure to obtain a reliable reading.

In summary, the officer must have a clear view of the traffic they are monitoring. They are trained to ESTIMATE speed. If they spot a vehicle they feel is speeding they are to estimate that speed manually, they are to establish a FULL tracking history including the car make and colour. The radar is ONLY to be used to CONFIRM the officers’ estimation.

In the case of the first trap I was subject to, the officer was sat in his patrol car at night, with his back to oncoming traffic in a four lane highway. He was obscured by a bridge and hidden deep in bushes. The view of traffic from his vehicle would have consisted of a set of headlights reflected in the rear view mirror! 

Radar works by bouncing a signal off an object.  The point here is that it bounces it off the FIRST object in its line of sight. An officer operating a trap MUST have a clear line of sight. The officer took a spurious reading and then enforced it.  I took the officer to court with a clear defence that in the position he set up the trap, he was unable to take a reliable reading.

Unfortunately, on that occasion the officer chose to commit perjury and moved the position of the trap. Luckily, as I recommend, I recorded the conversation and the case is now with the Police Complaints Commission.

The second spurious ticket I received was taken by another officer hiding in bushes and obscured by multiple objects. (See police car sat in bushes to the left with line of sight obstructed by poles, trees, signs etc. etc)

This experience prompted me to delve deeper into the Code of Operations and it’s now clear that the officer simply did not follow a single code of conduct. 

DEPOLYMENT

An ideal site is a straight for at least 250m with the road surface slightly rising away from the radar unit and free from undulations.

Tracking History
A tracking history of the vehicle must be established. Tracking history for all speed dictation units contain three main elements:

• visual observation
• audio observation
• verification by speed sector

To eliminate errors effectively, all three elements must be present for each speed check.

For radar units operating in mobile mode the vehicle ground speed must be confirmed by a certified speedometer

Multiple Vehicles in Beam
Where there is more than one vehicle in the beam, enforcement action may be taken, providing the operator can give sufficient evidence relating to the tracking history of other vehicles and the offender’s speed

THE STOP

It is highly unlikely, unless you’re wearing a short skirt :) that you’ll talk your way out of the speeding allegation on the side of the road so it’s wise to say nothing. I would recommend that you do not question the trap or make a case for the exceed speed limit. This will only serve to ensure the officer makes more notes and remembers you.

If you feel the reading was unreliable and the officer did not adhere to the operations manual procedures then take covert pictures to be used later.

YOUR DEFENCE

There is generally no defence for speeding, it’s black and white. However, if that reading can be proven to be INACCURATE, then it cannot be enforced. There are strict operational procedures to be followed to ensure a reading is taken accurately. If the operations are not followed then the reading obtained is unreliable.

IN COURT

The procedure in court is that you have the opportunity to first question the officer and then sum up.

It is important in the questioning stage that you establish, outline and identify the correct procedural operations the officer must follow in their enforcement of your fine and it is better if you have the officer do that. 

QUESTIONS

The following line of questioning will set up the platform to effectively sum up your defence. Some are relevant to police attempting to take readings in a covert position.

Q. Are you familiar with the operational procedure of the unit used to obtain the reading?
A. Should be yes

Q. Is site selection important when setting up the trap?
A. Yes

Q. What does the operational manual say about setting up a safe speed trap?
A.  Site selection is extremely important when operating radar in a stationary mode. An operator must consider both operation and safety considerations when selecting a location.

IDEAL SITE: An ideal site is a straight for at least 250m with the road surface slightly rising away from the radar unit and free from undulations.

SITE SAFETY: When setting up a stationary site the operator should do so without interfering with traffic movement. The site should allow the operator room to stop the offender using hand signals without the need for pursuit. Safe and legal parking should be available for the vehicles stopped.

Q. How does RADAR work?
A. should be along the lines of: Radio waves are emitted into free space. If the energy strikes an object part of that scattered energy is returned to the receiving antenna. The beam is fired out in the shape of a cone, like  torch beam with a 12 degree spread.

Q. Can RADAR obtain a reading through an inmate object?
A. No - it is reflected for the FIRST object encountered.

Q. I understand that the police unit has a setting for largest or fastest object. Can it determine which object is returning the reading?
A. No

Q. Therefore, is it a requirement that the operator must establish a tracking history?
A. Yes

Q. What does the operational manual say about establishing a tracking history?
A. Obtaining a proper tracking history of the target will eliminate errors. Tracking history is the chain of evidence that provides the operator with the assurance the target vehicle speed is correctly captured by the radar equipment. 

