Solution Summary: All Yanmar Diesel Engine Products - Recommendations On Use Of Biodiesel Fuels
Publication Date: Jun 20 2007
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**Paper copies of solutions may not be the most current solutions**
Complaint or Symptom :
Dealers being questioned on whether or not John Deere approves the use of diesel fuel blend called, "Biodiesel" in Yanmar diesel engines.
Problem or Situation :
Not sure if, or at what % level biodiesel fuel is compatible or recommended in Yanmar diesel engines.
In Europe and in the US, as well as some other countries, non-mineral oil based fuel resources such as RME (Rapeseed Methyl Ester) and SOME (Soybean Methyl Ester), collectively known as FAME (Fatty Acid Methyl Esters), are being used as extenders for mineral oil derived diesel fuels.
Governmental agencies want to use bio fuels to comply with requests from the Environmental Protection Agency.
Solution :
From Yanmar Technical Bulletin ISB-04-004, 8 November 2004:
Yanmar approves the use of biodiesel fuels that do not exceed a blend of 5% (by volume) of FAME with 95% (by volume) of approved mineral oil derived diesel fuels. These fuels are known in the marketplace as B5 diesel fuels.
The biodiesel must meet the minimum specifications for the country in which they are used and should only be purchased from recognized and authorized diesel fuel suppliers.
In Europe, biodiesel fuels must comply with the European Standard EN14214.
In the US, biodiesel fuels must comply with the American Standard ASTM D-6751.
Additional Information :
While there are many advantages of biodiesel, be aware of some potential concerns:
At temperatures below approximately 5 deg C (41 F) ambient temp, a fuel heater may be required. Higher viscosity fuel, from cold temperatures, may result in fuel delivery problems such as injection pump seizure and/or poor injection nozzle spray atomization.
John Deere recommends using only the fuel hoses listed in the parts catalog for the machine being repaired or serviced. Use of other hoses from different applications within Deere or from outside hose suppliers may not be compatible with biodiesel fuels.
Biodiesel fuels should be purchased only from recognized and authorized diesel fuel suppliers.
Even biodiesel fuels that comply with a suitable standard as delivered, will require additional care and attention to maintain the quality of the fuel in the equipment or other fuel tanks. It is important to maintain a supply of clean, fresh fuel.
哲ational Biodiesel Board direct phone number is: 1-800-841-5849 The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) is the national trade association representing the biodiesel industry as the coordinating body for research and development in the United States. National Biodiesel Board website:
National Biodiesel Board - www.biodiesel.org - www.nbb.org
John Deere will continue to monitor available information on biodiesel products. Future testing of different fuels may be done as their popularity increases. Such testing may include biodiesel levels above the 5% that is currently approved. Deere press release regarding biodiesel:
John Deere
). A couple of items I've found out is red dye is added at the endpoint i.e. when you fill up if you have your tax stamp for off-road stationary equipment. And Military "has" for several years been running low sulphur diesel and yes with red dye because they are exempt from road tax. If you don't think the Military doesn't have to obey EPA rules you haven't been on a military base in a "LONG" time. And just for information purposes I live next to Ft. Hood and have several friends who work on post and they are the ones complaining about how the EPA is restricting there jobs. When was the last time you had to notify the EPA when you had a diesel, gas or any hazordous chemical spill on your property? You spill a cup of diesel on the ground on a military base and you have a whole army (pun intended) of EPA geeks breathing down your back and if you are a civilian you "could" lose your job over it if it's determined to be from neglect. It's food for thought. I do wish fuel prices would go back down.
