jj3500

Just getting my feet wet for getting my trucks and home running on this. One thing the local dealer pointed out that, generally speaking, Biod. is a strong solvent. He said, "be prepared to swap out a few filters". He is implying that the Biod will clean out my truck lines and eventually clog up my filter causing erratic performance etc etc. Does this sound accurate? He also said, i need to gradually get vehicles running on it. Not just to dump and entire tank full. Do it in small percentages until its all biod. Does that sound true too?

thanks all!

high bid

Yep, exactly. If you go and fill up w/bio, the cleaning agents in the bio will break loose any and all build up in the tank and lines....thus clogging your filter and then no fuel. Start out w/say 20% bio and #2, then maybe 40%, then maybe 60%, keeping extra fuel filters w/you incase it clogs while out on the road. Also check your fuel/water seperator for any water.

jj3500

ok...i just have my guard up. Thanks!

RowJ

Yup! Gradual is best if high mileage CTD.
FYI, I lost 1 mpg running straight B20. Just less BTU's per gallon. I blend it down to B05 and love it. Still Idles smoother and starts better (higher cetane) but no mileage loss.
The solvent in BIO is amazing...even just B20! Cleaned up oil stain on driveway and garage floor like nothing else.
Thread here somewhere showed lubricity testing for many Diesel additives......including 2 cycle oil. B05 was by far the best tested!

RJ

John Faughn

Even if you start with low percentage , it will still collect in filter .
The older the truck , with higher miles , has more to clean out .
I started with 10% & an older filter , 5-6 days later the truck would not start at the coffee shop , but I kept a extra filter in truck , swapped = primed and all was well , that was about 3 yrs ago , no issues since .
Then using not more than 20% in winter and adding anti gel additive .

gozapper

I run 100% bio in my non inter cooled 91 the last 6 months and have yet to change the filter. I get 20 mpg running empty. I do carry a spare filter aall the time. You should carry one any way as you could have problems with any kind of fuel. Even the gassers.

Mixed 50% with D2 and had starting problems when it got below 35 degrees.
Has a lot to do with the feed stock that is used to make the bio. The processor
uses all the crap from the burger joints, thus all the animal fats are in the product.

They use water to wash out the methenal and I suspect that the bio might still have some water in it! It plugged the filters on my tractors several times. So I use a cheap inline filter and they are cheaper than the spin on filters and are easier to change in the field.

Tom
Valley Center, Ks
2 1st gens and 1 2nd gen

jj3500

how do you guys cope with the colder temps with Bio D. colder than 32. I live in N.Y. and that is definitely a concern. What are your methods to keep warm?

stinkindiesel

I live in Norco, CA, and we get the rare nights below 30*. My Jetta TDI won't run on cold (less than 40*) bio, but the Dodge will. When the temps threaten to drop, I run 20% D2 (B80) in the truck, and B50 in the Jetta.
I spent a weekend in Big Bear, where it got down to 12*, but I was- for once- ahead of the game and had mixed D2 in my Dodge's tank to B50. Started fine from dead-cold, let it idle for 10 minutes to get a little warm into her, then drove gently until the temp gauge started to climb.
I've heard folks talk about anti-gel, but the Jetta doesn't seem to notice it. I mixed it in per the instructions but the Jetta stalled and balked anyway.

John Faughn

For the cold weather question , like anything , you issue may vary , how you truck is set up , what kind of oil the processor started with , what additive on on , so when you get an example like this one , its may or may not work under you conditions .
Some universities & the county of Hennepin , with there plow trucks , the coldest it got in the 2 yr study was about -35*F [ with out counting windchill ] , they used B20 & a Shaffers anti gel additive , and that worked for them .
At this time I have not gone beyond B20 , #2 and Amsoil Cold Flow , or the white bottle of Power Service , in cold weather , but I have gone as high as around 90% bio in warm weather .

daboocru

We run b100 in the summer and add 10gal of kero to 40gal of straight bio and not have had any problems. Tried to run only 5 gal to 40gal of bio and had a ford and dodge sitting in the cold weather from a gelled up fuel filter. Once that happens hope you have a heated garage and a lot of time. We covered the dodge with blankets and put little heaters under it to warm all the lines and everything. Changed the filter and away we went.

daboocru

The replies about cleaning are true too. Expect to change a few filters when you first start running bio. Both of our trucks had low miles on it when we started so it wasn't bad. We keep a spare just in case but don't have any problems now but you will have to empty the water in fuel seperator a little more often.

mayres

I have a 06 Dodge Ram 2500 deisel, if I run bio will that affect my warranty?

MtnDodge

Mayres- I have the same year truck which I bought specifically for running BioD. Haven't started yet! (can't buy it and haven't built the garage yet so can't make it!) Cummins has recently upped their 'tolerable allowance' to B20- but Dodge hasn't. So technically yes- it voids your warranty. However...I have talked to some who had warranty work done while running B100 and nothing was said. I think the mechanics would have to be looking for bioD in order to really rat you out. I've also talked to some who have run a tank of dinoD before taking the truck in for warranty service. So yeah, it's a fine line we walk with warranty's and bioD.

mayres

Hey, thanks for the information!

mayres

We have a small oil company here in my area of Florida, Glover Oil, and on there premises, they have pumps where you can mix and match whatever combo of Biodiesel/Diesel you would like. What is B100?