The operator must demonstrate that they are able to establish a tracking history of the vehicle. this means they:
See the target vehicle and specify what it looks like e.g. a red Toyota or blue Mazda

Tracking history for all radar contains three elements:

• Visual observation
• Audio observation
• Radar verification

Visual observation:

There are three elements to visual observation

• identify the target vehicle and continue to monitor its travel
• confirm the target vehicle is within the radar’s range
• estimate the target vehicle’s speed

Audio confirmation. The operator must:

• listen for a clear Doppler tone
• check the tone is consistent with the speed
• check the level of the audio tone is strong and not fluctuating or warbling

Radar verification

There are four parts to the verification

• the initial reading is consistent with the operator’s visual observation and operator-estimated speed
• a steady target reading
• readings consistent with visual observation and audio tone
• ground speed readings confirmed by patrol speedometer

When the operator is satisfied the target vehicle is producing the correct reading they should lock the reading and take the appropriate enforcement action. Failure to lock the speed will not prevent enforcement action.

Q. When issuing a notice what does the manual say about recording the offence and tracking history?
A. Record a summary of the offence on the reverse of the notice including tracking history.

Q. Do you have a documentary evidence that you established a tracking history?
A. Generally, this will be a no.

Q. Do you have a documentary evidence that you established you followed the Code of Operations?
A. Generally, this will be a no.

Q. What doe the Code of Operations say regarding any doubt whatsoever with operational procedure for obtaining an accurate reading?
A. Fairness. Operators must use their training and experience to ensure that there are no significant sources of reflection or interference in the vicinity of the offence. 

IF THERE IS EVER ANY DOUBT CONCERNING THE SPEED CHECK OR THE OPERATION OF THE SPEED DETECTION UNIT, NO ACTION IS TO BE TAKEN.

SUMMING UP.

During questioning we clearly established that the speed trap was not properly set up/operated/tracking history was not adequately established to documented therefore the reading was unreliable.

According to the operational code this unreliable reading cannot be enforced

YES!

It is perfectly possible to run your diesel engine on vegetable oil!

In some areas Supermarkets have rationed their supply of vegoil because so many people have cottoned onto this motoring loophole!

Autoinfozone have revealed this amazing substitute to thousands. BUT it must be stressed that throwing pure vegoil in your tank can cause problems – our recipe turns vegoil into Biodiesel!

Does The Cost of Fuel Make Your Blood Boil?

It should do!

The graphics below explain the costs that make up the price of a litre of unleaded at £132.9p and a litre of diesel at £137.9p so you can see who’s getting the biggest slice of the petrol pie:

https://gaukmotorbuzz.com/technology/how-to-run-a-diesel-engine-on-vegetable-oil-1-the-great-biodiesel-story Fri, 30 Aug 2019 04:41:04 +0000 https://gaukmotorbuzz.com/technology/how-to-run-a-diesel-engine-on-vegetable-oil-2-the-great-biodiesel-story How to Make Your Own Biodiesel

The following recipe has been reproduced courtesy of Keith Addison https://journeytoforever.org

Anybody can make biodiesel.

It’s easy, you can make it in your kitchen — and it’s BETTER than the petro-diesel fuel the big oil companies sell you. Your diesel motor will run better and last longer on your home-made fuel, and it’s much cleaner — better for the environment and better for health. If you make it from used cooking oil it’s not only cheap but you’ll be recycling a troublesome waste product. Best of all is the GREAT feeling of freedom, independence and empowerment it will give you. Here’s how to do it — everything you need to know.

Three choices

There are at least three ways to run a diesel engine on bio-power, using vegetable oils, animal fats or both. All three work with both fresh and used oils.

• Use the oil just as it is — usually called SVO fuel (straight vegetable oil);
• Mix it with kerosene (paraffin) or diesel fuel, or with biodiesel;
• Convert it to biodiesel.

The first two methods sound easiest, but, as so often in life, it’s not quite that simple.

1. Mixing it
If you’re mixing SVO with kerosene or petroleum diesel (“dinodiesel”) you’re still using fossil-fuel — cleaner than most, but still not clean enough, many would say. Still, for every gallon of vegetable oil you use, that’s one gallon of fossil-fuel saved, and that much less carbon in the atmosphere.

