2nd Oil Change - 10_28_07

144150mi
at shorty's place
filter. all fluids

First time using B99 - 07_18_07

bought from USA gas in Marina del Rey.
Felt like a smoother ride, yes smelled like french fries.

Bye bye Chevy - 07_09_07

Showed and sold good ol' Chevy S-10 to guy named Dante. For how much? $2900 I think.
Met with him his brother and his wife in front of Culver Hotel. Very friendly, young people. Went for a test drive, I rode in the drop-down seats or did his wife. Drove back to his apartment in Palms just north of Venice Blvd and made the deal. We drank either beer or champagne, can't recall. He worked as Cabo Cantina in Venice. I said I'd go in to see him, but haven't. Really would like to.

I see Chevy S-10 of about the same year driving on the streets, thinking the truck is mine. I'm sure I'll see it eventually...

Yelley's First Oil Change - 06_29_07

141491mi
20w50 non-synthetic
includes oil-filter change, top off steering, transmission fluid

All's good.

the day I bought yelley - 05_28_07

update on Yelley - originally posted 08_14_07

Since I've started using the biodiesel, I've noticed the Benz stuttering a bit on starts, a bit bigger exhuast cloud, and poorer mileage. From what I've read, the Bio-D actually cleans the engine, removing decades of grime from petro-diesel use. All that gunk needs to go somewhere - into the fuel filter, clogging it and resulting (somehow) in the above symptoms.

I've bought the filters. Next step is to get them changed, and to have the mechanic show me how to do it myself!

You can follow my adventure on this calendar while I'll be listing all the momentous events of me and Yelley!

(I never ended up updating progress on the car. Just keep posting here...)

kicking my oil addiction - originally posted 07_23_07

my car smells like french fries -- badly burnt french fries

Exciting stuff, friends. My little baby "Yelley Elley", my sunny yellow new-old diesel 240D Mercedes Benz, has made the leap off the grid. Just last week I started filling up with biodiesel. Straight out the pump, can you believe it?

What is biodiesel, exactly? Well, in this case, it's B99.9 - 99.9% walnut and soy oil, 0.1% diesel fuel. So while I'm not 100% off the grid, I'll take 99.9% any day. I'm paying a bit more ($3.30/gallon) but that's $3.30 not going to Big Oil. Plus, my car smells like burnt french fries out the tailpipe (better than than smoky mess that spews from a semi-truck), helps the environment, and runs smo-o-o-oth.

There is at least one other of us at Harbor using biodiesel. Another uses compressed natural gas (and she wants just 5 mo' minutes of sleep - hint hint). Several - I count 5 - use hybrid gas/electric engines including Su's ever-recognizable Prius. So I KNOW at least a few of us are taking action on our wasteful use of the Earth's precious resources, and I'm CERTAIN that we all are at least somewhat concerned. So, below I've posted a upcoming conference in LA on biofuels.

And check back here on my blog for more updates on my life driving the fried flyer.

FIRST LOS ANGELES BIODIESEL COMMUNITY CONFERENCE TO BE HELD AUGUST 1ST

Press Contacts:Rob Reed: 310-399-3659 - rob@conservfuel.comGretchen
Gray: 310-880-3892 – gretchen.gray@sbcglobal.net

The first Biodiesel Community Conference will he held August 1, 2007 from 7pm to 10pm at Mt. Olive Church,1343 Ocean Park Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90405. Los Angeles, CA – (July 16,2007) The Los Angeles Biodiesel Community Conference is open to the general public and will offer action-based discussions on Biodiesel Basics, Legislation, Local Distribution, School Bus and Other Fleet Usage, Biodiesel Education, and more.

The event is being sponsored by Southern California Disposal and Recycling, and will be hosted by The Los Angeles Biodiesel Working Group, the LA Biodiesel Co-op, Socalbug (the Southern California Biodiesel Users Group), and Josh Tickell, author of “From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank” and “Biodiesel America.”

The purpose of the conference is to empower and educate the public, local businesses and community leaders in their efforts to make biodiesel a viable fuel option for Southern California. Collectively we will establish a groundbreaking action plan that will provide the steps to expand biodiesel distribution in Southern California and establish new legislation that promotes sustainable fuel options.We, as a community, can make biodiesel an affordable and available fuel option. It is time for us to unite and take action today!

For more information, visit www.socalbug.org.Please contact Rob Reed or Gretchen Gray to schedule an interview with the following individuals to discuss the Biodiesel Community Conference agenda and action plan before or at the event: Josh Tickell – Author/Filmmaker; Kent Bullard - Chairman of Socalbug, a 501c3 non-profit organization, and Kris Moller – Owner/Operator of Conserv Fuel (www.conservfuel.com).

If you would like to attend the Biodiesel Community Conference please R.S.V.P. to: http://www.evite.com/pages/invite/viewInvite.jsp?event=RPOJJMHHFRVGPATDMHFR&unknownUser=true
-- Kent BullardCFO (Chief Founder & Operator)Southern California Biodiesel
Users Group, Inc.kent@socalbug.org
805-218-6945

kicking the habit - originally posted 06_30_07

it's been a tough going, but i'm on my way to getting off the grid. im in the process of kicking my/our oil addiction.

our new addition - Yelley Elley! More later on the whys, hows, whos and whats.
In the meantime, feast your eyes...

She's a 1981 Mercedes Benz 240D. Aint' she lovely?






click below to navigate to the full gallery.

Our new baby - Yelley Elley