Hi folks
I belong to an aircooled VW forum, seeing I own a 1950's beetle and a couple of other aircooled VW's. The guy selling these units is a VW'er,aswell.
I have put a link to the VW website aswell.
The link is to an finished bid on ebay , but there are details of a contact address.
The second link is the article on volkszone.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=320229337185&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=011

http://www.volkszone.com/VZi/showthread.php?t=437395

If we can produce legally 2500 liters of bio diesel a year, then it's well worth the private owner buying a unit and making your own bio diesel.

A freind of mine has just gone into this. the initial set-up costs are £2,000 - £2,500 depending on which type of unit purchased, there are 2 main types which work in different ways. You then have "add ons" which you may choose to add in the forms of different filtration units and also for the degree of filtration you require. My freind has chosen to go to 5 micron. There is then the various chemicals required to add to the waste oil. Typically though he is producing biodiesel for about 20p per litre. Don't believe all the hype though, it is not a miracle cheap fuel suitable for all diesel engines. The fuel is thicker in viscosity and certainly doesn't flow well in cold weather. Its best to mix it 25-50% with normal diesel. Modern common rail diesel engines are reported to definately not like it. Also older Lucas (not sure if this will include CAV) sytems also are reported not to be too keen on it. Problems can occur with fuel pumps and injectors which may need servicing more often. I enquired with my employer, a major car and engine manufacturer about the use of it in my fleet car and was met with a catagoric "NO" as it would invalidate the warranty.

Then you need a source of waste oil which generally is not a problem as most restaurants and food outlets have to pay to dispose of it.

While it may be a perfectly legal fuel there are still many question marks about its suitability for many engines.

Bear in mind though that if going into partnership with someone you can legally make 2,500 litres EACH, so the savings stack up. I was asked if I wanted to come in on the deal to fuel my Scania Routemaster, but declined due to the risk of engine damage. Over-cautious perhaps, but thats my choice.

In many countries old bus engines run quite happily on vegetable oil, paraffin or anything else that burns (Malta a few years ago comes to mind...)so if you already have a knackered smokey old engine you might want to risk it. Personally I wouldn't.

You are right about the cold weather bit - It was reported in the trade press that First bus in one of their areas has stopped using bio diesel as it froze up during a recent cold snap, causing them to pay out compensastion to passengers big time for non running. As Steve said certain engines don't like it - Land Rover Discoveries being one - the local farmers wife ruined a new one after using her husbands home produced bio diesel - also the Farmer says it has a habit of cleaning out the fuel lines too well the first time you use it and can result in blocked filters etc.

Graham