Most people use a mix of up to 30% kerosene and 70% vegetable oil, some use 50/50 mixes. Some people just use it that way, others say it needs at least pre-heating and probably a two-tank system too, like SVO (see below), and we agree with that. The same goes for mixes with vegetable oil and biodiesel — usually 50/50. In both cases, you might get away with just using it with an older Mercedes 5-cylinder IDI diesel, which is a very tough and tolerant motor. Otherwise, not wise.

So, to be safe, you’re going to need what amounts to an SVO two-tank system with heating anyway, so you don’t need the kerosene. If you’re mixing SVO with biodiesel, you’ll use very much less of it by using it in the second tank for start-ups and stops rather than mixing it 50/50. (See next.) Or just use 100% biodiesel and don’t bother with two tanks and heating. (See after next.)

Mixes are a poor compromise. But they do have advantages in cold weather. Some kerosene or #1 diesel mixed with biodiesel lowers the temperature at which it starts to gel, and a 50/50 mix with biodiesel will do the same for an SVO system.

Message to the Biofuel mailing list:

” I stuck 3 litres of pure rapeseed oil from my local supermarket straight into the tank of my 1998 VW Caddy van. There were about 3-4 litres of dino-diesel in the tank. Once the dino had cleared the fuel lines, I was running on about 50% dino to 50% oil. The only differences I noticed were: A) the engine ran about 10 deg C cooler; B) the exhaust smelt like a roadside burger bar. Apart from that, no problems! As the weather is finally starting to warm up here, I may increase the oil/diesel ratio and see that happens. — Nick”

Reply:

” One thing that will happen is that your cold starts will begin to deteriorate. Then your filter will probably start plugging. Then your injectors will likely, in time, get coked up. Then the spray pattern will be wonky. Then you’ll set the stage for ring sticking, glazing of the cylinder walls, increased lube oil consumption and eventual engine failure — if you can continue to get the thing started in the morning. More than 20% or so in the diesel is not a good plan for more than short term ‘experiments’. Unfortunately, you’re not doing anything new here, Nick, and if it was as easy as running high percentages of SVO in diesel, and being able to maintain reliability, we’d all have gone that way long ago. Regards, Edward Beggs, Neoteric Biofuels Inc

A variation on this theme is adding a solvent to the veg oil to lower the viscosity — usually 3% white spirit (a.k.a. mineral turpentine, Stoddard solvent, turpentine substitute). This raised a lot of interest after it was publicized on a British TV program — “just add a spoonful”. It also raised a lot of scepticism: “‘experimental’ at best” was the view of experienced SVO’ers, and “steer well clear” unless you have a 5-cyl IDI Mercedes (in which case you don’t even need the white spirit). We agree. Work on blends of SVO with other solvents, such as butanol and ethanol, is still experimental.

2. Straight vegetable oil
With SVO you have to start the engine on ordinary petrodiesel or biodiesel to warm it up, then switch to the straight vegetable oil, and switch back to petro- or biodiesel before you stop the engine. If you don’t do that you’ll coke up the engine and the injectors. This means having two fuel tanks — no simple matter with diesels, which have airtight fuel systems. Using SVO also means pre-heating the oil or it’ll be too viscous (thick).

But there’s a lot to be said for straight vegetable oil systems — running on straight vegetable oil while starting up and shutting down on biodiesel can be a clean, effective and economical option.

3. Biodiesel
Biodiesel has some clear advantages over SVO: it works in any diesel, without any conversion or modifications to the engine or the fuel system — just put it in and go. It also has better cold-weather properties than SVO (but not as good as petro-diesel). And, unlike SVO, it’s backed by many long-term tests in many countries, including millions of miles on the road.

Biodiesel is a clean, safe, ready-to-use, alternative fuel, whereas it’s fair to say that SVO systems are still experimental and need further development.

On the other hand, biodiesel can be more expensive, depending what you make it from and whether you’re comparing it with new or used oil (and where you live). And, unlike SVO, it has to be processed — you have to make it. But the large and rapidly growing worldwide band of homebrewers don’t seem to mind — they make a supply every week or once a month and soon get used to it. Many have been doing it for years.

