bio diesel

[Tractorat]

I keep hearing about this bio diesel. Has anyone tried it ? Will it run in our trucks ? And more importantly, will it hurt it ?

 

[Breck]

Yes, Yes, no it won't hurt it. I noticed a little drop in economy but am told that should be the case? It cost a little more.



V/R



Breck

 

[rweis]

Anyone make their own biodiesel?



I would GLADLY buy biodiesel if we could get off dependance on foreigh oil, ie Iraq, Iran, etc.



Bob Weis

 

[DOUGMartin]

There are some other post's on this if you do a search. From what I have seen from looking threw a few guys are runing bio blend. They add up to i think about 7 gal per tank of any vegi oil. So if you fry at home or have a turkey frier or anything you can filter that down and put it in your tank and save the money you would spend on the 7 gal. There is a web sit link on some of the post's I sent an email to them and if i remeber the start up coast for the system to run pure vegi oil is like 1000 or 1500.

 

[mhenon]

Let's get the facts straight!!!

Don't confuse "biodiesel" with straight veggie oil or french fry. They're totally different.

Biodiesel, that you buy at the pump, is OK to use in our trucks. It's made from soy or canola oil and has a little less heat energy than regular diesel fuel. The good part about it is it's made from surplus soybeans grown here in the US. It also lubricates the injector pump much better than diesel #2... . so should be beneficial to pump longevity.

I've been running B20 (a blend of biodiesel 20% and diesel #2)lately and like it. On a 1000 mile trip last week my mileage on B20 was real close to what I normally get with #2 diesel (23. 6mpg compared to 24. 4mpg). Thats better than what I thought it might do.

From test that I've seen even a 2% blend of biodiesel will help with lubricity.

Now about the french fry or straight veggie oil (corn, soy, olive, whatever)... be real careful. Our engines will burn this stuff easily (especially blended with diesel #2) but you can run into problems. Long term studies that I've read about on the net suggest injector fouling and pump failures with straight veggie oil. They seem to work better in the older diesel engines with mechanical pumps and indirect injection. Our modern direct injection/computer controlled engines don't like the extra thick oils. Any blend under about 5% and you'll never know it's in there (yea... I've done it). Cummins says the same about burning used engine oil... keep it under 5% of the mix and you'll be OK (yep... done that too).

But biodiesel (at the pump. . not something you're buddy has cooked up) is OK to use. I'm putting it in both the Dodge and the Jetta. I don't have any love for some rich oil baron (foriegn or US) and using B20 means they're getting nailed for a 20% loss. That makes me smile. That 20% is going to help some farmer in this country by the way. Most of the crops used to make bio-diesel are surplus that need to get used up. It just make sense to me.



Mike

 

[monkfarm]

Mhenon, where to find biodiesel??

Minnesota has (if my memory serves me correctly) 2% biodiesel mandated for any (taxable) diesel fuel that comes out of any pump in Minnesota.

Mhenon, where do you get that 20% biodiesel??? How much more is it per gallon?? I've heard of that being available, but I never have seen it for sale. Maybe I could do a search for locations around here somewhere to buy it on the net. I really love the idea of it, also.

There is another thread where a vendor of biodiesel explains what he is doing and why.

I have a friend that burns straight veggie oil (not biodiesel) in his Mercedes 300D. He is a tinkerer and rigged up his fuel line to go through his radiator hose to heat it up. He has to start on regular diesel though, and then has a switch to change tanks. Some people claim it might foul up their injectors, but he claims there is no problem with that. I like the idea of the xtra lubricating properties of it, and the fact that it is renewable.

 

[darkhorse]

Dean, you are absolutly right about 2% biodiesel in Minnesota. I always cross the river to buy my fuel. The extra lubrication is nice but 13 cents less tax per gallon pays for the trip to Wabasha.

 

[CFAR]

Do a search on Bio Diesel on google and read for the rest of the year.

You will read about SVO WVO etc... ... ...



I read one story about a guy who had a converted bus, that ran something like 22000km in Australia, on a trip around the country.