How to Run a Lister Engine on Vegetable Oil

The antique British-built Lister 6/1 diesel engine, and the copy of same that is currently built in India, is a top choice for off-grid folks desiring a generator engine that can be successfully fueled with waste vegetable oil (WVO) collected from restaurants. While most diesel engines run just fine on biodiesel, the processing necessary to turn the WVO into biodiesel is costly and time-consuming. However the slow speed, cast iron piston, and simplicity of the 6/1 Lister make it suitable for operation with unprocessed WVO.

• 1

  Store your WVO in an undisturbed 55-gallon drum for at least two weeks to allow water and particulate matter to settle. Draw the oil from near the top when you are ready to use it.

• 2

  Filter the WVO through a screen and two layers of cotton cloth. Pour the oil into the WVO tank on the engine.

• 3

  Fill the nonheated starting fuel tank with regular diesel fuel or processed biodiesel. Turn the fuel selector valve to the starting fuel tank.

• 4

  Start the engine and allow it to reach full operating temperature. Turn the WVO pre-heater on, and wait for the fuel temperature gauge to reach 180 degrees Fahrenheit.

• 5

  Switch the selector valve to the WVO tank, according to the directions included with the kit. Ten minutes before the end of the run, switch back to the starting tank to flush the WVO from the fuel lines.