And anyway, you have to process SVO too, especially WVO (waste vegetable oil, used, cooked), which many people with SVO systems use because it’s cheap or free for the taking. WVO has to be filtered and dewatered, and probably should be deacidified, and SVO should probably also be deacidified.

Biodieselers say, “Well, if I’m going to have to do all that I might just as well make biodiesel instead.” But SVO types scoff at that — it’s much less processing than making biodiesel, they say. To each his own

Needs processingGuaranteed trouble-freeEngine conversionCheaper (depending on country)
BiodieselYesYesNoSometimes
SVO/WVOLessNoYesUsually

Costs and prices: Biodieselers using waste oil feedstock say they can make biodiesel for 60 cents US per gallon or less. Most people use about 600 gallons of fuel a year (about 10 gallons a week) — say US$360 a year. An SVO system costs from $300 to $1,200 or more. So with an SVO system you’ll be ahead in a year or two, which is not a long time in the life of a diesel motor. But will it last as long with SVO? Too soon to tell. Probably, if you use a good system. Recommendations, and much more, here.

Converting the oil to biodiesel is probably the best of the three options (or we think so anyway).

You could simply buy your biodiesel instead. Most major European vehicle manufacturers now provide vehicle warranties covering the use of pure biodiesel — though that might not be just any biodiesel. Some insist on “RME”, rapeseed methyl esters, and won’t cover soy biodiesel in the US, but this seems to be more a trade-related issue than a quality-control one. Germany has more than 1,500 filling stations supplying biodiesel, and it’s cheaper than ordinary diesel fuel. It’s widely used in France, the world’s largest producer. Virtually all fossil diesel fuel sold in France contains between 2% and 5% biodiesel. New EU laws will soon require this Europe-wide. Some states in the US are legislating similar requirements. There’s a growing number of US suppliers. Biodiesel is more expensive than ordinary diesel in the US but sales are rising very fast and prices will drop in time. In the UK biodiesel is to be taxed less than petrodiesel and it’s already available commercially.

But there’s a lot to be said for the GREAT feeling of independence you’ll get from making your own fuel (and it’s more than just a feeling — it’s real!).

If you want to make it yourself, there are several good recipes available for making high-quality biodiesel, and they all say what we also say: some of these chemicals are dangerous, take full safety precautions, and if you burn/maim/blind/kill yourself or anyone else, that will make us very sad, but not liable — we don’t recommend anything, it’s nobody’s responsibility but your own.

On the other hand, a lot of people are doing it — it’s safe enough if you’re careful and sensible. Learn as much as you can first — lots of information is available. Make small test batches before you try large batches. Make it with fresh oil before you try waste oil.

CAUTION:

Wear proper protective gloves, apron, and eye protection and do not inhale any vapors. Methanol can cause blindness and death, and you don’t even have to drink it, it’s absorbed through the skin. Sodium hydroxide can cause severe burns and death. Together these two chemicals form sodium methoxide. This is an extremely caustic chemical. These are dangerous chemicals — treat them as such! Always have a hose running when working with them. The workspace must be thoroughly ventilated. No children or pets allowed. See Safety for further information.

Where do I start?

Start here: make a test batch of biodiesel using 1 litre of fresh new oil in a blender. If you don’t have a spare blender, either get one (you can pick them up quite cheap second-hand), or try this.

Go on, do it! Get some methanol, some lye and some new oil at the supermarket and go ahead — it’s a real thrill!
Here’s the recipe, just use 1 litre of oil instead of 10 litres, and 200 ml of methanol instead of 2 litres, with 3.5 grams of lye. Here’s how to use a blender, and here’s how to mix the sodium methoxide — “Methoxide the easy way”.

What’s next?

Learn. You have some decisions to make. It’s all quite simple really, thousands of people are doing it, very few of them are chemists or technicians, and there’s nothing a layman can’t understand, and do, and do it well. But there is quite a lot to learn. You should find everything you need to know right here. We’ve tried to make it easy for you.

First, here’s how we started.

The process

The process is called transesterification, which substitutes alcohol for the glycerine in a chemical reaction, using lye as a catalyst.Vegetable oils and animal fats are triglycerides, containing 7-13% glycerine. The biodiesel process turns the oils into esters, separating out the glycerine. The glycerine sinks to the bottom and the biodiesel floats on top and can be syphoned off.

