Biodiesel

[dodge man]

I've noticed on the pumps around here that they all say "contains between 5% and 20% biodiesel". From what I have read, that is good for the lubricity issue. So can I skip the power service? Also, will this present a problem in the winter? Last winter I had a fuel filter plug up on me, and have wondered if it was due to the biodiesel.

Does anyone know if they have to sell biodiesel in Illinois or do they sell it by choice?

 

[Thomas]

There's been handful of threads about this topic...search.

"wondered if it was due to the biodiesel."

I know of couple tractor had the same problem as you had..brownish thin slime if you will..drain the fuel little and new filter alset.

 

[Orange 08]

From what I have read it seems like you are correct the lubricity issues should be solved with the bio. Even lower than 5% from what I have read. I have heard there is a lot of differences in quality of the bio. If you are getting from a reputable source I would think it would be of good quality or they would not be able to compeate with other sources. It sounds like you have more than one making this mixture. Are these major name brands? I am not so lucky, only one place here sells bio and it is 99%.

I have gelled some of that above freezing; somewhere in the 40's in my PU truck.

I do think if everyones is selling diesel mixed with bio they must have some plan for dealing with the local temperatures, summer and winter.

I have looked for anti gelling additives made for bio and when I last looked it was pretty unclear what would work. I would bet by now there would be more offered than when I looked a year ago.

I would think that diesel/bio bought in summer and stored until winter would need some help.

 

[valley]

Is BioDiesel made from restaurant deep fryer oil?

 

[MikePA]

Is BioDiesel made from restaurant deep fryer oil?

If you buy out of a pump at a station, no.

 

[RalphVa]

I started using Exxon's biodiesel about spring time when the price came down to within 2 cents of ULSD. About the 3rd tankful on my 240D, its fuel filter plugged up. In reading about experiences with biodiesel usage, this is a common experience. Seems bio cleans out the crud that's built up with dino diesel. The gal who runs our Streamwatch program and drives a VW diesel had a similar experience. She didn't remember how many tankfuls she'd gone through before her filter plug.

I haven't had a pluggage problem with my 4010. However, it had gone only about 330 hours before switching to this 5% bio stuff, and its fuel filter is a tiny thing.

Hopefully the price will stay down. Last winter, it was about 20 cents/gallon higher than ULSD.

Ralph

 

[dodge man]

One of the places I buy at is what I would call a regional gas station, maybe 20-30 gas stations in the area, the other is a national brand.

 

[Orange 08]

I would like to try some of the major brand stuff. Locally there use to be a station selling B99 but they had lots of trouble and have quit selling it. That is the stuff that I gelled. Now there is only one place making it and I am sure they are recycling fry oil and probably other things mixed. They say the qualilty is good but they are charging 75cents over local diesel. At that price I only get a little and add diesel. I think I will be OK here with that mix in the winter. It would be interesting to see how yours does in the winter.

 

[dodge man]

One of the problems I have with what I'm burning is that I don't know what % is bio-diesel. It just says between 5 and 20%. I really don't have a problem with that excpet in the winter, I really don't want more than 5%. If you ask the person in the gas station, they don't have a clue what is in the tanks. It could be pure Crisco and they wouldn't know the difference.

 

[Duffster]

One of the problems I have with what I'm burning is that I don't know what % is bio-diesel. It just says between 5 and 20%. I really don't have a problem with that except in the winter, I really don't want more than 5%. If you ask the person in the gas station, they don't have a clue what is in the tanks. It could be pure Crisco and they wouldn't know the difference.

A reputable station isn't going to have more than ~5% Bio in the winter, It is in there interest to not have you gelling in the winter. The word gets out if a station has bad fuel.

The only problem I ever had with Bio was the first winter I run it I didn't get around to changing fuel filters before winter and I plugged it. I blame it on the crud it cleaned out of the tank and line more than gelling because I have never had a gelling problem before or after that.