Mercedes 2005 E320 CDI Biodiesel Conversion - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

bluhorizan · #1 01-27-2007, 04:00 AM

Has anyone converted this late model Mercedes Diesel to run on Biodiesel or straight vegetable oil? If so, what has been your experience? Which company and/or installer would you use for this conversion?

#2 01-27-2007, 04:24 AM

Anything more than B5 biodiesel will void the fuel system (and possibly the engine) warranty. WVO/SVO will void the warranty at any concentration.

JimmyL · #3 01-27-2007, 10:00 AM

When I sell my house to buy one I'm going to convert it to run on coal......

csp97 · #4 01-27-2007, 10:23 AM

I doubt there is anything you need to "convert" to run biodiesel. Just be willing to accept the warranty implications.

justinperkins · #5 01-27-2007, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ForcedInduction

Anything more than B5 biodiesel will void the fuel system (and possibly the engine) warranty. WVO/SVO will void the warranty at any concentration.

It's virtually impossible to detect as long as you blend it though, unless of course you tell the dealer people that you're running biodiesel. If I had one I would be putting B20-B50 in it until my warranty was out.

Nothing to convert either, especially on a newer engine with modern fuel lines.

softconsult · #6 01-27-2007, 12:42 PM

I am not a diesel owner, but the illogic of doing this is overwheming. Why would you want this risk? Don't the small fuel expense savings pale in comparison to potentially losing your warranty? Not to mention the potential hit at re-sale.

Steve

Jeremy5848 · #7 01-27-2007, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by softconsult

I am not a diesel owner, but the illogic of doing this is overwheming. Why would you want this risk? Don't the small fuel expense savings pale in comparison to potentially losing your warranty? Not to mention the potential hit at re-sale.

Steve

Unless you are making your own biodiesel, there is no cost savings. Biodiesel retails for anywhere from as much as petro diesel to a dollar a gallon more. The point is that it is an opportunity to make a small contribution towards reducing the amount of oil we have to import. There are also environmental contributions -- it's a cleaner-burning fuel.

The warranty implications are real, however. Given the investment one must make to get a 2005 Mercedes, caution is certainly advised. However, there's no reason to think biodiesel would harm the engine and a B20 to B50 mix would be undetectable outside of a laboratory -- except that the car won't make the typical diesel 'stink.'

I wouldn't do a WVO conversion to such a car. Get an old one -- more room in the engine bay, for one thing.

aklim · #8 01-27-2007, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by softconsult

I am not a diesel owner, but the illogic of doing this is overwheming. Why would you want this risk? Don't the small fuel expense savings pale in comparison to potentially losing your warranty? Not to mention the potential hit at re-sale.

Steve

Not a savings issue. It is usually more expensive to run since the co-ops know you care about the environment and oil imports and what not and they will exploit that care to rape you.

As to resale, if someone tells me they ran WVO or SVO thru it, I'd walk.

#9 01-27-2007, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremy5848

However, there's no reason to think biodiesel would harm the engine

There is plenty to worry about. That's why MB won't allow more than B5. WIDE variances in mixture, quality, ingredients, and testing prevent MB from accepting it. It only takes one bad batch of biodiesel to turn piezoelectric injectors into scrap.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremy5848

a B20 to B50 mix would be undetectable outside of a laboratory

If they have a limit of B5, you can be sure they have a way to test for it. you can also be sure if they have ANY reason to to check it, they will to avoid paying $$$ to replace a fuel system component. VW is known to be the same way.

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

As to resale, if someone tells me they ran WVO or SVO thru it, I'd walk.

Same here.

aklim · #10 01-27-2007, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremy5848

except that the car won't make the typical diesel 'stink.'

And if the mechanic detects that lack of stink and reports it, you bet the warranty adjuster would order a lab test and void your warranty. I know of a case where BMW had to replace an engine. They ran some scans on it and found it was overrevved and voided the warranty.

JimmyL · #11 01-27-2007, 01:47 PM

If one can afford a CDI, then they are probably smart enough to run the correct fuel in it....

(and spell horizon.....)

#12 01-27-2007, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyL

If one can afford a CDI, then they are probably smart enough to run the correct fuel in it....

greasybenz · #13 01-27-2007, 02:16 PM

its simple, if you want to run biodiesel in a CDI, TDI, or any newer diesel. Check quality of the fuel first.

Yes one bad batch of biodiesel can toast the injectors, but thats not to say diesel wont have bad batches either. My mom has gotten bad diesel from the beacon station and it caused the TDI to smoke like hell, run rough and slow, and eventually clogged the fuel filter. I wouldnt be surprised if that is the reason why the car still doesnt run as well as it did new.

With biodiesel on the other hand, weve checked the quality everytime. And have never had a problem with the fuel running in the TDI.

As for the warranty issue, its very simple. If your having a problem with the car use up the bio and fill it up with diesel. If the dealer suspects you used biodiesel well go ahead and let them test the fuel. Its a $500 test to see if any biodiesel is present and if say the repair is only a $50 fix then why not let them throw that money away?

And there is a true story based on that statement, a member on the TDI club had a in-tank pump issue and was running biodiesel. Took it to the dealer with a full tank of dino diesel and the mechanic claimed "there was biodiesel everywhere" so the owner of the car said prove it. $500 later the test came up negative of any biodiesel present and the in-tank pump was replaced under warranty.

Most dealer mechanics are clueless about bio anyway as majority cars that come through are gassers.

To check of biodiesel fuel quality read this thread.
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=110004&highlight=biodiesel+pd

lkchris · #14 01-27-2007, 02:21 PM

Mercedes approves B5 to ASTM standards.

You WILL NOT BELIEVE how much it will cost you to fix the ultra high-tech components you will screw up runing french fry grease in a CDI.

Think car=totaled.

greasybenz · #15 01-27-2007, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lkchris

Mercedes approves B5 to ASTM standards.

beating a dead horse with a stick here, i know what they approve and its the same as VW. But what im trying to say is that high quality bio shouldnt give you any problems.

[/QUOTE]You WILL NOT BELIEVE how much it will cost you to fix the ultra high-tech components you will screw up runing french fry grease in a CDI.[/QUOTE]

oh i know what it will do, ive seen the internals of IP's from TDI's that look like theyve been worn for a million miles only but have only ran wvo for about 8K miles.