No need to battle other eco-warriors for a spot on the Prius waiting list. If you want to drive a green machine, just troll craigslist for an old diesel car or truck. Any diesel engine can run on vegetable oil — either used (fryer fat) or fresh out of the 5-gallon jug (Costco, baby!).
The conversion process can be embarrassingly simple. Rudolf Diesel encouraged the use of veggie oil in his original engine, and later models require minimal tinkering to guzzle Wesson instead of Exxon: a booster pump here, a high-flow filter there. Los Angeles based Lovecraft, the cottage-industry leader, has modified more than 1,000 vehicles and sells DIY kits for the mechanically inclined. The company will convert almost any diesel rig, but Mercedes, Volkswagen, and Ford are optimum choices. It’s the perfect excuse to fry every meal. Do it for the environment.
Brian Friedman, Mike Ackerman, and James Graham at Lovecraft Bio-Fuels. Video by Justin Graham
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Mercedes-Benz 300SD, 1981 85 Blue book Value $3,200 (average) Conversion cost $700 The 300SD can run on vegetable oil without modification — until the fuel filter chokes on the more viscous liquid (the conversion kit includes a bigger, high-flow heated filter). But Lovecraft prefers the 300SD because its fuel tank sits high up, behind the rear seat: Gravity helps the oil flow without stressing the pump.
Volkswagen Jetta TDI, 1996 2006 Blue book value $3,800 – 8,950 Conversion cost $950 Various Veedubs used this turbodiesel motor, but it’s most common in the Jetta. The conversion requires changing the electrical relays, replacing the glow plugs, and various other mods. But you get startling results: It performs better on vegetable oil than on regular diesel, though Lovecraft hasn’t studied it enough to say why.
Ford F250 Diesel, 1995 2000 Blue book value $6,325 – 12,900 Conversion cost $950 Need a green pickup truck or van? Ford’s ubiquitous 7.3-liter Powerstroke V8 has been known to last 500,000 miles and makes for a straightforward conversion. Lovecraft installs a heat exchanger to thin the grease so it combusts easily. And although the company usually swaps in custom glow plugs, if the stock plugs are working well, the engine starts fine on veggie oil.
Photo illustration by J.F. Sebastian
