Bio-Diesel, OC, MD, B-99 competative with RUG.... - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Shorebilly · #1 06-05-2007, 10:00 AM

Folks,
I just returned from one of my annual trips to the NASCAR Races in Dover, DE. I stay in Ocean City, MD, and purchased some B-99 from the Cropper Oil & Gas CO. of Berlin, MD. B-99 was selling for $3.04/gal last evening (06/04/07). As this is a resort area, and fuel prices vary....RUG was selling for around $3.00 +- a nickel or so.
These folks also sell B-10 and B-20.....their B-20 was $2.79/gal on Saturday 06/02....did not note the price of the B-10......

SB

NC Benz · #2 06-05-2007, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shorebilly

Folks,
I just returned from one of my annual trips to the NASCAR Races in Dover, DE. I stay in Ocean City, MD, and purchased some B-99 from the Cropper Oil & Gas CO. of Berlin, MD. B-99 was selling for $3.04/gal last evening (06/04/07). As this is a resort area, and fuel prices vary....RUG was selling for around $3.00 +- a nickel or so.
These folks also sell B-10 and B-20.....their B-20 was $2.79/gal on Saturday 06/02....did not note the price of the B-10......

SB

How did it run? Any issues?

I have yet to find any place selling the stuff within a 60 mile radius.

Shorebilly · #3 06-05-2007, 10:43 AM

This was my first experience with pumping B-99 directly into the car......think I wound up with about B-55 if my calculations are worthwhile......dropping x gallons of B-99 into y gallons of Dino Diesel......

I have to drive over 120 miles to purchase B-99 or B-100 from my home.....so I usually purchase it in 2 ea 55 gallon drums and tote it home....and blend it with ULSD.......Summer mix...B-66.....have yet to determine a Winter mix...YET!!

By my way of reckoning ......I add about $1.20 worth of Power Service additive per tankfull.......or about $0.06 / gal of fuel additive.....I mainly use the Power Service because it is a Cetane Improver...and a lubricity improver.....Bio-Diesel has plenty of Lubricity....and this batch of B-99 had about a 10 point Cetane gain on the ULSD Cetane levels......my 300D likes an increase in Cetane.......

But if I am purchasing ULSD at $2.89....and add $0.06 for Additive.....I am actually paying $2.95/gallon for what I usually run as Dino-Diesel.......

Sooooo....things are lookin' up......

if you want to look for a Bio-Diesel retailer.....check this link.....

http://www.biodiesel.org/buyingbiodiesel/retailfuelingsites/

SB

dukegrad98 · #4 06-05-2007, 12:04 PM

B99 is $2.70 down here in Houston right now. D2 is about $2.85. We're all expecting a drop in B99 prices shortly -- new wholesaler at lower prices to our three in-town stations. It's the only thing I've put in my W210 since I bought it, and so far so good!

Cheers, John

C Sean Watts · #5 06-05-2007, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NC Benz

How did it run? Any issues?

I have yet to find any place selling the stuff within a 60 mile radius.

BUT it's going for a premium. There is a co-op in Durham (or O.C. can't recall) and a place either Pinehurst or Southern Pines selling B-20 and E-85.

F18 · #6 06-05-2007, 12:41 PM

I am in the same situation Shorebilly....I have to travel some miles to get to a source for BioDiesel. The last time I filled with B99 it was about $3.10 and B20 was more competive with Dino. I just filled yesterday with Dino Diesel for $2.79.

For comparison....I spent the last two weeks in Peru and the average price of gasoline there was $4.50 to $5.00 USD per US gallon and Diesel was running on average $4.00 to $4.50 USD. This was pretty consistant from Lima to Cuzco... toward mid and southern Peru. Diesel vehicles are everywhere!!

#7 06-05-2007, 01:20 PM

I'm jealous you're all paying so little for BD!!

I buy Blue Sun BD100 for $3.80 / gallon and splash mix it to B80 or so for my '02 TDI and the 240d. I'm running B100 in the 240 at the moment to give 'er a little flush and it's happy so far. The TDI gets a bit grumpy over 80% or so.

Do people generally use an additive? I'm trying Redline at the moment in the 240d but don't really notice a difference ... I've never added anything to the TDI but with the ULSD should I be?

