Kubota and Biodiesel

[JBX]

Hi Eric,
I have been using bio in my BX2200 for 3 years now. Have used anywhere from 20% to 100% and everything in between. Have noticed just a very slight reduction in power. Other observations are that paint will get soft and curdle where the bio leaked onto the frame and I did not clean it off. It was leaking from the fuel tank at the sender unit, and understand that there was a problem with the gasket there that Kubota has a repair kit for.

As for Kubota's stance on bio diesel, here is a copy of an email that was sent to me in July of 2003 from Kubota Corporate PR after I told them I was using bio in my tractor-

"Your use of "biodiesel" is interesting - however, this is not an approved fuel for our diesel engines. Here are the reasons: Kubota does not approve the use of Bio Diesel for the following reasons:
1. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and California Air Resources
Board (CARB) has approved our engines for only Number 2 Diesel fuels.
2. This Bio Diesel may cause cold weather starting and lowered horsepower
by at least 7%. Kubota will not authorize the adjustment of horsepower to compensate.
3. Fuel consumption is expected to raise by approximately 15%.
4. Spilled fuel will cause the paint on the tractor to melt.
5. Rubber parts in the fuel system will deteriorate quickly causing
service to be required on this system at 1000 hours or 2 years
6. As we have not tested this application, we could not guarantee that
it would have no negative effect on the injection system. For this reason, we would not approve warranty for failed injection system components.
7. The compounds in this fuel are more flammable than diesel fuel and
special attention to prevention of fires is required. This will require extra care in handling.
Our policy is that we do not publish stories about products being used in ways that are not "engineering approved." Your use of biodiesel eliminates our opportunity to run an update. Thanks for your interest and your loyalty to Kubota products. Pat Carroll National Manager Advertising & Public Relations"

Don't know if their stance has changed any, hope it has, and not sure of all the claims made above about biodiesel.

Sincerely,
Steve

 

[RickOliver]

There's a big difference between biodiesel and SVO (straight vegetable oil). For most practical purposes, biodiesel is essentially the same as diesel, except it burns cleaner. I've never heard of a diesel engine that couldn't run on biodiesel, and no special modifications should be necessary. Conversely, I've never heard of a diesel engine that could run on SVO without rather significant modifications, particularly in the areas of filtering and pre-heating, since room-temperature (or colder) SVO is too viscous.

Making biodiesel involves more than simply cleaning up the vegetable oil. There's a process that involves methanol and/or lye (I don't claim to know the details), but you can buy kits to make it yourself. But as biodiesel becomes more commercially viable, cheap/free sources of the main ingredient -- used vegetable oil -- will rapidly vanish.

 

[texasjohn]

Well, I've looked all over to find WHICH models of Kubota tractors are approved for BIODIESEL.... no luck.

Anybody know?

Here's the one and only announcement that I can find.

It does not list model numbers.

 

[montelatici]

I spend quite a bit of my time in Europe for business purposes. Though the car I own there is gasoline powered, I notice most people in a variety of diesel cars (most cars are diesels there it seems) filling up at the biodiesel pumps when the gas station has it. It is somewhat cheaper than dino diesel, but I have read that it really costs more to produce and the difference in price is as a result of taxes. I guess picking up cooking oil and cleaning it up costs more than buying crude and refining it. Doesn't make too much sense unless it is a matter of economies of scale.

 

[rdsaustintx]

OK my fading memories of LOTS of discussions here:

Kubota says only use dino or warranty may be void on existing iron.

Kubota has recently announced they will make new tractors 'multifuel'.

Waste vegetable oil has to be treated to remove tallow, not just filtered.

Coolest part is your tractor smells like donuts or french fries.

Biodiesel melts everything. Rubber, plastic, paint, your driveway...

There is not nearly enough biomass in the world to ever displace dino, but bio has great potential as a fuel additive. Boosts cetane and lubricates injectors.

Russell in Texas

 

[JBX]

Biodiesel, in my experience, does not "melt everything", but does "soften" rubber or petroleum based products, like automotive or oil based paint (if not wiped up and cleaned up with soap and water when spilled). Any auto or kitchen cleaner works ok to clean up bio. If bio sits on paint for more than a week or so, it will start to curdle the paint. (don't ask me how I know).

For fuel line, I use "viton", for absolute protection from softening or leaking caused by bio fuels. If you have to ask how much it is, then you may not want to look on the web for it. (hint- they sell it by the inch, not the foot).

Straight veggie oil (SVO) can be used in some diesel engines and is being done, but it will eventually cause damage to the engine, because the glycerine in the fuel caused carbon deposits when burned.

Bio diesel, having had the "glycerine" removed from the fuel, by "trans-esterification" is good for all diesel engines, in any blend, from 1% to 100%.

Vegetable oils, even rendered animal fats, (chicken, hog, beef) have fatty acids or triglycerides, which when removed, make an excellent diesel fuel.

My first drum of bio that I bought 4 years ago came shipped with labels stating "FOOD PRODUCT" and "PRODUCT of USA". I thought that was neat.

jbx

 

[gilliganfarmer]

I live on St.croix and am looking at getting a L3400 and I am thinking of getting a biodiesel making kit. There is a lot of fried food down here and as far as I know lots of it gets dumped.

Would you guys make any changes to a new tractor to make it not have issues with the bio diesel?

Does it matter what type of transmission one gets? I mean is one better if you go with Biodiesel?

 

[Wesdor]

I try to use bio diesel in my tractor during warm weather. The local Farm Supply dealer recommended not using it in the cold weather because it has a tendency to gel if it gets too cold.

The Deere dealer in town uses nothing but bio diesel in their tractors. At least that's what a friend who works there tells me.

 

[cityfarma]

I used biodiesel in my Toyota ute for a couple of years until my mate was unable to source sufficient used oil. I loved it! I used any proportion from near 100% to what ever I was able to get and poured it into my tank.

My concern with commercial biodiesel is an ethical one. If you research the source of the raw oil, you will find that a lot is from palm oil. This is grown in Indonesia and Borneo. These countries are allowing large areas of forest to be destroyed to plant the palms. A lot of the destruction is illegal but nothing is done to stop it. This destruction is causing loss of habitat to many endangered species (not to mention the carbon put into the atmosphere when the forest is burnt).

Another concern is that food grade oil from canola etc is increasing in price as food use has to compete with fuel use.

I ask that we also consider ethics as well as our wallets.

Cityfarma

 

[KennyV]

Hello LBrown59
it痴 been a long time back to that thread as I recall someone sidetracked it with a lot of ,unfounded, objection to using used hydro oil in a chainsaw as a bar lube
Bio-diesel is great stuff, CLEAN hydro oil is good as is almost any CLEAN oil There is a lot of information on the web about this... KennyV.