Bio Diesel....?

[Barry]

Folks, an oil company in our town now has Bio Diesel for 30 to 40 cents a gallon less than regular diesel. ($3. 65 a gallon)



The blend is 80/20... ... ... ... ... ...



It there a down side to running bio???????????????



I took on 112 gallons of regular diesel today at $3. 85 a gallon... . do the math.

 

[JFought]

i only threw a code when i ran a pressure box and was wot it threw a low rail pressure code, due to lift pump not being able to supply the cp3.

other than that i didn't have any issues.
(the local bio fuel place closed)

 

[ENafziger]

If you mean 20% biodiesel, it'll be fine. Smoke will be more grey than black, EGTs will be down slightly as will power with the same duration. You may have to change fuel filters more often at first.

--Eric

 

[Barry]

OK, then if I am buying it for 8% less than regular diesel and if I get 8% less fuel mileage... ... .

... ... . then I really did not gain anything????

Or if I am saving far more than enough to add some Power Service... ... ... ... ... ..... to bring up the cetane.

 

[Teich]

The Bio part of Biodiesel has less energy ie btu's, so not as much power. My 04 got less fuel mileage with just 5% bio, ran well when warm out not so god when cold. Used Powerup additive in fuel still no better don't really like the stuff Laurie

 

[ENafziger]

It's not a cetane problem. Biodiesel generally has a higher cetane value than #2.

--Eric

 

[BHowayeck]

I just spent $2k on remaned injectors because of bio. IMO, its not worth it.

 

[rbattelle]

I'd be running B20 if I could find it. For a couple years I ran B10, but the station quit selling it.

Bio has a lot of advantages. Better lubricity, for one (good for CP-3). But I'd only buy ASTM graded biodiesel from a shop with good volume. Shelf life isn't the same as petroleum diesel.

-Ryan

 

[ENafziger]

I just spent $2k on remaned injectors because of bio. IMO, its not worth it. <!-- google_ad_section_end -->

Just curious... was this home brew stuff? What was the source of the bio?

Did you ever tow heavy and get EGTs >1000° for extended periods?

--Eric

 

[MickeyMiller]

What Ryan said... I run B5 to B20 whenever I can find it. When I get biodiesel I don't add any additive because it lubricates better than the ULSD.

 

[Dieselnerd]

Ditto on the above, my state, (MN) mandates bio. There were some early problems with big trucks needing filter changes. I had some gray stuff in my filter but it ran well.



No problems now, it's been several years and the formulation works good. I have noticed no decrease in mileage and my truck runs smoother with the bio.

 

[EDankievitch]

I've been running BioDiesel for 6 years no on my 05. You need a good supplier with clean certified fuel. And I would strongly reccomend adding extra filteration. I had to replace the injectors at 135,000 miles not due to the quality of the fuel but due to a cracked nozzle on Cyl number 4. A BioDiesel blend provides better lube than just diesel with additives. If you search the BioDiesel org websites there has been alot of testing done on all brands of engines with very positive results. The only engines that should not run more than a 5% BioDiesel blend are those engines ith the Re Gen soot catilist. On those engines due to the post injection cycle you risk loading up the lube oil with fuel every re gen cycle. How ever it's been proven that with just a 5% blend that it will lower the light off temp of that soot filter cat by as much as 40%

 

[AH64ID]

If the fuel is clean then it will be fine, as others have said slightly lower BTU's, better fuel pressure, better fuel lubricity, and smoother motor. The couple times I have ran it I haven't even seen a dip in mileage.

I agree with the extra filtration. Dodge allows B20 with an additional f/w sep.

 

[guldam]

I've been running BioDiesel off and on when I can get it or make it, for almost a year now. The good stuff is a pleasure to burn. Yep, it cleans out your fuel system. Yep it adds lubrication to your fuel. And the exhaust smells great. Cummins loves the good stuff.



But if you get a bad batch as I have, then you will suffer with clogged filters, balky starting, excess smoke that smells nasty etc. You have a good chance of damaging injectors and injection pumps with fuel that has incomplete reaction, excess of water (not properly dried), or has not been properly washed and still has methanol and/or catalyst.



I now buy BioDiesel only from legit, experienced and certified producers. No more backyard BioDiesel except when I make it.



There's a certain "BioDiesel" producer up in Mountain View that is on my s**t list. If you are in the SFBAY area and looking for Biodiesel, beware of MarcoBiodieselService aka Marco Ruiz Estrada, Franco, (real name: Frank Bertuccio). His BioDiesel is BAD, he will take your money, and make all sorts of promises he has no intention of keeping.



GulDam

 

[Barry]

OK, here is my report.

Apparently, we have a good supplier. Whetstone Oil Co. here is Crystal River blends their own bio fuel(80/20) and have it in a 1,000 gallon tank with the old fashion pump. You fill up, write down the amount and gallons... ... ... . go around front and pay.

I am elated with the performance and mileage. I recently did a Texas turn around with 125 gallons of on board fuel... ... ... ..... towing a horse trailer both ways.

I am now almost exclusively running Whetstone's bio fuel.

$3. 65. 0 per gallon!

Thanx for all the replies... ... ... ...

 

[Jengle]

I have run Bio 5% when I can get it. Only station near me quit handling it a year ago. When I had it in the tank, I didn't notice any more crud than usual in the filters, so I guess the system didn't have time to build up anything, before I put in the Bio.

My dad has run his 06 on it, almost every tank, I think he may have used regular diesel in about three tanks or less. He now has 86k on his 06, with the 5. 9 engine. He has the cat, and hasn't had any problems. He gets about 1-2mpg increase with the bio, hand calculated. Both trucks run much smoother and with less noise than straight diesel.

The station that he gets it from is about 50mi or more from me, so its not worth the drive to get it. Based on the performance, I would go with higher % if it was available.

 

[guldam]

I've been buying B99 from Sirona Fuels, aka Blue Sky BioDiesel in Oakland, CA for $3. 90 a gallon. Best price I've found for Dino around here is $4. 19 a gallon.



Their B99 is certified ASTM, and they will show you the independent lab certification for each and every batch. My truck loves the stuff.



I will no longer buy BD that is NOT certified. I've been bit, and I will not take that chance again.



GulDam

OK, here is my report.



Apparently, we have a good supplier. Whetstone Oil Co. here is Crystal River blends their own bio fuel and have it in a 1,000 gallon tank with the old fashion pump. You fill up, write down the amount and gallons... ... ... . go around front and pay.



I am elated with the performance and mileage. I recently did a Texas turn around with 125 gallons of on board fuel... ... ... ..... towing a horse trailer both ways.



I am now almost exclusively running Whetstone's bio fuel.



$3. 65. 0 per gallon!



Thanx for all the replies... ... ... ...