Bio Diesel and Starting Problem

[ETOBICOKE]

Just filled up with B20 for the first time on Saturday afternoon and drove the truck for about an hour and a half on the highway. Everything was fine until after dinner went to make quick a run to Home Depot and had to crank the starter far longer than usual to get the engine running and about 5 or 10 seconds of rough running to idle properly. On the return trip started as usual, now it seems to start properly about half the time and need to be cranked longer the rest of the time. Changed the fuel filter yesterday, was hard to start then and about a half hour later, but was fine a few hours later in the evening. Wondering if the lift pump is on it's way out, funny thing is the engine runs great other than the starting issue, just sort of seems like the engine is starving for fuel those times when it's hard to start.



Neil

 

[dpuckett]

WHat kind of low temps are you seeing up north there? Seems like I remember reading somewhere that biodiesel (forget if it is the straight stuff or blend) can start to gel at like 40 ABOVE.



You can check your lift pump presure at the top of the filter housing where the fuel line comes out. You will notice a 10mm bolt head that you can take out and install a 1/8" NPT adaptor for your gauge. I forget the spec for pressure.



I'd go back to straight fuel for a few tanks, with a good dose of cleaner/ antigel/ lubricity additive to get back to where you were, and try it again. If you get the same results with the B20, I'd say the fuel isnt made for your engine. If the energy content is redically differnt feom regular #2, It may require ajustments in fuellin, timing, etc, etc to get the truck to run right with it.



Daniel

 

[jcarey]

Not the B20, that's 20% biodiesel - 80% regular diesel. What can happen is that the biodiesel really cleans out the fuel system, so your filter may be a little clogged.