Got my calculator out today and figured out the cost of my 10% ether mix combined with car engine oil and modified olive oil....

For anyone in the UK tempted to try it - I used Millers XFE, this is a semi-synthetic oil produced specifically for use in diesel engined cars. The ignition improver is Millers Diesel Power Plus - the main ingredient of this is 2-Ethylhexyl nitrate and this is a direct replacement for the isopropyl nitrate normally used in UK model diesel fuel.

Quantities to make up 1 litre...

2.5% of the ignition improver = 25 mls
12.5% of the car engine oil = 125 mls
16% of modified olive oil = 160 mls
10% ether = 100 mls
8 % castor oil = 80 mls
51 % kerosene (paraffin) = 510 mls

The total cost of a litre works out favourably as well

I litre of a commercial fuel mix containing 30% ether and 24% castor oil = £7-50 = $14

1 litre of my 10% ether fuel = £4-63 = $8 - 70

How does it stack up against glow fuel ?

1 litre of glow fuel with castor oil lubricant and 5% nitro is £2 - 60 or $4 - 89

That is about the cheapest glow fuel, unless you decide on no nitro at all. If you start looking at fuel with synthetic oil instead of castor then the price difference compared to my 10% ether mix quickly becomes less.

As I am getting over twice the running time out of a tank of 10% ether mix compared to a similar engine size/tank size with glow fuel then the diesel running costs start to look good.

Previously, using 30% ether content mixes was working out rather expensive.

My glow and diesel engines are now on a much more equal footing.

There is a small price to pay with the 10% ether mix, it needs a high ether prime to get started in cold weather, warmer weather just requires getting fuel upto the spraybar. It is also much easier to use an electric starter motor. Once running there is no advantage to using the 30% + ether mixes that are sold as model diesel fuel... they show no better performance than the mix outlined above.

The advantage is.... the diesel experience, the smell, the rock steady running, the torque, etc !

Reg