Interesting Article for BioDiesel Users
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Joined: Nov 2006
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From: North of Greenville
Interesting Article for BioDiesel Users
I've read through most of this article, but not all, and found some rather surprising info which indicates that bioD may not be the best for our trucks' lube systems.
One of the authors works for an additive company, but I would also like to see more data behind the discussion myself.
Still... I found it to be an interesting read.
One of the authors works for an additive company, but I would also like to see more data behind the discussion myself.
Still... I found it to be an interesting read.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 26,966
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From: Texas
I've heard of this before. Might be an issue for folks running extended drain intervals. Blackstone found no issues with mine running B99 in the summer.
I had several UOA's done running dino, b20 and b99. Just depended on the season and what was available. Been running some form of bio on and off, but fairly regular since I was at 150,000.
I had several UOA's done running dino, b20 and b99. Just depended on the season and what was available. Been running some form of bio on and off, but fairly regular since I was at 150,000.
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Joined: Nov 2006
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From: North of Greenville
Yeah... I ran it for a while myself, and am running extended drains, but my UOA's never revealed any fuel dilution at all. Also, I was only running B20, which could easily be much less than 20% at any particular given point in time due to the allowed variability on the actual percentage of bio in the fuel.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Rio Rico, AZ.
I'll just say that I've replaced about 10 injector pumps on various Jetta TDI's over the last couple of years and every one of them was a BioD user.
About the third one in I decided that BioD was never going to enter my tank again.
About the third one in I decided that BioD was never going to enter my tank again.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2008
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From: Seattle
Interesting reading. Thanks for posting that Pete. I have been running my own stuff for the past two years, B100 most of the time, and keep it all monitored via Blackstone, and will continue to do so until I see some 'trends' on my UOA reports. Regardless, I still like reading that sort of information. Homemade bio will always be a small speck of a 'niche' in the grand scheme of fuel related things. I certainly don't mind it staying that way. The fewer people interested in it, the better for us homebrewers.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2007
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From: Texas
How old were the pumps? Were the seals compatible with the bio? Have you seen a similar increase in the failure of the same year pumps with the introduction of ULSD? I've heard the new fuel can cause issues as well.
Just for clarification. I've only used the commercially available bio. Never tried the home brew stuff.
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Fleet Owner
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From: Rio Rico, AZ.
They just ran and ran and never leaked.
Then Biodiesel came out and they started to leak.
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Rio Rico, AZ.
Betcha I don't have an injector pump failure on my truck.
How old were the pumps? Were the seals compatible with the bio? Have you seen a similar increase in the failure of the same year pumps with the introduction of ULSD? I've heard the new fuel can cause issues as well.
Just for clarification. I've only used the commercially available bio. Never tried the home brew stuff.
How old were the pumps? Were the seals compatible with the bio? Have you seen a similar increase in the failure of the same year pumps with the introduction of ULSD? I've heard the new fuel can cause issues as well.
Just for clarification. I've only used the commercially available bio. Never tried the home brew stuff.
I work for a lot of biodiesel users, so perhaps my view is a little skewed.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2007
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From: Texas
Just curios. The first time I ran B20 in an old farm tractor, the gasket on the fuel filter swelled and leaked out all the fuel. I stopped using bio in that tractor. ULSD caused some other stuff to swell a couple of years later
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From: North of Greenville
Yes, David, and I meant to mention that in my first post and forgot to.
What I understand about the ULSD is that the extra refining process results in the extraction of certain aromatics in addition to the targeted sulfur, and it is the absence of those aromatics which results in lower fuel lubricity and typically causes seals, orings, etc. to shrink (not swell), thereby resulting in leaks. That's why some fuel additive manufacturers include "seal swellants" as part of their diesel additive package to address the shrinking and drying of seals, etc. created by the ULSD.
What I understand about the ULSD is that the extra refining process results in the extraction of certain aromatics in addition to the targeted sulfur, and it is the absence of those aromatics which results in lower fuel lubricity and typically causes seals, orings, etc. to shrink (not swell), thereby resulting in leaks. That's why some fuel additive manufacturers include "seal swellants" as part of their diesel additive package to address the shrinking and drying of seals, etc. created by the ULSD.
More Turbo
Joined: Aug 2008
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From: Frankfort, KY
I've read through most of this article, but not all, and found some rather surprising info which indicates that bioD may not be the best for our trucks' lube systems.
One of the authors works for an additive company, but I would also like to see more data behind the discussion myself.
Still... I found it to be an interesting read.
One of the authors works for an additive company, but I would also like to see more data behind the discussion myself.
Still... I found it to be an interesting read.
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Hotshot
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: North of Greenville
That's actually not completely accurate. Coming up with an appropriately effective anti-gel additive for biodiesel has been a real challenge, and there is still room for success there. There are a large number of diesel fuel additives to address cetane and anti-gel issues, but only a few companies have been successful on those issues when it comes to biodiesel. In other words, it's still a very open playing field for development.