We use methanol to make methyl esters. We’d rather use ethanol because most methanol comes from fossil fuels (though it can also be made from biomass, such as wood), while ethanol is plant-based and you can distill it yourself, but the biodiesel process is more complicated with ethanol. (See Ethyl esters.)

Ethanol also goes by various other names, such as whisky, vodka, gin, and so on, but methanol is a deadly poison: first it blinds you, then it kills you, and it doesn’t take much of it. It takes a couple of hours, and if you can get treatment fast enough you might survive.Methylated spirits (denatured alcohol) doesn’t work; isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) also doesn’t work.

The catalyst can be either sodium hydroxide (caustic soda, NaOH) or potassium hydroxide (KOH), which can provide a potash fertilizer as a by-product, but sodium hydroxide is easier to get and it’s cheaper. If you use potassium hydroxide, the process is the same, but you need to use 1.4 times as much. (See More about lye.)

CAUTION:

Lye is dangerous — don’t get it on your skin or in your eyes, don’t breathe any fumes, keep the whole process away from food, and right away from children. Lye reacts with aluminum, tin and zinc. Use glass, enamel, stainless steel or HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) containers for methoxide.

Our first biodiesel

We got about 60 litres of used oil from Lantau Island’s local McDonald’s. There were four 16-litre cans of it, a mix of used cooking oil and residual beef and chicken fats. Two of the tins were solidified, the other two held a gloppy semi-liquid. We warmed it up a bit on the stove (to about 50 deg C) and filtered it through a fine mesh filter, and then again through coffee filter papers, but it was quite clean — very little food residue was left in the filters.

Biodiesel from new oil

It worked, but we’ve learnt a lot since then. Now it’s easy to make high-quality biodiesel every time without fail. And we don’t use open containers for processing now, and neither should you — and mix the methanol in closed containers too.

We had difficulty finding pure methanol in Hong Kong, and eventually paid the very high price of US$10 per litre for 5 litres from a wholesale chemical supply company. It has to be 99% pure (198 proof) or better.

We used 2 litres of methanol to 10 litres of vegetable oil, and 3.5 grams of pure, granular lye (sodium hydroxide) per litre of oil.

You can get lye at most hardware stores. Shake the container to check it hasn’t absorbed moisture and coagulated into a useless mass, and make sure to keep it airtight.

We had to be quick measuring out the 35 grams of lye required — summer humidity in Hong Kong is usually about 80% at 30 deg C or more, and the lye rapidly got wet, making it less effective.

We mixed the lye with the 2 litres of methanol in a strong, heatproof glass bottle with a narrow neck to prevent splashing. It fumed and got hot, and took about 15 minutes to mix. (Use closed containers for mixing methoxide.)

This mixture is sodium methoxide, an extremely powerful base which enjoys eating stuff like human flesh — take full safety precautions when working with sodium methoxide, have a source of running water handy.

Meanwhile we’d warmed the 10 litres of new oil in a steel bucket on the stove to about 40 deg C (104 deg F) to thin it so it mixed better. In fact, 55 deg C (131 deg F) is a better processing temperature. Don’t let it get too hot or the methanol will evaporate. (Methanol boils at 64.7 deg C, 148.5 deg F.)

We’d made a wooden jig with a portable vice clamped to it holding a power drill fitted with a paint mixer to stir the contents of the bucket. This did a good job without splashing.

Stirring well, we carefully added the sodium methoxide to the oil. The reaction started immediately, the mixture rapidly separating into a clear, golden liquid on top with the light brown glycerine settling out at the bottom. We kept stirring for an hour, keeping the temperature constant. Then we let it settle overnight.

The next day we syphoned off 10 litres of biodiesel, leaving two litres of glycerine in the bottom of the bucket.

Biodiesel from waste oil

This is more appealing than using new oil, but it’s also more difficult.

First, get rid of the water content. Used oil usually has some water in it, and water in the oil will interfere with the lye, especially if you use too much lye, and you’ll end up with a bucket of jelly.

Here’s another way, from Aleks Kac — it uses less energy and doesn’t risk forming more Free Fatty Acids (see below) by overheating. Heat the oil to 60 deg C (140 deg F), maintain the temperature for 15 minutes and then pour the oil into a settling tank. Let it settle for at least 24 hours. Make sure you never empty the settling vessel more than 90%.

