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This article illustrates a simple method for estimation of cetane indexes of vegetable oil methyl esters from their saponification and iodine numbers. The range of the calculated values covers all the cetane numbers of vegetable oil methyl esters determined experimentally. when it was applied to individual fatty acid methyl esters from C8 to C24, a straight line parallel to that of Klopfenstein was obtained.

Fifty‐one out of 364 plant seeds being surveyed had fatty acid contents greater than 15% (dry weight), and their methyl esters had cetane indices higher than 50. Rambutan seed was an exception, with a lipid content of only 14.7%, but a high cetane index (67.1); thus, it was included in this report. Twenty seed oil methyl esters had cetane indices greater than 60. Three seed oils from the Sapindaceae family not only had high cetane indices but also contained long‐chain fatty acids of 20 carbon atoms. Gross heats of combustion of the fatty acid methyl esters were slightly higher than those of neat oil, ranging from 38.2 to 40.8 j/g, whereas the heating values of the oils ranged from 37.4 to 40.5 j/g. Thus, these plant seed oils have great potential for development as diesel fuel or diesel fuel extender.

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