Diesel Secret, snake oil, or miracle product?

AlanB · Oct 2, 2007

Diesel Secret Energy - Alternative Biofuel Biodiesel

Anyone here have first hand real knowledge of this stuff?

To hear the vendor it is the best thing since sliced bread, to read the bio and SVO forums it is snake oil refined.

Truth is probably in the middle somewhere, just wondering if anyone had experience with it.

Z-Michigan · Oct 2, 2007

Not sure why truth would be in the middle. I find forums of owners/users extremely beneficial, otherwise I wouldn't be on TBN (and I also am on a Jeep forum and a few others). If people who've tried it all say the same thing, I would save your money.

scesnick · Oct 2, 2007

I know if the "truth is in the middle" I would not put it in my $40,000 Cummins. Or even my little Yanmar tractor.
Sounds like you will save a few bucks in fuel cost now and then pay HUGE money to fix your engine later...

SnowRidge · Oct 2, 2007

When the word "secret" is used in any ad, grab you wallet and run.

DieselPower · Oct 2, 2007

Well said SnowRidge.

DieselPower · Oct 3, 2007

Copied from the page "Not Bio-Diesel.

"In fact, the only fair comparison to Bio-diesel with our fuel is it's performance and stability. Both fuels are stable and have performance characteristics virtually identical to petroleum diesel."

Since when has Bio-diesel been stable.

Z-Michigan · Oct 3, 2007

Stable as measured on a time horizon of 5 minutes or less?

Seriously, well made biodiesel is stable for at least a couple months, maybe 6+, definitely not over 12. I would run away from this "Secret" stuff.

BigE_ · Oct 3, 2007

I was curious about this as well, so spent a while reading other forums about it. There were a few good posts on this diesel gas forum. Essentially, the "secret" ingredients are Xylene and Napthalene (sp?), and it turns out that all the stuff does is thin waste vegetable oil (WVO) once it has been filtered. The filter is a PITA to make, and messy to use.

The problem is that while it will work for a while, there is a tendency to get build-up in the injector, which can lead to premature cylinder wear (just paraphrasing here).

There were quite a few comments about the stuff being just plain ATF, rebottled. Apparently you can use ATF or just regular unleaded gas (RUG) in a 90% WVO / 10% RUG mixture. Doesn't do too well in cold weather, and once again, can lead to premature death of the engine.

Would I put it in my tractor (that I haven't even received yet)? Heck no!

Would I put it in a $300 POS 30 year diesel powered car I use for commuting? Would definitely consider it.

gordon21 · Oct 3, 2007

Bio diesel is probably very good stuff. Virgin oils going straight to fuel.

Used restaurant oil is full of carbon, food particles and lots of salt. If you added a coagulant and then filtered a lot, I guess you could make it come out to $0.46 per gallon of usable product, BUT, that estimate does not include going to go pick up the oil, transporting the foul smelling stuff and all your labor to process. Most restaurants now have locked waste oil containers. The companies that routinely pick up waste oil no longer leave their containers unlocked.

Typical restaurant waste oil will contain both plain and hydrogenated vegetable based oils plus animal oil products in suspension. Finding pure non-hydrogenated vegetable oil would be very hard. I can't think of any restaurants (out of hundreds) I have dealt with over the years that would have it.

SnowRidge · Oct 3, 2007

gordon21 said:
Bio diesel is probably very good stuff. Virgin oils going straight to fuel.

Used restaurant oil is full of carbon, food particles and lots of salt. If you added a coagulant and then filtered a lot, I guess you could make it come out to $0.46 per gallon of usable product, BUT, that estimate does not include going to go pick up the oil, transporting the foul smelling stuff and all your labor to process. Most restaurants now have locked waste oil containers. The companies that routinely pick up waste oil no longer leave their containers unlocked.

Typical restaurant waste oil will contain both plain and hydrogenated vegetable based oils plus animal oil products in suspension. Finding pure non-hydrogenated vegetable oil would be very hard. I can't think of any restaurants (out of hundreds) I have dealt with over the years that would have it.

Not to mention that the demand for "free" diesel fixin's has led to it no longer being free in a lot of places.