Newbie here. I promise that I'll try NOT to ask too many newbish questions. Been around enough forums to know doing a forum search will answer most questions!

Honestly I've been debating about wiether to go bio-diesel or ethanal for some time now. As of right now I drive a 02 jeep liberty that only gets 17mpg city. And Chicagoland is one heck of a large city! It also seems we've got the most expensive gas in America! When ever Fox, CNN, or anyother news agency says that the average is $X.XX per gallon, add about 20+ cents to that for chicago.

I sappose the biggest question I have, for now, is.... How do you determine what size set-up I should think about building? I mean, I don't even have a diesel vehicle as of yet, so I really have no idea how much I would be using.

I will say this however. As much as I would like to get a truck or even a fancier car like a mercedes or such. From what I've already researched, I wouldn't be gaining much in the mpg department. Sure, going bio would save me money, but I don't want to spend all my free time making fuel for a gas guzzler!

One variable I can't do anything about right this moment, is explaining how many miles per week I drive. I'm currently unemployed, so this really doesn't help me calculate my future needs.

I have seen on Craigslist a VW Passat that sapposedly gets 45mpg city. Now THAT gets my attetnion. If I do my math correctly, 40 gallons of bio @ 45mpg is 1800 miles!

So, down to my "getting started" questions. What size heater should I be looking at? 50 gallon? 80 gallon, just incase I trade in the liberty someday an go with a the diesel verson or pick-up? (I'm a camper/fisherman, need something big enough to haul a trailer/camper).

I have other questions, but I think this is a fair place to begin.

Thanks,

Jax

2 answers to your questions:

Old Mercedes can get much better MPG than you are getting (17, right?) but you must sort of baby them. My 300SDL (big ass car) routinely gets about 21-24 MPG. I have a 1985 300D which I have read a bunch of folks get in the 26-28 MPG. The key is no jack rabbit starts and stops.

Make your processor BIGGER than you think. I started with a 40 gallon elect hot water heater. Time is the issue. The multiple trips I make to the garage, I wish I was doing a batch 2-3 times this size. Yes, I wouldn't be able to use a 5 gallon carboy to add my Methoxide mixture, but I would only be brewing once a month. So, think about how much fuel you are going to use in a month would be my advice. The way I'm probably going to modify my rig is to hook up a bigger pump and add another tank.

OH. And hopefully, you have a detached garage or outbuilding or shed. Safety FIRST.

If you need a diesel pickup? Be prepared to shell out the dollars IF this will be your daily driver and IF you want it to look nice.

I have a 1985 300D for sale.....

How about a 60 gallon? It kind of splits the difference between a 40 and an 80.

re vehicle: I was thinking more along the lines of a nissa pick-up, ya know simlar to the one that was featured on "Dirty jobs" when the host helped with making bio? The bio maker said he was getting about 50mpg.

Yes, detached garage. However, this is also my work/weld shop as well!