anybody running biodiesel in their 2001 ? if so what do you think of it, good, bad, mpg, power, hurt/help engine, etc.?

thanks,
david h

 

I have to reply on this one. I make my own biodiesel. I have a 2003 VW Golf TDi and a 2001 2500 CTD.

There are some issues when adding biodiesel to an older vehicle (and yes 2001 is old enough). I have run biodiesel on my VW since it was brand new. There are no concerns to me of running biodiesel in any vehicle.

What you have to look out for is the fact that the biodiesel is a fantastic cleaner. With your and my 2001 CTD we have been running dino fuel for years. Adding a few gallons of biodiesel will clean out the fuel tank, fuel lines, lift pump, injector pump, injector lines, and the injectors in a quick hurry. Nearly by the end of one tank everyting deposited by the dino fuel will have been cleaned out. That is the problem for me. I worry the the fuel filter and the injectors will clog because of the use of dino fuel.

After running a few tanks of biodiesel every thing will be clean. There will be no problems after that (if using properly made biodiesel). I dont think you will notice any power or MPG changes (although biodiesel should have about maybe 5% less power).

I run it in my car once in a while when I don't have the time to go to the fuel station. Currently I have a 10 gallon batch waiting for me to wash the biodiesel.

Biodiesel is right up my alley. It is fun for me to use a alternate fuel that costs me about $0.80 a gallon (or less) to make. I can make up to 25 gallons in one batch. If you give it a try send me a email and let me know how it went, I may join you in using biodiesel in my CTD.

Take Care....

 

NO!NO!NO! I wouldn't

 

The Biodiesel does not have enough/proper lubricants that are needed for the pump or the injectors. Most manufactures will void there warranties if biodiesel is found, unless specified as ok. I know Volkswagen will.

 

That's the first I've heard of that. Most reading I've done on bioD says that it actually has BETTER lubricity.

Maybe this is for commercially made bioD, though? Not home brew...

 

All I have learned is that biodesel is a much better lube than dino diesel. I have run it on my brand new car when it had 500 miles on it. no problems so far at 28,000 miles.......

 

Jeep is sending the new liberty diesel's out with B20 in it from the factory. Do a search for biodiesel and you'll come up with more than you'll ever be able to read. I've been reading for over a year now and I have yet to see any harmful side effects. Now I just gotta get off of my lazy butt and make my own.

 

Buckshot, Where did you get that info? Everything I've heard is the opposite. The only negative side effect I've heard is the potential clogging of a fuel filter as per HO diesel's post. The filter should get anything that would hurt the injectors.

B20 should be fine in anything. Heck...Cummins even says in the manual I can run kerosene or jet fuel in a pinch.

 

How do you make home brewed bio diesel??????

dan

 

Check out www.journeytoforever.org and enjoy the reading. Several different methods, but all use an alcohol and sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide lye. I make my own too, using an old electric water heater for a reactor and a circulating pump for a mixer. I have been using the two stage acid-base method, with good results so far. I am still "curing" my diesel, so no feedback on performance as yet. I do have a stack of new filters in preparation for the cleaning effect of the biodiesel.

 

this is getting interesting and one topic i plan on following. just don't have the nerve to put something else into my fuel tank until after the 100k warranty expires in another 49k miles.

everyone, keep us informed on your results.

thanks,
david h in socal

 

I'm currently running 5% bio-diesel in my '98 with no ill effects. It's available in that concentration at a local pump and priced the same as petroleum diesel.

A 1% concentration of bio-diesel in petro-diesel increases it's lubricity 65%. Definitely a plus where your injection pump is fuel lubricated. By 2006/07 petro-diesel will be even drier than it is now, when the sulfur content is further reduced.

Bio-diesel has a higher cloud point than petro-diesel, a little less BTU per volume, and is usually more expensive to buy retail.

Rudolf Diesel's compression ignition engine originally ran on bio-fuel. However, petro-fuel throughout the years has been less expensive to use.

 

bio locations

http://www.biodiesel.org/buyingbiodi...s/default.shtm

 

I was looking on that website for info and a local station. There's one not too far away that has a B20 mix. Talking w/ the station, they say it's usually 5-10¢ cheaper than the regular diesel. So I think I might buzz out there for my next fillup and see how it runs! Plus, isn't there a new incentive for stations and it should be 1¢ cheaper for each % of Bio that it is? Something like that anyway...


Tony

 

i don't have any knowledge about it, just found the site. there is one located 15 miles from me, i am going to look into it myself.