Waste oil needs more catalyst than new oil to neutralize the Free Fatty Acids (FFAs) formed in cooking the oil, which interfere with the transesterification process.

You have to titrate the oil to determine the FFA content and how much lye will be required to neutralize it. This means determining the pH — the acid-alkaline level (pH7 is neutral, lower values are increasingly acidic, higher than 7 is alkaline). An electronic pH meter is best, but you can also use pH test strips (or litmus paper), or phenolphthalein solution (from a chemicals supplier).

We also thought of using red cabbage juice, which changes from red in a strong acid, to pink, purple, blue, and finally green in a strong alkali. We didn’t have a pH meter then so we used phenolphthalein solution. Phenolphthalein is colorless up to pH 8.3, then it turns pink (or rather magenta), and red at pH 10.4.

Dissolve 1 gm of lye in 1 litre of distilled water (0.1% lye solution). In a smaller beaker, dissolve 1 ml of the cooled oil in 10 ml of pure isopropyl alcohol. Warm the beaker gently by standing it in some hot water, stir until all the oil dissolves in the alcohol and turns clear. Add 2 drops of phenolphthalein solution.

Using a graduated syringe, add 0.1% lye solution drop by drop to the oil-alcohol-phenolphthalein solution, stirring all the time, until the solution stays pink for 10 seconds. Take the number of millilitres of 0.1% lye solution you used and add 3.5. This is the number of grams of lye you’ll need per litre of oil.

Our first titration took 6 ml (not very good oil), so we used 6 + 3.5 = 9.5 grams of lye per litre of oil: 95 grams for 10 litres.

Then proceed as with new oil: measure out the lye and mix it with the methanol to make sodium methoxide — it will get even hotter and take longer to mix, as there’s more lye this time. Make sure the lye is completely dissolved in the methanol.

Carefully add the sodium methoxide to the warmed oil while stirring, and mix for an hour. Settle overnight, then syphon off the biodiesel.

The first five times we did this, using 10 litres of waste oil each time, we got biodiesel (a bit darker than the new oil product) and glycerine three times, and twice we got jelly. The answer is to be more careful with the titration: do it twice, just to be sure. Read on, and you’ll learn how to make high-quality biodiesel every time, without fail.

The production rate was less than with new oil, ending with 8-9 litres of biodiesel instead of 10. The acid-base Foolproof method, developed since, will get much higher production rates with heavily-used oil.

Washing

Biodiesel should be washed to remove soap, catalyst and other impurities. Some people insist on it, others don’t and argue that the small amounts of impurities cause no engine damage.

We recommend washing it. In fact we insist on it — good-quality biodiesel must be washed.

Using biodiesel

You don’t have to convert the engine to run it on biodiesel, but you do need to make some adjustments and check a few things.

Retard the injection timing by 2-3 degrees — this overcomes the effect of biodiesel’s higher cetane number. It also causes the fuel to burn cooler, thus reducing NOx emissions.

Petro-diesel leaves a lot of dirt in the tank and the fuel system. Biodiesel is a good solvent — it tends to free the dirt and clean it out. Be sure to check the fuel filters regularly at first. Start off with a new fuel filter.

Check there are no natural rubber parts in the fuel system. If there are, replace them. Viton is best. See “Durability of Various Plastics”.

Safety

Wear proper protective gloves, apron, and eye protection and do not inhale any vapors. Methanol can cause blindness and death, and you don’t even have to drink it, it’s absorbed through the skin. Sodium hydroxide can cause severe burns and death. Together these two chemicals form sodium methoxide. This is an extremely caustic chemical. These are dangerous chemicals — treat them as such! Gloves should be chemical-proof with cuffs that can be pulled up over long sleeves — no shorts or sandals. Always have a hose running when working with them. The workspace must be thoroughly ventilated. No children or pets allowed.

Organic vapor cartridge respirators are more or less useless against methanol vapors. Professional advice is not to use organic vapor cartridges for longer than a few hours maximum, or not to use them at all. Only a supplied-air system will do.

The best advice is not to expose yourself to the fumes in the first place. The main danger is when the methanol is hot — when it’s cold or at “room temperature” it fumes very little, and this is easily avoided. All methanol containers should be kept tightly closed anyway to prevent water absorption from the air.

