10% reduction in HP / MPG with BD?

[JoeBioDiesel]

The lower EGTs you observed are normal, and so are the drops in ETs. . although more than I would expect. Now, if you bumped the fuel to a higher level, you'd get better ETs and tolerable EGTs. Although there is definitely a performance drop with Bio, the extra fuel you can add before it smokes, or melts pistons, will make the truck faster overall.

Joe

 

[MHagen]

I do belive there is a power difference in homebrew and astm Bio. My dad makes bio and different batches definately make different power levels. If bio had less power I doubt that the fastest diesel dragster would run 100% bio.



Home of the World's First 7 Second Diesel Dragster







Mike

 

[Cattletrkr]

Well for the last few weeks I've been running about B45. What I posted earlier about not losing power last year was correct. However this year I have lost 4-5psi boost on the top end and the power loss is easily noticeable. I'm not complaining too much though. Now I can set the Juice on 3 and let 'er go. I used to hit 1400+ pretty easily on level 1. Now I can push as hard as I want to on level 3 w/o getting much over 1250. I was pushing so hard the other day I couldn't believe it. Less power than before, but still way more than I feel comfortable using towing a 30K trailer.

Mileage is still unchanged.

I wonder if the 55% #2 that is now ULSD has soemthing to do with it. The bio is coming fromt he same source as last year.

 

[SHobbs]

Guess I am different, I tried 2 tanks of #2 and got around 18mpg both times. Switched back to B100 for 2 tanks and got 19-19. 5 mpg. I drove the truck like a g-ma, smooth easy acceleration, shifting before 2000k rpms's and keeping the truck at 62 mph which is around 1900 rpm's. As far as power I can't tell a difference, my 5er tips the scales at 13k and the truck pulls it just as hard on B100 as it does on #2.

 

[ELaslo]

My daughter did a science fair project last year. Compared HP, Torq and emissions for ULSD, LSD and 80% wvo (10% kerosine and gasoline). In a 1989 Ford Powerstroke. Lots of Dyno runs on each fuel. The results were averaged to the following.



ULSD Veg 1 LSD 5

(RPM) HP HP HP

1900 92. 19 90. 36 91. 43

2000 96. 94 94. 98 96. 31

2100 101. 57 99. 4 100. 65

2200 106. 2 103. 58 105. 04

2300 110. 82 107. 53 109. 49

2400 114. 9 111. 41 113. 47

2500 118. 66 115. 49 117. 34

2600 122. 07 119. 77 121. 10

2700 125. 93 123. 42 125. 12

2800 129. 44 126. 29 128. 73

2900 132. 61 128. 37 131. 90

3000 134. 77 130. 83 133. 22

3100 136. 83 133. 19 132

3200 138. 8 135. 46 135. 53

3300 139. 03 136. 76 138. 04

3400 139. 39 137. 51 139. 10

3500 139. 89 137. 73 138. 68

3600 46. 63 45. 91 46. 23

3700 0 0. 00 0. 00





As you can see, not much difference. Almost none when compared to ULSD. Of note, the WVO blend developed almost 10 more HP than the other fuels when the engine was COLD. When the engine was hot, the LSD had the most power. The data above was (I believe) an average of all 20 runs at all different operating temps. It may have been the best runs of each fuel at the optima operating temp. I don't remember and she isn't around to ask.



Take home message: If you can keep your engine cool. WVO is better. If you run hot LSD is best.



Bt the way the torq data reflects the same thing. Maybe next time we'll tackle fuel economy. It wasn't done last time because we did not have a fuel flow meter to try to accuratly measure the given volume of fuel for a particular distance traveled. Another consideration was the inability to standardize the atmospheric conditions while testing MPG. Perhaps it could be done on a Dyno in a temp controlled garage, but that may be costly. I don't know if a Dyno has a distance traveled feature. One could calculate the distance if by figuring out RPM and tire size and doing the math but again that would have been too costly on the Dyno in terms of money.

 

[ELaslo]

Sorry about the chart. It didn't copy and paste well. . But you can still get the jist of it.

 

[JFaughn]

I think there are too many variable's to really know whats going on with out lab testing , and who drives the truck every day in a lab ?
The wind seems to make as much difference as anything mentioned here , also many other factors , it would seem that there is a much larger variation in dyno fuel than the oil co. would admit , and thats aside from LSF , ULSF , #1 , #2 , have you noticed that the most pumps will never have centane ratings like the gas pumps ?
I suspect they give us what ever depending on conditions , what makes them more money .
I drive mostly hwy and the same route most of the time and my millage varied 1 1/2 - 2 1/4 this spring , nothing to explain it .
Then we add bio to this , many more variables , homebrew , even the commercial producers have many problems getting consistency .
But any source you go to , there is less BTUs , but more centane ,
I have just tried a new bio , processed with ethanol instead of methanol , which got me thinking about any BTUs that may be in the fuel from any alcohol that did not get removed .
I've been running at least B20 & up to B35 , for a couple yrs now , I did not notice any change in performance , millage , power ect. , until this last spring , no bio at all at that time .