Biodiesel

[DonR]

Yesterday I stopped at a RaceTrac to fill up and after I started I noticed that they now have a notice that their diesel is 6% - 20% biodiesel. I have always avoided using biodiesel so I stopped filling at just over 4 gallons. I had a little less that 1/4 tank when I started so that mixing in should lower the percentage quite a lot. The manual says that running biodiesel rated between 6% and 20% lowers the range between scheduled services. It seems that I'm seeing more and more stations move over to the biodiesel. I'll stop by the Wawa on the way home tonight and hope they haven't moved over to the decaffeinated fuel yet. Hopefully this isn't a sign of what the future holds.

Don

 

[Road Dog]

It's everywhere. In Canada the federal government mandates 2% biodiesel and several provinces have their own rules (4% in BC). There's nothing on the pumps about it.

Several states mandate some biodiesel in the mix (biodiesel roundup).

 

[TConver]

my 05 loves 20% bio, cummins says it is fine up to 20% and chrysler says it is fine for fleet vehicles up to 20%.

 

[Bob4x4]

my 05 loves 20% bio, cummins says it is fine up to 20% and chrysler says it is fine for fleet vehicles up to 20%.

That does not apply to all years

 

[DonR]

Bob4x4 is correct in that it depends on the year of the vehicle. Here's what the manual says for my 2015.

 

[RustyJC]

Towing our 5th wheel, I would often stop at Pilot/Flying J to refuel before I added our "all day range" 55 gallon Titan OEM replacement fuel tank. At Pilot/Flying J, you're getting B15-B20. The truck doesn't seem to mind other than a drop in fuel mileage.

Rusty

 

[Wayne M.]

I posted this a while back.*

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/threads/256277-What-s-in-your-tank

 

[TCDiesel]

I love Bio-diesel made some serious power with it too...until the promoters band the use... Commercially blended Bio diesel is the best fuel you can buy, its sold on the open market and has made its way to almost every State, its the home brew that causes all the problems and mostly like the source that damages Bio diesel reputation .

 

[Wayne M.]

Honestly, the fleet is mandated to use some wicked brews- in not even sure what we're getting at the moment. All I can say is that it actually evaporates quickly. That said, we have Cummins6.7's Ford 6.0,6.4,6.7 as well as class 8 engines, and we have no issues unless it gets cold out before we switch blends.*

 

[Cummins12V98]

I get the best towing mileage between Sacramento and Bakersfield, CA along HWY 99. *The truck stops along there have B20.

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[ScottLewis]

The owner's manual for my '06 specifies B05 as maximum Bio %. More and more stations list fuel as "up to B20" and in the Midwest a couple years ago, I was hard-pressed to find B05 or less anywhere. I bought B20 and within a few hundred miles, I was forced to change my fuel filter because the trash in the tank was loosened up. I've changed my fuel filter at every oil change since then and carry a spare just in case.


I don't know what the long term effects might be and I haven't been able to find any clear information about it.

 

[MLee]

Less mileage out of this brew and they want better mileage?--Can't have it both ways.

 

[EDankievitch]

I've been running nothing but BioDiesel since 2005. I use to run B100 in the summer I still would only my supplier does not offer it anymore. B20 also saves me the issue of having to blend the fuel for winter if I don't run my tank low enough.
There is a lot of Alternet Facts on here and the rest of the web. Here is the facts from the National BioDiesel Assoc....
-Todays newer trucks can use Bio without any issues, Cummins and Bosch both agree. Fuel quality has to be kept up. Clean supply means clean tanks and clean filters. A station that has good turn over is your best bet for a supplier.
-The use of Bio has been proven in testing ( National BioDiesel org and the EPA) to lower the light off temp of the DPF. Lower light off temp means for us more passive REGen's wasting less fuel and lowering the risk of loading our lube oil with un burnt fuel from the active REGEN cycle.
-Bio is made from waste stock, it does not take food out of the food chain. Unlike Ethanol. The Soy oil is a waste product when making TOFO. Used Deep frier oil is a great sorce.
- The ammount of green house gasses produiced using Bio are No Greater than the Green house gasses absorbed by the plants grown to make the base stock oil. Un like burning crude which releases gasses that have not been in the enviroment for millions of years.
-Smells much better. Who does not like the smell of Popcorn...

