So this thread got me wondering. What kind of diesel fuel is mandated in CA? We are making a trip out there in a couple of weeks and I'll be gosh darned if we are going to do it in the Subaru. I am NOT got gonna feel like I am in a sardine can for 2 weeks. I have been looking around and I can not seem to find what they sell there. I can find all kinds of other silliness, like no idling over 5 minutes, etc. but not that. I am probably overlooking something. Any help?

 

You will find the quality of diesel fuel in Cal. is better then most states, such as much higher cetane ratings due to I believe a mandate. Someone from Cal. might want to comment on this.

 

I'm just not buying it, there have got to be a ton of trucks on the road with some serious miles that had run Bio of higher blends and not had a choice, I'm sure there are a lot of guys unaware of the right and wrong...and I still haven't seen a rash of threads on any board or forum that blame bio for blowing seals and gaskets.


Just my $.02....I ran it a lot of bio B-20 to B-50 and had no issues in 56k miles...

 

OK...now I'm really confused. I know that the Owners Manual states that you shouldn't use anything over B5, and I never really questioned why.

It was my understanding, though, that bio was better at lubrication like the old sulphur diesel and therefore if you happened to add little B5 to a half full tank it was OK. Now your saying that bio actually hurts the fuel system???!!!

Both my regular fuel stops have plane jane diesel, but the Wal-Mart just added a new diesel pump last week, and its B5-20 for about 3 cents cheaper. I hope the other stations don't follow suit and start carrying the new bio blend to stay price competitive.

 

Right but the mandate is for B2

 

Maybe not use it all the time.

Just experience with hear-say:
Like several said if you ever put normal gas in the 6.4l it will blow the motor or it will catch on fire.. Blah Blah..

Well I put in 8 gallons of Super by accident when she already had 30 gallons of diesel one time
(I know stupid)

So I poured 8 bottles of Ford Cetane after that and start her up and drove home and had no problems. That was two years ago.

 

Yeah, a little of most anything will not harm the truck. Trouble is, if you live in one of the mandatory B20 states you will get more than a little. One problem with bio is it dilutes the oil more so than dino diesel. That's not just me talking, that's from the EPA study on oil dilution in DPF equipped diesel engines. Dino diesel will to some extent "boil' out of hot motor oil, bio will not. At least to the same extent. So, you are killing the engine, one tank full at a time,. And that's not even addressing what ford is saying about anythng over B5 harming gaskets. Still, I've not heard anyone on any forum blaming a failure on bio. I guess time will tell us more.

 

Sorry to hear, I don't think they have B20 in Texas yet but I bet it's right around the corner.

I will watch for it and run!!!

You think cetane additive might help counter it?

Thanks

 

You think cetane additive might help counter it?

Thanks[/QUOTE]

I run diesel kleen with every fill up. I don't know that it will counteract 20% bio but it does lots of other good stuff. Somehow, given Texas's reputation I'd be suprised if they passed a mandatory bio law but there is a tax incentive to selling it and it increases the bottom line for some of the big sellers so they might start selling it. What I think would be fair is bio on one corner and dino on the other and let the people who have to pay for the trucks decide. we have a small station down the road selling nonethanol gas on one pump and there is always a line there. if not for your car at least surley for your small engines. That stuff just kills small engine carbs.

 

I just recently started running Bio fo rthe warmer months again, I buy B-99 and run anywhere between B-20 and B-50 for the summer, UOA's look great as always. I aint skeered!

 

Stripes stations are running B20. Murphy has also begun putting B20 stickers on their pumps again. Just a matter of time before they all do it. What sucks is there's not a process in place to depict what percentage we're actually getting. B5? B10? B20? Straight Diesel?

 

Folks: after all this discussion and reading my manual / CD, it is clear that the 6.4 cannot use more than a B5. Just to be sure, I wrote to Ford for verification and here is what came back, quote:

"Thisis Chermaine with the Ford Customer Relationship Center. I received your emailinquiring about the usage of biodiesel.
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I appreciate the time you have taken to write us. Toaddress your inquiry, I sought the assistance of our Technical Subject MatterExpert. We verified that Ford only recommends using up to B5 fuel. Thisis 5% or less biodiesel. This is for Super Duty vehicles up to 2010 model year. Using fuel with higher than 5% biodiesel can cause engine, fuel system and DPFdamage."

Chevy and Dodge with DPF are also experiencing B15/B20 problems.

 

Solution: Delete the DPF. Problem solved.

 

Ant the VW TDI has the same problem.

 

Sorry, but not so fast. The problem is the damage the bio can do to seals and gaskets not rated to deal with higher levels of soy beans. At least that's what I got from a service manager in Michigan.