We transfer methanol from its container to the methoxide mixing container by pumping it, with no exposure at all. This is easily arranged, and an ordinary aquarium air-pump will do (the same one you use for washing the biodiesel). The methoxide is mixed like this — Methoxide the easy way, which also happens to be the safe way. The mixture gets hot at first, but the container is kept closed and no fumes escape. When mixed, the methoxide is again pumped into the (closed) biodiesel processor with the aquarium air-pump — there’s no exposure to fumes, and it’s added slowly, which is optimal for the process and also for safety.

Some states and countries will require you to pay the required taxes if the fuel is used on the roads. EG. in Britain you will need to contact Customs and Excise who will require you to fill in a couple of forms and pay a fuel tax.

Compare that to what you’d pay at the pumps and Autoinfo have brought you another amazing moneysaver!

What is Biodiesel?

Biodiesel is a substitute fuel for users of traditional diesel fuel, commonly called ULSD or Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel.

Biodiesel is produced primarily from waste or used vegetable cooking oils utilising a special process that changes the characteristics of the oil to finish with a product that will power a diesel engine without any modification.

Is Biodiesel as good as normal Diesel?

Rest assured. Biodiesel is far better than ULSD if you take all the environmental advantages into account. You will notice little, if any, difference in performance.

You can completely substitute your normal diesel fuel with biodiesel or mix it in any proportion.

Good website, but I have a couple of questions:

1) The reason for using methanol and NaOH was to remove chemicals that gum up the motor. What are the longer term effects of just adding white spirit?

2) What about the supplies of waste oil? Seems to me they are finite and limited and will rapidly rise in price so that biodiesel will be only just cheaper than taxed DERV. What do you reckon?

There was a feature on vegoil on BBC’s Top Gear so I investigated it further.

I read a lot of scientific studies and tests on the subject and it most definitely works – there’s even a company in Birmingham (UK) that recycles used oil and turns out Biodiesel.

It is my understanding that the white spirit is added to lower the viscosity not to remove chemicals. The only biproduct of the refinement process is glycerin which is burnt of during combution. It is vegoil’s higher viscosity that causes the problems.

Pure vegoil will gum up the injectors – eventually – you could replace them many times over with the money saved but the addition of a solvent eliminates the need. I would run a tank of derv and injector cleaner (available from car accessory shops) periodically just to service the injectors. I have always done this anyway.

Top Gear tested our Biodiesel recipie and it worked – I’d imagine they did their homework also before broadcasting it to the nation?

In the third world and inaccessible areas they use all sorts of oils – rape seed, sunflower, palm oil….for generators and cars because of the price and scarcity of derv.

Longer term?

Supplies of waste oil are massive and it is a waste disposal problem but even if they do dry up it’ll still be cheaper to buy a chip fryer and heat the oil up – plus you could sell the chips as a sideline!!!

Glad you like the site – check out the parking and speeding fines book – these are real loopholes police, friends I have used successfully!

Will Biodiesel affect my engine warranty?

Biodiesel should meet what is considered to be the highest biodiesel standard DIN51606, and as such, will meet the EC standard currently under discussion EN14214. Almost all major manufacturers now accept these standards as evidence of compliance to be used in diesel engines, without modification.

Besides who’s going to know!

Why is Biodiesel environmentally friendly?

The biggest reason is the positive effect on the environment. Biodiesel does not contribute to net CO2 in the atmosphere, creates 30% less particulate emissions, 93% less hydrocarbons, 50% lower carbon monoxide emissions, and 50-85% less PAH’s (health risk hydrocarbons associated with diesel fuel).

It produces less offensive fumes, and, has a very high flash point, making it one of the safest of alternative fuels.

On top of all these benefits Biodiesel is produced from a sustainable, renewable raw material. Use biodiesel and you will be helping to protect the world.

(UK) Additionally, by the end of 2002, it is quite likely that waste cooking oils will be banned from use in producing animal feeds to safeguard human and animal health. This change in government policy could lead to wholesale illegal disposal of waste cooking oil in drains and landfill sites.

Biodiesel is therefore probably the most effective way of disposing of waste vegetable cooking oils in an eco friendly manner.

Will my car pass emission tests?

Yes it will- provided the engine is in good technical condition. Mostly, vehicles run on vegoil have lower rates of particles as vegoil contains more oxygen than diesel and so has a cleaner combustion.

