SOYBEAN-POWERED TRUCK: SOUNDS LIKE A DIESEL, SMILLS LIKE POPCORN POPPER

PORTAGEVILLE -- Dale Wehmeyer's new pick up truck sounds like a diesel truck, but it smells like a popcorn popper.

"People comment on the different smell," says Wehmeyer, who is driving the new University of Missouri truck that is powered by soybean oil instead of diesel fuel.

"It smells a lot better than diesel land there isn't the black smoke," said Wehmeyer. "The truck is fueled by what is essentially modified cooking oil."

The truck is a regular Dodge Ram, powered by a Cummins Diesel engine. No modifications were necessary to convert the direct injection engine so it could use the specially treated soybean oil.

"The oil has been run through a transeterification process that degums the oil and makes the fluid flow more easily through the fuel system," said Wehmeyer.

The truck will be on display at the Delta Center Field Day, to be held near here Thursday.

Wehmeyer will drive the truck from Columbia to Portageville driving the entire distance on soy oil.

"The only modification to the truck was the addition of a 52-gallon tank to hold the soy fuel," said Wehmeyer. "The tank is large enough to let me drive to Southeast Missouri and back without refueling. My fuel source is on campus at the University of Missouri."

University of Missouri agricultural engineers foresee a time when farmers could grown their own fuel land not rely on petroleum products.

Soybeans are Missouri's largest cash crops and the engineers believe fuel would provide another market. Soybean meal, the product left after the oil is removed, is used in livestock rations.

The university's truck was operated ;the first 3,000 miles on diesel fuel, then switched over to the oil from soybeans. The mileage figures will be compared with later figures from use of soy oil.

After a year, the truck engine will be broken down and studied for unusual wear or carbon build-up on parts. Meanwhile, monthly oil samples will be taken of the engine crankcase to check for unusual metal accumulations, indicating wear.

The research is sponsored by a $22,000 matching grant from the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council to the MU Agricultural Engineering Department, according to Ken Schneeberger, associate director of the Agriculture Experiment Station.

The truck will be used in daily operations at the Missouri Foundation Seeds, located at the MU South Farm.

Part of the research will be to learn how the truck operates in cold weather.

"They may have to add a heater to the fuel line to keep the soybean oil from gelling up," said Wehmeyer.

So far, Wehmeyer has seen little difference in operation of the truck.

"It might not have quite as much pickup as when it on diesel," he said.

Wehmeyer will be taking the truck to various field day events throughout the state so farmers can see and sniff the new truck.

Following Thursday's appearance at Portageville, the truck will visit the Southwest Research Center at Mt. Vernon Sept. 13, and Agri-Missouri Day at the MU Hearnes Center in Columbia Sept. 14.