I have been running Veggie oil (70/30 mix) for about a year now.

A friend of mine used to make his own biodiesel, and has decided to get out. He said that I can have about 30 gallons of leftover homemade biodiesel.
He also has about 20 gallons of Methanol. He said I can have it too.

I have 2 questions:

1. If I start running on bio, I have been told that it will clean-out my fuel tank/lines and plug up my filters. Since I only plan to run this little bit through, and not make any more bio, about how long will it take to clean out, and stop plugging filters????
2. Since I dont plan on making any additional bio, what can I do with the methanol?? Can I put a small amount in each tank without hurting the engine? Can I use it to clean the floor of my garage???

Thanks,

Hello, I am unable to answer all of your questions from personal experience but I have done extensive research. My understanding is that whenever you start using bio, it's a good idea to have a spare filter of each in your trunk, the tools to replace them, and some seafoam to put into the new diesel filter before you spin it on, save your hand some pumping! Once all the goo is gone, possibly a few tanks, it'll slow plugging filters.

As far as the methanol, you could possibly sell it, I wouldn't use it as cleaner(not the safest by any means!) you could save it to use it as a water meth injection mix, or if you're near Savannah GA I can undertake disposal for you there may be some other cool uses for that methanol, like making some high octane gas mix possibly, RC cars & planes, so don't dispair that it may not be a safe cleaner!

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1984 300sd auto with 246,000 miles

That small amount of BD should not clog your lines. Always keep a prefilter and spin-on filter in your trunk at all times anyway.

The methanol can be used as drygas... "Heet" is 100% methanol. You can also mix it 50/50 with water and you have windshield washer fluid...literally (minus the blue color). Or give it to me to make BD with.

I would not pour meth into the fuel tank, but that's just me.

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Mark in MA
05 MB E320CDI 402k Granite Grey Metallic
05 MB E320CDI 267k Black
05 MB E320CDI 232k White
05 MB E320CDI 209k Tectite Grey
99 Dodge 2500 Cummins 5sp 148k
62 Jeep CJ-6 120k

That's a lot of methanol. You'll be cleaning garage floors for years. Seriously, be careful with this stuff -- it's REALLY flammable. Don't put it in your fuel tank. Don't use it around an ignition source (water heater, etc.). Keep a gallon and find another biodiesel maker for the rest or trade it for some self-sealing stembolts.

Jeremy

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"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

Another vote here for "keep spare filters on you". We sell the stuff that's commercially made and I always tell our new customers - and those that have run their car on petrodiesel for a long time - about the possibility of clogging filters. Not a big deal but it's something to watch for during the first thousand miles or so.

I've been running it for 7 months straight in my wagon (which was purchased from a guy who ran WVO for a couple years, then switch to petrodiesel for a year before I bought it when he couldn't get anymore WVO). Filters clogged after a couple weeks, serious power loss blah blah. Changed filters and haven't had a problem since. I've changed a single plastic filter in the interim but that wasn't really necessary.

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1984 300TD Turbodiesel - 272k
- Daily Duty
1985 300D Turbodiesel - 315k
- "Recommended for competition events only"

That amt of bio won't make much difference to your filters, but keep spares in any case. don't put the methanol in your tank it has no lubrication qualities whatsoever, you might as well be putting water into your fuel tank. Use it as windshield washer concentrate 1/4 with water and a dab of dishsoap. Cheers Dan

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It's always something simple
91 300D 603.960 (from japan) 194K
92 Toyota Diesel Landcruiser HDJ81-t 116K
02 Golf TDI new head courtesy of PO
87 300D
97 BMW 525 TDS Wagon 5spd
bunch of Onan and other diesel generators