Biodiesel in a 6.0L
 

I have been doing some research... and I still have a few questions..

I have been running #2 for about 20k miles. (since I bought the truck) I dont know what was ran in it before.

What are the advantages to bio in a 6.0L and what do I have do look for and do to my truck to run b20 or even b50?

I'm new to the bio game for sure...so any help would be appreciated.

No Mods are needed to your truck. You may have to change your fuel filter fairly soon though. Bio will clean out your entire fuel system and plug your fuel filter.

The advantages? My fuel cost me around $1 a gallon..............

Is that the same as the b20 at the pump? I wont be mixing my own or anything....

I've been making bio for almost 7 years now, and would NEVER go back to dino-diesel!

You can use B-20 with 0 changes or problems.

Cool sounds good but why not go to #2 again? what are the advantages fuel wise...not cost...because around here its the same cost.

It's a renewable resource. It can be made with either waste fryer oil or virgin vegetable oil, so it is likely that the biodiesel you burn today was grown within the last couple years. It burns far cleaner and is far better for the environment. It's biodegradeability is about equal to sugar. It's toxicity is about equal to salt. It has higher cetane than #2. I'm not giving my money to foreign countries, some of which, are of questionable stature. These are just a few of the reasons I run it, but like Don, I make my own so it is a pretty cool hobby and as a side benefit, the raw costs are far less than the cost of #2.

Downsides are that it gels at a much higher temperature than #2, so in cold weather you need to cut it with #2. And, it has a lower BTU content than #2.

Well that makes sense...of course not giving any more money overseas is better...etc.

This may grow into a hobby making my own I see the pumps all the time I just never took the time to realize what it can really do.

So...here's another question since this thread is filling me with tons of info...

If I find b50 or b100 at a pump can I put that in my truck or do I have to do more to it in order to burn that without issues in the summer?

Absolutely. Like Don mentioned previously, carry a spare filter in case the biodiesel scours out any possible build up or junk in your fuel system. It didn't happen on mine, presumably since my fuel system was pretty clean to begin with. B50 is what I have run in our mild Seattle winters,(actually closer to B60-B70), as it rarely gets into the teens here, so you are fine with B100.

You will love the smell of your exhaust. Hard to describe, but it's not a food smell like some people have mentioned. You will also hear a mellower combustion note, quieter with a softer clatter.

On a side note, in conjunction with what I mentioned above, because it has a lower BTU content, your MPG on B100 will decrease by anywhere from 5%-10%. Power drop will feel proportionately the same. But since I make my own, these matters are of no issue to me. Give B100 a try and let us know what you think!

Sounds good buddy..... I am all for keeping it here for sure...

I will post up what I get thanks for the info....

I'm a little late to this discussion...but I'll post what I've experienced with my 6.0L.I burn B20 that's produced commercially...not a homebrew (I have no problem with homebrewers, I just can't safely brew my own in the space I have to work with). I don't know what the feedstock is, so I can't help there. I know the truck acts the same...power & performance wise I can't tell the difference. Now I have noticed a 0.5 mpg loose in mileage over the spread of 15 fill-ups; but I don't consider that a huge issue when you realize how much foreign oil I'm not burning. The only way you can tell when I'm burning B20 is the change in the smell of the exhaust. I haven't found B50 yet...but I'm willing to try it in the warm months (above 50F) considering how little difference I've noticed with B20.

Am I getting this forum right? 2005 Ford Excursion Diesel does not need a mod to run bio-diesel? So... does that mean I can just drive down the bio-diesel station and 'gas' up with bio-diesel?

And it will not cause damage to engine or computer sensors??

Welcome to FTE and the biodiesel forum! The answer to your question is yes! You can use bio with no changes or problems as long as you use quality bio.

I'll echo what Don said, welcome to FTE. The 6.0L in your Excursion will burn biodiesel just fine, you might notice a slight change in fuel mileage...and if your burning a high enough ratio (B20 and up) your exhaust will definitely smell different. And if you've got allot of miles of dino-diesel, maybe a clogged fuel filter as the biodiesel cleans the trash out of the fuel system. I started running B20 through my truck with 30k on the odometer and didn't have any issue with clogged filters.

Just an update....

I have ran 3 tanks thru my truck of B20. I have noticed a smoother idle, a bit of mpg loss like .5-1, smells different and the truck runs great! yea I will just use the green pump when its -10 degrees out....

You guys are great! I was thinking my question will be unanswered...

Clean bio in my area does not offer a big saving ($4.10 compared to $4.13) and it is a little out of the way to fetch. I had found BioFuelsTechnologies.com that has a waste vegi fuel kit for excursions, cost about $5k (with seperate tank, plus installations.)

I had also talked to Roy of BioFuelsTechnologies.com, these guys are awesome as well. Their solution seem to be the fix. (at about $5k total, i can run on any bio, savings should be realized after 30,000 miles. Maybe 40,000 miles considering I have to setup my own filteration system to filter out the eggrolls and chimichangas) Still need to solve the issue of getting my neighbors to okay the unsightly tanks in my backyard. :p

Anyone got any new thinking or advice?