Date:         Mon, 29 Jul 2002 12:41:14 -0700
Reply-To:     James B Robinson <jr@RATWERKS.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         James B Robinson <jr@RATWERKS.COM>
Subject:      Re: diesel conversion
In-Reply-To:  <20020723223746.GC13298@johndeere.ratwerks.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Volks,

I've gotten some great feedback on my GreaseVan project. A thing several
of my fellow Californian's have mentioned is the potential grief from the
DMV over emissions tests.

My rough plan is to get a late model gas powered bus and get some time on
the smog clock (these are good for at least a year?) Do the diesel
conversion and follow that pretty quickly with the vegetable oil add-on.
Then, next time smog check is due have it tested running on SVO while
explaining none of its exotic nature to the guy at the check station (on
the theory that often, the less said, the better.)

I'm not really from CA, so maybe I am just way naive on these things; I
moved here from Texas where stuff may be a bit looser. Is this likely to
work, or just completely blow up in my face? I'm not particulary averse
to pursuing proper channels if need be, but neither am I averse to coloring
'outside the lines' as it were.

Reasons for starting with gas include getting a bus with fewer years and
newer features as well as getting the interior laid out just the way I want
it from the factory. This would also let me spread the cost of the project
over time, something that'll make it sit a lot better with my wife.

Project notes at:

http://ratwerks.com/zope/wiki/GreaseVan

--
[ Jim Robinson -- System Administrator -- ratwerks.com ]
I am a boomer. My generation looked nuclear annihilation
in the eye and said "No thanks, I'd rather drive a BMW."