It’s a question our Cincinnati mechanics get from time to time: “Can you fix my BMW so it runs off of vegetable grease?” The quick answer is yes, but the first thing our BMW technicians will ask is whether or not you have access to readily available used grease. If you don’t, a BMW greasel will still run off regular diesel—or any type of biofuel—but it’s really not worth going through the time and expense of the elaborate conversion process if you can’t get the fuel it’s designed for.
If you have any BMW mechanic know-how yourself, you can do conversion on your own. Car and Driver has a handy guide that walks you through the process. If you take a look at the guide and it sounds too complicated, talk to a BMW mechanic who would probably be happy to retrofit your vehicle for you. Like many other BMW repairs, your own expertise determines whether you should pick up your wrench—or your phone to call your BMW mechanic.
Grease Biofuel BMW? Make Friends with a Fry Cook
The best way to get grease for your new greasel is to make friends with local restaurants. You’ll also need proper containers to safely transport the fuel. Don’t dump used grease in an old gas can and call it a day.
When used fry oil isn’t available, you can also run your car on biodiesel if you still want to avoid petroleum products. In addition to being cleaner for the earth by avoiding fossil fuels, biodiesel tends to be cheaper and you can make it yourself. As this article in Popular Mechanics points out, it goes for about $2 a gallon—practically 90s prices when it comes to fuel economy.
