Most direct injection diesels (the VW TDi being the exception to the rule) require more refined fuel stocks ie: #2 fuel oil to run reliably. Cummins engines may be either DI or IDI depending on age. CENTINEL equipped engines burn their lube oil at an extremely low oil/fuel ratio which reduces mixed fuel issues.
OTOH, our good 'ol OM616 and 617s are indirect injection (IDI) engines with in-line mechanical IPs all of which are highly tolerant of widely varying quality of fuel stocks. The IDI Mercedes OMs are found all over the world running on fuel that is far from the ideal.
Regardless of source, the alternate fuel used should be filtered to around 10 microns and be able to remain liquid at low temperatures for reliable operation.
For comparison, disturbing specs found on the WIX filter site (
http://www.wixfilters.com/productinformation/gff_oilfilters.html) state:
"Particle size retention is the measure of the degree to which the filter can retain particles of various sizes. Wix has developed optimum particle size retention quality in filter media by extensive engine wear tests including exhaustive testing of filters used in racing, and sophisticated laboratory tests. Wix media in the automotive full-flow oil filter is able to trap and hold essentially all the contaminant particles larger than 25 microns. (A human hair measures approximately 70 microns in diameter. An object that is 1 micron in size is .000039 inches in diameter.) Our filters also capture a high percentage of even smaller particles."
Only 25 microns? Geeze!
AlsoCheck this alternate fuel thread:
240d Runs Fine On Used Motor Oil
Regards,
Randy Leo