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Misc. Content BioDiesel cost vs. Conversion kit
Misc. Content BioDiesel cost vs. Conversion kit | BioDiesel cost vs. Conversion kit |
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| Written by Sticky | |
| Wednesday, 23 April 2008 | |
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Check my math here guys, I'm having a hard time with this as a WVO greaser. I was looking at purchasing one of two really sharp 1999 Dodge 4x4, extended cab pickups with 24 valve engine. Greasecar conversion kits are running around $2,900 for this truck with $130 shipping to my location. The trucks I was looking at were very well priced and in great condition, which made it very tempting to buy on impulse. So I started nosing around the forums to get feedback on greasing this truck. (Thanks 81SD.) There are other vendors that do not sell conversion kits for this model due to design problems. Lots of warning signs with the 24v IP. Okay, what about biodiesel? As a WVO greaser, my knee jerk response is that it is too time consuming and too expensive. (Compared to my MB300D Greasecar implementation.) But let's look at the math. 24 valve conversion kit: $2,900 Biodiesel made in a barrel processor: $0.70 per gallon Dino diesel: $4.00-$4.15 per gallon in my neighborhood Aside from the environmental benefits, how many gallons of diesel would you have to use to break even with the price of a kit? Answer: $2,900/$4.00= 725 gallons. At 18 miles per gallon on average, that equates to 13,050 miles or about one year of driving, if your IP holds up. How many gallons of biodiesel would you have to use to break even with the price of the kit? (Considering a low cost, barrel processor is used to create the fuel.) Answer: $2,900/$0.70= 4,142 gallons. At 18 miles per gallon on average, that equates to 74,556 miles or about 5.7 years of driving. Heck, I didn't keep my last two vehicles that long. My MB kit has more than paid off because it only ran me $850 and I didn't want to put bio in a 27 year old IP with rubber seals. Granted, people drive different distances in a year, but it just seems like the conversion kit payoff is too far out when compared to using bio for this particular truck. Yes, I've seen some $70 cone bottom tanks plumbed together and sold as $2,000 biodiesel processors that would also be cost prohibitive. What say you greasers? This is the first time in a while that I've looked at biodiesel as a cheaper solution. |
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