Biodiesel Benefits

1. Biodiesel runs in any conventional, unmodified diesel engine. No engine modifications are necessary to use biodiesel and there is no “engine conversion.” In other words, “you just pour it into the fuel tank.”
2. Biodiesel can be stored anywhere that petroleum diesel fuel is stored. All diesel fueling infrastructure including pumps, tanks and transport trucks can use biodiesel without modifications.
3. Biodiesel reduces Carbon Dioxide emissions, the primary cause of the Greenhouse Effect, by up to 100%. Since biodiesel comes from plants and plants breathe carbon dioxide, there is no net gain in carbon dioxide from using biodiesel.
4. Biodiesel can be used alone or mixed in any amount with petroleum diesel fuel. A 20% blend of biodiesel with diesel fuel is called “B20,” a 5% blend is called “B5” and so on.
5. Biodiesel is more lubricating than diesel fuel, it increases the engine life and it can be used to replace sulfur, a lubricating agent that, when burned, produces sulfur dioxide – the primary component in acid rain. Instead of sulfur, all diesel fuel sold in France contains 5% biodiesel.
6. Biodiesel is safe to handle because it is biodegradable and non-toxic. According to the National Biodiesel Board, “neat biodiesel is as biodegradable as sugar and less toxic than salt.”
7. Biodiesel is safe to transport. Biodiesel has a high flash point, or ignition temperature, of about 300 deg. F compared to petroleum diesel fuel, which has a flash point of 125 deg. F.
8. Engines running on biodiesel run normally and have similar fuel mileage to engines running on diesel fuel. Auto ignition, fuel consumption, power output, and engine torque are relatively unaffected by biodiesel.
9. Biodiesel has a pleasant aroma similar to popcorn popping in comparison to the all-too-familiar stench of petroleum diesel fuel.

Biodiesel Emissions

Overall biodiesel emissions are lower than gasoline or diesel fuel emissions (with the exception of NOx, which we discuss on the next page). Compared to diesel, biodiesel produces no sulfur, no net carbon dioxide, up to 20 times less carbon monoxide and more free oxygen. Biodiesel has the following emissions characteristics when compared with petroleum diesel fuel:

• Reduction of carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) by 100%
• Reduction of sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions by 100%
• Reduction of soot emissions by 40-60%
• Reduction of carbon monoxide (CO) emissions by 10-50%
• Reduction of hydrocarbon (HC) emissions by 10-50%
• Reduction of all polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and specifically the reduction of the following carcinogenic PAHs:
• Reduction of phenanthren by 97%
• Reduction of benzofloroanthen by 56%
• Reduction of benzapyren by 71%
• Reduction of aldehydes and aromatic compounds by 13%5.
• Reduction or increase in nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions by 5-10% depending on the age and type of engine.

Biodiesel and Cold Weather Cold Filter Plugging and Gelling

When diesel fuel or biodiesel cools, wax crystals can form in the fuel.

The crystals can plug fuel filters and stop the flow of fuel to the engine.

Diesel fuel #2 can be used down to about -10 deg. F (-23 deg. C) and diesel fuel #1 (kerosene) can be used down to about -20 deg. F (-29 deg. C).

In contrast, biodiesel made from rapeseed can be used down to (-9 deg. C), biodiesel from soy can be used down to (-1 deg. C) and biodiesel from used cooking oil or animal fat can be used down to roughly between (9-12 deg. C).

Cold Weather Solutions

There are many ways to keep a diesel vehicle’s fuel system warm in winter. In fact, some diesel vehicles come stock with cold weather equipment. There are six different ways to keep a diesel vehicle’s fuel system from gelling in winter. The use of a block heater at night and a tank heater during the day has allowed biodiesel to be used in Yellowstone national park down to -40 deg. F.
The six methods for keeping a diesel fuel system operational in winter are:

• An engine block heater to keep the engine warm at night. This helps with starting on cold mornings.
• A fuel tank heater, which circulates coolant through a pipe in the fuel tank.
• An electric element fuel line heater, which heats the fuel at one point.
• A coolant-operated fuel heater, which uses hot coolant and a heat exchanger to heat a section of the fuel line.
• An electric fuel line heater. This is like an electric blanket for the fuel line, which extends from the fuel tank to the fuel filter.
• Winterizing agents and additives.