Author Topic: Bio Diesel Questions (Read 1764 times)

maritime_storm · « **on:** May 06, 2005, 01:06:28 am »

Has anyone on here switched an older vehicle over to bio diesel? I'm wondering what issues you encountered doing so. I've heard that bio diesel is a better solvent than petro diesel and it could clog the fuel filter by switching over to bio. Thoughts?

tpl · « **Reply #1 on:** May 06, 2005, 07:05:54 am »

I would think that the biodiesel sold for road use is probably identical to fossil diesel in its turdidity,viscosity,"pour point" and of course cetane rating. I thought that most of it was an 80/20 blend of fossil and bio anyway, no?

That guy who lives in PQ and drives to TO collecting waste cooking oil along the way has a) an old VW diesel and b) ( from the TV stuff about him) a whole trunk full of filtering equipment.

maritime_storm · « **Reply #2 on:** May 07, 2005, 12:18:35 am »

Here in Moncton they sell four grades B5, B20, B50 & B100. Apparently VW has problems with people switching to it with older vehicles, seized injector pumps, etc. I was curious if anyone on here had encountered this.

Roadrunner · « **Reply #3 on:** May 07, 2005, 09:15:28 pm »

turditity?

tpl · « **Reply #4 on:** May 08, 2005, 06:05:38 am »

ok ok turbidity.
Turbidity is a cloudiness or haziness of a fluid caused by individual particles that are too small to be seen without magnification, thus being much like smoke in air. Liquids can contain suspended solid matter consisting of particles of many different sizes.

turditity could certainly be turbidity in your drain

safristi · « **Reply #5 on:** May 08, 2005, 10:00:36 am »

Turd dittys are Snowies specialty!!!!

tpl · « **Reply #6 on:** May 08, 2005, 12:22:35 pm »

The turbidity in biodiesel is the little blackened crunchy bits that give the fried food its real flavour.

safristi · « **Reply #7 on:** May 08, 2005, 12:33:11 pm »

REALLY!!!.....

..WELL dammitt yer right ...the lil' blackened bits ...ARE FLAVOUFUL!!!!

(Message edited by safristi on May 08, 2005)

sirAQUAMAN64 · « **Reply #8 on:** May 09, 2005, 12:07:06 pm »

I've used B20 in mine on a number of occassions with no difficulties.

The station is far from me and I'm far outside warranty coverage, so I don't want any of the turbidity you're talking about (which I've heard too) gumming up my engine. An injector in the TDI is a few thousand dollars on it's own - that's why it's important to get that fuel-water separator service done when recommended. On older engines, I think it's a better fit as the components are less precise and there's less electronics.

VW has approved the use of B5 in cars, but no higher. B20 is an accepted level for almost any diesel engine now, but you have to be careful in winter as it will gell easier.

whamu1 · « **Reply #9 on:** May 09, 2005, 03:36:10 pm »

I have just made my first litre of biodiesel, result translucent darker layer at top, white flakey layer on lighter coloured layer. The flakes are slowly falling to bottom of container. I assume the experiment has gone wronge. Can you tell me what the problem is?

mrthompson · « **Reply #10 on:** May 09, 2005, 03:40:10 pm »

http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=biodiesel&meta=

tenpenny · « **Reply #11 on:** May 09, 2005, 03:43:30 pm »

Flakey, even on the bottom.

You must be using Crisco.

sirAQUAMAN64 · « **Reply #12 on:** May 09, 2005, 04:18:42 pm »

Frig, I wouldn't subject any modern engine to my own home made brew.

tpl · « **Reply #13 on:** May 09, 2005, 05:24:41 pm »

Hmmmm I think you have made a sample of an alien atmosphere, where the paraffin wax snow falls gently through the kerosene atmosphere... a bad summer day on Titan maybe? Look out for benzene rings crawling across the surface searching for carbon atoms to absorb to increase their mass.

barrie1 · « **Reply #14 on:** May 09, 2005, 09:49:05 pm »

Too many Hops Maybe, sounds like a strange brew.

alldz · « **Reply #15 on:** May 12, 2005, 08:57:14 am »

I think this is the TV bit that Tpl was talking about:

http://www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/files/cars/biodiesel/#

tpl · « **Reply #16 on:** May 12, 2005, 06:19:56 pm »

Probably is the guy... I remember it as PQ and a jetta but NB and an MB is not far out. The poin was that he had jars and cans and jugs and funnels to get the old french fries out of the oil.

the first diesel ever shown to the public ran on peanut oil so perhaps he should stop at Chinese restos rather than MacDonalds

(Message edited by tpl on May 12, 2005)

maritime_storm · « **Reply #17 on:** May 14, 2005, 07:09:52 am »

Here in Moncton the service manager at the local VW dealership{Dieppe Auto} is blaming bio-diesel for several injector pump seizures. According to him bio-diesel has a better solvent ability{this is true} and it washes the wax build up out fuel system causing it to clog up the internals in the injector pump and injectors which in effect gives the engine a coronary. Now being a nosy little bastard I went down to the Esso station selling bio-diesel{the bio stuff is actually made by Wilson's fuels and set up as fuel staion for the City of Moncton who uses it in most of their diesel vehicles}. The station told me to A) Check with engine manufacturer for their recommendation on using Bio, B) that it will clog up the fuel filter on older vehicles but doesn't hurt the rest of the system, and C) that it is better to start an engine off using it than to switch an older engine to it{filter clogging}. The other interesting tidbit they told me was that they also produce a blend of bio-diesel and furnace oil. I'll probably end up switching my house rather than the Ram to bio instead I figure.

Author Topic: Bio Diesel Questions (Read 1764 times)

Roadrunner