That all said if you are lucky enough to be able to get Bio at your local fuel pump (unlike here in New York) use it and enjoy a cleaner world. Unlike Ethonal, you will not notice much if any loss in MPG's. The EPA screwed us over big time forcing Ethonal on us. It's only good for the company selling it and the people collecting the taxes on it when you have to use twice as much of it to get the job done. Forget all the damage it does to our fuel systems. Ever notice how many more car fires there have been since came on the market.....

Don't sweat using that B20, we'll all breath easier if you do!

 

[Bob4x4]

From the Cummins site
Is B20 approved for the RAM Turbo Diesel?

Cummins approves the use of up to B20 in the RAM trucks for municipal, government, and commercial fleets only. This applies to selected model year vehicles. Please consult Chrysler for specific requirements and approved vehicle models.

 

[Newsa]

That does not apply to all years

In the older year (earlier models), there was a concern about biodiesel dissolving seals? I heard this from someone who was forced to put B20 in his 98 12valve because that's all he could find where he was in Tennessee.

 

[TConver]

From the Cummins site
Is B20 approved for the RAM Turbo Diesel?

Cummins approves the use of up to B20 in the RAM trucks for municipal, government, and commercial fleets only. This applies to selected model year vehicles. Please consult Chrysler for specific requirements and approved vehicle models.

You were selective in your quote. That same page says all EPA 02 ISBs are B20 compatible. THe part you point out is from Mopar and their warranty support. My truck is long out of warranty and runs great on B20. Injectors are quieter and the whole system will stay cleaner.

On-Highway: ISX, ISM, ISL and ISB engines certified to EPA ’02 and later emissions standards, ISL, and ISB engines certified to Euro 3.

Due to the solvent nature of B20, and the potential for ‘cleaning’ of the vehicle fuel tank and lines, new fuel filters must be installed when switching to B20 on used engines. Fuel filters will need to be replaced at half the standard interval for the next two fuel filter changes. After this initial period, you may revert to the intervals specified in your O & M manual.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Here is from my 15's user guide.

#ad

 

[Tuesdak]

The reason fleet vehicles get to run B20 is they have an additional water separator (filter) to handle the hygroscopic nature of Biodiesel. ULSD is hygroscopic enough as it is.

Aux fuel tanks made of metal are another trouble area with biodiesel. In short add a better water separator to your fuel system and change the oil more often. If you have post injection DPF cleaning be aware oil samples won't show Biodiesel fuel dilution of the engine oil that is happening. Biodiesel won't evaporate back out of the oil like #2 diesel does. I detail the expensive downside of Biodiesel here: https://www.turbodieselregister.com/threads/248698-ULSD-and-Biodiesel-Exposed

 

[Wayne M.]

The reason fleet vehicles get to run B20 is they have an additional water separator (filter) to handle the hygroscopic nature of Biodiesel. ULSD is hygroscopic enough as it is.

Aux fuel tanks made of metal are another trouble area with biodiesel. In short add a better water separator to your fuel system and change the oil more often. If you have post injection DPF cleaning be aware oil samples won't show Biodiesel fuel dilution of the engine oil that is happening. Biodiesel won't evaporate back out of the oil like #2 diesel does. I detail the expensive downside of Biodiesel here: https://www.turbodieselregister.com/threads/248698-ULSD-and-Biodiesel-Exposed

Which fleet vehicles are we referring to?

 

[EDankievitch]

The reason fleet vehicles get to run B20 is they have an additional water separator (filter) to handle the hygroscopic nature of Biodiesel. ULSD is hygroscopic enough as it is.

Aux fuel tanks made of metal are another trouble area with biodiesel. In short add a better water separator to your fuel system and change the oil more often. If you have post injection DPF cleaning be aware oil samples won't show Biodiesel fuel dilution of the engine oil that is happening. Biodiesel won't evaporate back out of the oil like #2 diesel does. I detail the expensive downside of Biodiesel here: https://www.turbodieselregister.com/threads/248698-ULSD-and-Biodiesel-Exposed

Got a part number for this FLEET FILTER?