my local supplier sells b100, i see b20,b40 b99,etc on the market, what's the difference and how will running on different grades affect my beloved dodge

 

The numbers are percentages of bio. I have run anything from 20-100% with no troubles. Be prepared for a fuel filter change at the beginning.

 

bio is a natural solvent, so start with a small percentage then gradually increase and change your filters as you do.

If your system is dirty and you go with 100% bio, it may loosen all the crap up and send it all to the filter at once leaving you on the side of the road.

I make my own biodiesel and have had no problems, the truck runs great with the bio, much smoother and quieter. And the pump is getting the best lubrication it can.

 

i have a 98 that i'm sure hasn't seen anything but petro. even if i buy a case of filters, how many tanks would i expect to go through before going to b100, truck has 127+k of pure california driving.

 

I wouldn't get so hung up on filters. Yes, you might plug up a filter or two but you also may not. You could run B100 and carry a spare filter with you...if you are comfortable with that. A lot of folks seem to think that you are gonna go through a ton of filters when switching to BIO. It is a possiblity but not as common as you might think.

I know that you are on the coast but during the winter gelling of the B100 is a bigger concern. I might run the B40 during the winter and get a small sample of the B100 and see what temp it starts to get at. I home brew and am running B50 now just to be safe. What ever you do your truck will love you for it.

 

Oh, and you might clog a filter at B5. The lubrication and solvent affects are present at any amount of BIO used.

 

thanks for the replys, knowledge is key.

 

Run about 3 tanks @ 10-20% of bio this will help prevent complete filter clogging by running 100% the first time. Then go to maybe say 30-50% mixture for a couple more tanks. After that the effects of bio should have cleaned everything. Make sure to watch your fuel pressure and this will help judge when the filter changes are necc. Don't run large %s of bio below 50deg. as it will gel/solidify and you'll definately be stuck till it warms up.
Side effect: you'll notice the exhaust smell change to that of fryer oil.

 

I ran a tank at about 20% and then had to change a filter. After that, no more filter troubles and I've run it all the way up to 100%.

 

I've never run more than B20, but only because of availability.

The truck LOVED the B20. Just ran much smoother and better.

JMO

 

Hey HOHN, or anyone, what temp would you think B-20 would gel at? I am in foothills of NC. Doesn't get as cold down here, but we do see teens at night. I run B-20 too, just like you said; that is all that is available. I was just wondering if I needed to put some kerosene or Powerservice in for really cold, like going up in Mnts. here, because it gets 0-10 there.

 

it probably depends on what the Bio was made out of. i would ask your supplier for their recommendations about what temps it needs to be mixed with petro at.

 

Your safest bet would be to get a sample of the B20 that you have available and put outside with a thermometer. Check it at the coldest time of the night and if you see it start to cloud up that is your gel point and it is not safe to use at that temp. I don't see much below freezing here (I'm able to do this in my freezer), certainly not 0-10 degrees but I would feel comfortable running B20 anytime time of year. Mixing a high percentage of petro diesel is the only way to raise the gel point of BIO that I know of. The additives like Powerservice don't really work on the BIO...I don't know about kerosene though.

I believe they are close to an anti-gel additive for BIO but I don't know how they will do it based on all the different base stocks that folks use. Remember, you are running 80% petro diesel and if you don't have a gelling problem with the regular stuff adding 20% biodiesel should not be significant enough to cause you trouble. I took a class in the People's Republic of Berkley and the instructor told us that we would not have gelling issues with up to 50% BIO at any temp, which is what I run.

 

one of the commercial suppliers in Portland has a kerosene pump right next to the bio pump and there was a little sign there about adding kerosene in cold weather. i can't remember what temperature they were talking about though.

 

Thanks for the info guys. I guess at 80% dino I should be OK. I believe I will do what you said H8gas put some B-20 out when it is in teens or in freezer with thermometer in it and see for myself what happens.