I noticed the local Sunoco diesel pump says bio blend im assuming its a 2% blend
has anyone run fuel like this or any opinions on it over reg diesel?
Thanks
Jason

 

Sometime last year the stickers showed up at pretty much every brand of retail fuel indicating bio or ethanol blends... whether it actually does contain a blend you can't tell just by looking at the fuel. The receipt now also states 'BIODL' instead of 'DIESEL'.

Small amounts of biodiesel is great for lubricity isn't it? It's not like Ethanol blends that don't work as well in gasoline engines not tuned for E10 operation and therefore experience reduced performance. I'm not worrying.

 

thanks
have you noticed any different in MPG?

 

Here in Texas up to a 5% bio-blend can be used and it does not need to be displayed on the pumps. Anything between 5%-20% must have a tag on the pumps stating that the diesel may contain up to a 20% bio blend.

 

In the U.S. the EPA passed something called the Renewable Fuel Standard. We're now on the second stage of that program (RFS2).

It basically requires all fuel producers to produce and distribute a certain amount of biofuel. To meet the requirements, most diesel sold for over the road use in the United States now has some percentage of bio-diesel in it. Usually either 2% or now 5%. 5% is the maximum for conventional diesel fuel, past that they have to list it as a biodiesel blend. Anyway, you've probably already used blends before without even knowing it. If you live in Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Mexico or Louisiana....you've definitely used it, as those states require it by law.

Biodiesel has slightly less energy than petroleum based diesel. However it has a higher cetane rating and it has excellent lubrication qualities. Even just 2% biodiesel can increase the lubricity of ULSD up to about 65%. The downside of biodiesel is that it's hydrophilic (it adsorbs water), which can degrade the fuel faster and cause poorer performance in cold weather (gelling). Fortunately, with the low level of biodiesel we're talking about here (<5%), it's not really an issue, as the blending process is able to hugely negate those effects. Biodiesel is also completely safe for plastic (unlike, say ethanol).

Europe has been using biodiesel and biodiesel blends heavily for around 15-20 years now. In that time, the only real problem people have noticed is that it tends to clog fuel filters faster. That's why engines designed to run higher levels of biodiesel have more or larger fuel filters. Otherwise, the stuff has been good for engines, especially with regards to lubrication (which is a challenge with both European and American ULSD).

 

The biodiesel apparently has more energy per unit than regular ULSD meaning you would get better mileage on BIOD. The world record Super Duty ran 169 mph on regular ULSD and 182 (?) on BD. I haven't seen proper data on this but I thought I read it somewhere.

The only risk with BIOD is its ability to entrain water which gets past the separator. I don't know if this is a real deal or not.

 

I use Shell V-power up here in Canada, same thing, says it may contain up to 5% bio.

 

It's all we have in the corn lands. Lower MPG is a given.