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Looks like its time for another installment of the ongoing knackered old tranny blog.
So last month I got all the repairs in the van done, got it through MOT, and also received my C1 European truck driving license and went for my first trip, about 400mi away to pick up a rear end from a facebook guy, because mine does a bad whine over 50mph.
So I'd heard about diesel engines being able to run on vegetable oil and seen a few videos on youtube so I gave it a try.
I did not consult my mechanic which was a big mistake.
I went round a few restaurants and picked up about 350 liters of oil for 35 total, then filtered it through a pair of ladies stockings, then a pair of old jeans and it came out clear as new, just a bit dark in color.
I dumped it in the tank and it started it up. It smelt terrible but seems to run fine.
A few miles down the road the engine seemed quieter, which I incorrectly assumed meant it was running happier. Later I learnt it was because the vegetable oil was less combustible and made the engine retarded (actual word the mechanic used).
I drove like that for 50 miles over a couple of days before I went on the trip.
One morning the van took much longer than usual to start, and dumped out a ton of smoke but after a while it seemed to run fine.
I checked the oil level incase it might be low, and it was actually higher than it had been a week before.
About 5 minutes I was in traffic and the engine started vibrating at idle.
It stopped when I was out of traffic and got up to speed, but returned when the engine at low speed again.
The morning of the trip it took even longer to start..
The engine shake was worse but on the motorway it drove normally.
200 miles and 8 hours driving I get tired and go to sleep in a supermarket carpark.
Two hours later I get back to driving and I here something snap and what sounds like a bag of bolts being slammed against a wall.
I call a tow truck again and just leave the van at the mechanics.
continued later