BioPOWER · #8 06-05-2007, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daleearl

The TDI gets a bit grumpy over 80% or so.

Really? My PD absolutely loves B100....hmm.....

I buy my B100 in 400-gallon batches, it's delivered by truck to a tank at my friend's ranch, just out of town. The cost on the last delivery was $2.85/gal, I believe...I've been stocking up, because prices will go up this summer to reflect those of dino diesel.

On B100 the Mercedes gets 30-32 mpg, and the TDI gets 45-50. Keep in mind, the Mercedes's extra power is sometimes put to use......

NC Benz · #9 06-05-2007, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C Sean Watts

BUT it's going for a premium. There is a co-op in Durham (or O.C. can't recall) and a place either Pinehurst or Southern Pines selling B-20 and E-85.

Theres a Co-op in Pittsboro... kinda of "commune" looking stuff if you ask me.

I work at Ft Bragg so I may need to take the trip to Pinehurst. I did see there was a reatiler there, but no one is giving out prices in the area.

SwampYankee · #10 06-05-2007, 02:04 PM

I'd gladly pay $3.04/gal for B99, if I could get it. Diesel is running $2.97/gal here. Nobody sells BXX of any grade locally on a retail basis. I might break down and put a tote in my warehouse and have it delivered.

NC Benz · #11 06-05-2007, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BioPOWER

Really? My PD absolutely loves B100....hmm.....

I buy my B100 in 400-gallon batches, it's delivered by truck to a tank at my friend's ranch, just out of town. The cost on the last delivery was $2.85/gal, I believe...I've been stocking up, because prices will go up this summer to reflect those of dino diesel.

On B100 the Mercedes gets 30-32 mpg, and the TDI gets 45-50. Keep in mind, the Mercedes's extra power is sometimes put to use......

How does your mileage compare to just straight dino?

BioPOWER · #12 06-05-2007, 04:19 PM

It's 2-4 mpg worse than on petrol, as to be expected. I haven't tried any cetane boosters yet.

Shorebilly · #13 06-06-2007, 06:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BioPOWER

It's 2-4 mpg worse than on petrol, as to be expected. I haven't tried any cetane boosters yet.

You should not need a Cetane Boost with Bio-Diesel....especially if the Bio-Diesel is running 10 points or more above that of Dino-Diesel.....

Cetane is a combustion retardant.....the exact opposite of Octane.....the Cetane slows down the flame front within the cylinder during the combustion process......I am not a Combustion Engineer or specialist.....but have studied the combustion process within Slow Speed, 2 Stroke, engines......unfortunately I do not have any references for smaller, high speed diesels like the ones we talk about here.....but perhaps someone else knows a bit more about Cetane......

SB

NC Benz · #14 06-06-2007, 07:16 AM

Actually higher octane is an ignition retardant as well. http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question90.htm

Hence the reason high compression gassers need higher octane. Most people think that it provides more "power". Many times a higher octane rating will allow a gasser to advance the ignition perhaps giving as little more power to the engine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shorebilly

You should not need a Cetane Boost with Bio-Diesel....especially if the Bio-Diesel is running 10 points or more above that of Dino-Diesel.....

Cetane is a combustion retardant.....the exact opposite of Octane.....the Cetane slows down the flame front within the cylinder during the combustion process......I am not a Combustion Engineer or specialist.....but have studied the combustion process within Slow Speed, 2 Stroke, engines......unfortunately I do not have any references for smaller, high speed diesels like the ones we talk about here.....but perhaps someone else knows a bit more about Cetane......

SB

pizzachef · #15 06-06-2007, 08:28 AM

I haven't put Biodiesel in the tank yet because I haven't changed the fuel lines back on the tank yet. I tried and the friggin hose clamps are too tight to get off...and in an awkward spot so I can't get a good wrench on them. I'm thinking my next trip to the mechanic I'll just ask him to do it. Anyway, has anyone experienced problems running BioD with the old fabric-looking hoses? I'm afraid of them disintegrating on me in the middle of the night somewhere 100 miles from home.

Also, on a wagon, are there more fuel lines to change other than the ones visible on the underside of the tank? (And under the hood of course) I don't know where the lines are for that expansion tank...