Anyone thinking of useing bio-diesel?

[ivor940]

Re Bio-diesel, It is a type of solvent. It will loosen any debris in the fuel system. It will deteriorate items containing Natural rubber (even if the item contains a small percentage of natural rubber ). Within the Bio-Diesel community, it is recognised that the fuel filter change frequency must be increased until the filters are clear. It is similar to using flushing oil in an engine. You should not just use Bio-diesel without taking these issues into consideration. This information from a work collegue who had done a lot of research into Bio-diesel. He runs a Toyota Hilux.

ivor940

[Alec Dawe]

Originally Posted by STE-MAL

Bio is cheaper. It's cooking oil and in my opinion it's crap. It is the same as diesel but it is not as refined.

No good for me then, as I'm terribly refined!!

I tried a tank of Bio-diesel in my Saab when I had it, cough, splutter and stink, and only about 34MPG.. 42MPG on 'real' diesel.

[STE-MAL]

Originally Posted by Alec Dawe

No good for me then, as I'm terribly refined!!

I tried a tank of Bio-diesel in my Saab when I had it, cough, splutter and stink, and only about 34MPG.. 42MPG on 'real' diesel.

Stink, you can say that again. I'm not saying all vehicles would stink but one I was working on about a month ago really did smell like a chip pan!

[ivor940]

BTW, Bio-diesel is not just cooking oil put in the fuel tank. It is actually the combining of clean ( ie filtered) vegetable oil and Lye oil which has been added in a certain ratio. The addition of Lye oil to the Veg oil is to be done under controlled conditions, as it can be dangerous if done incorrectly. Standard ( filtered) vegetable oil can be added to a diesel fuel tank, but you really need to heat / lag the tank and oil lines. In warm weather conditions, a 50/50 mix will work. The ASDO oil was quite cheap. In the UK, you can pay Duty to the Revenue to make use of the veg oil legal. I think it is 26p per litre. The book mentioned by Peter Milne will have a lot more information.

ivor940

[4 forty]

tuesday, 8-00pm, on bbc two, there is program "its not easy being green" two weeks ago it showed how bio diesel was made, as i remember, the old chip shop oil was susspended from a height and allowed to drain through a filter, then a chemical was added to it, sorry i cannot remember its name. the finished product was very clear. perhaps a search on the bbc website might bring up the recipe.
this site http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_mike.htm is very informative on making bio diesel

paul

[GMcL]

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/biodiesel.htm

Also covers the Biodiesel subject.

As was previously mentioned here the manufacturers recommend changing the fuel filter after switching. Also, Volvo trucks issued a notice stating anyone using this should half the service interval of their vehicle.

I asked the main dealer when I picked up my car (D5 Sport) in December if I could use Biodiesel. I got a firm NO !

[LittleGreyCat]

Just started using BioDiesel as a local firm, enfuels of Thatcham.

http://wwww.enfuels.co.uk

They hand out a 'Using Biodiesel for the first time?' fact sheet which tells you to change the filter after two tanks full and for pre-1995 vehicles they may require an upgrade from natural fuel lines to synthetic ones.

One attraction is that the fuel is currently 89p per litre which is around 10p/litre cheaper than normal petrol station diesel.

This is a saving of about £5 per week (as I tend to use one tankful a week).

I will book it in for a filter change and a check on the fuel lines as it is a 1990 740.

So far it seems to run more smoothly, but I can't detect any major change in power (although with a ravening 80 bhp under the bonnet I think 'power' is possibly not the correct term).

I will report back any major problems.

Barring problems, I intend to keep on using Biodiesel because the smoke smells nicer and it helps Mexicans stay slim.

[LankyTim]

Bio diesel strips all the varnish out of the system that normal diesel leaves behind. After a whiile it will stop clogging the filter up as the last of the crud is removed. The biodiesel is showing up how dirty normal diesel really is!

[RoyMacDonald]

Bio diesel also goes off as it's an organic product, the quality can be very variable in the UK from the small producers as well. The particulate emmissions are also highly carcenogenic acording to the latest German research.

According to Total, about 50% of of diesel in Europe contains 5% biodiesel, and the XC90 D5 euro III engine is OK to run on 5% according to the Volvo handbook.

[GMcL]

Originally Posted by RoyMacDonald

The particulate emmissions are also highly carcenogenic acording to the latest German research.

According to Total, about 50% of of diesel in Europe contains 5% biodiesel, and the XC90 D5 euro III engine is OK to run on 5% according to the Volvo handbook.

Where did you hear or read this latest German research ? Can you provide a source please.

I have an S60 with the same EuroIII D5 engine and was told not to use Biodiesel in the car. I have read at this site that some manufacturers are cautiously recommending between 5 and 30% mixes but at this stage they are still unsure of the long-term wear and tear.
Interestingly at this site no diesel Volvo is listed.