"Nitro methene. Standard racing fuel, I've bought a lot of it. Nitro methene and alcohol are common fuels (mixed). Dangerous, burns with a clear flame so you can't tell if you have a fire. Both are hydroscopic, will absorb/suspend water.

On my big diesel I have long heard that suspended water in the fuel is a bad thing, can cause corrosion in the IP = expensive. I avoided using any fuel treatment that suspended water and allowed the filter system (racor 1000 in that case) to remove the water. In the marina the same thing.

Water in the fuel in my 603 can be a problem for corrosion/algae in the tank, as well as the possibility of it freezing in the lines or filter. However, it is my understanding that water will drop out in the primary (big spin-on) filter and remain there up to the capacity of the filter. I don't believe in suspending water in the fuel in the Mercedes, except for in times of non-use where it could corrode the tank and create an environment for algae/bacteria to grow in the tank.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Methanol is used in the reaction to create biodiesel out of veg oil and then any excess is washed off or removed in some way. You certainly don't want any methanol in your fuel.

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

Dispersing water is better than having it sit at the bottom of your tank, waiting to get into your IP and injectors at full concentration. Water-dispersing additives typically also have rust & icing inhibitors, so corrosion and freezing don't have to be issues if the fuel is treated right.

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

Riiiiight. But, it shouldn't make it to the injection system if you're running the proper OE fuel filter system, it should collect in the filter.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

If u check the Chevron diesel fuel technical review u'll find IDI engines dont need a very high cetane i'm thinking 35? any more than that doesnt do anything in a idi. I found that pretty interesting to note since our older mb diesels are idi

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2004 Infiniti G35 3.5L 6mt Coupe 73K miles 25.6mpg ytd
2001 Green Audi TT 225 AWD Roadster 71K 6sp 30.9mpg >>STOLEN<<
1982 300D Turbo 231K 120hp? 28.1mpg YTD

Not true. I find that cetane boosters make a significant reduction in engine noise especially in IDI diesels and the old Redline additive brochure states that MB requires a minimum cetane of 45. The Chevron technical review that you mention most certainly refers to construction equipment and other heavy-duty, slow-revving diesels.

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

If the water is well separated some of it may indeed settle in the filter, but I wouldn't count on it.

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

That's what it's for, mechanical filtration and water separation. If I were buying fuel in a third-world country, or fuel from hobby biofuel producers I'd certainly run a Racor or other higher-capacity separator-filter, but I'm fortunate enough to have quality diesel fuel suppliers around and the possiblity of significant water contamination is low. Significant meaning more than the OE filter-separator can handle.

In the winter, the larger risk is of water between the tank and filter system which could freeze and block lines even in small quantities. For this a quality fuel additive for cloud &wax-point depression and water suspension is prudent.

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

There isn't any methanol left after the reaction. No lye left either. Everything is changed to bio. There is glycerin that falls out the bottom (literally at the bottom of the jar, bucket, pot) and then there is some soap.
The soap is what gets washed out. If done right the water will also fall out the bottom and can be removed leaving only bioD.

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Ginny in Denver-ish
78 300SD, 265K (mine)

There actually is a category for left over water and sediments. Also keep in mind that much like brake fluid, biodiesel is hygroscopic. So even if it starts out life at .0001% it will take on more water. Unlike petroleum diesel which has a long shelf life, biodiesel is good for 6 months or less.

Biodiesel Certificate of Analysis - batch 90101 - 01/01/09

Flash point:..............................160 C
Water and Sediments:...............0.001%
Carbon Residue:.......................<0.043%
Viscosity @ 40 C:......................4.10mm/s
Total Sulfur...............................0.36 ppm
Cetane:......................................51
Cloud point:...............................0 C
Copper Strip Corrosion:..............1a
Acid Number:.............................0.35mg KOH/g
Free Glycerin:............................0.003%
Total Glycerin:............................0.171%
Specific Gravity @ 40 C:..............0.8838
Distillation:.................................353.3 C
calcium and magnesium............0.3 ppm
sodium and potassium...............0.2 ppm
phosphorus...............................<10 ppm
sulfated ash...............................<0.005 %mass
oxidative stability.......................6.7 hrs
cold soak filtration....................73 sec

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1987 300TD 309, xxx 2.8.2014 10,000 mile OCI


Be careful of the toes you step on today, as they may be connected to the ass you have to kiss tomorrow. anonymous

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter won’t mind.” Dr. Seuss

Ouch. With a cloud point of 0*C, you'd certainly need a heated filter in cold climates.

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Or you can blend it. It does like to gel.

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1987 300TD 309, xxx 2.8.2014 10,000 mile OCI


Be careful of the toes you step on today, as they may be connected to the ass you have to kiss tomorrow. anonymous

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter won’t mind.” Dr. Seuss

Actually, it's probably better for water to collect in the bottom of your tank and pass on to the fuel filter. Even fuel filters without drains are water seperators for diesel fuel. You just have to replace the filter rather than drain it to get the water out.

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Ron Schroeder
'85 300 Turbo Diesel 2 tank WVO
'83 300 Turbo Diesel 2 tank WVO
Some former WVO vehicles since ~1980:
'83 Mercedes 240D
'80 Audi 4000D
'83 ISUZU Pup
'70 SAAB 99 with Kubota diesel
'76 Honda Civic with Kubota diesel
'86 Golf
Several diesel generators
All with 2 tank WVO conversion
LI NY

That's if the water doesn't freeze and the filter has perfect and instant water/diesel separation capability, which I doubt. If it were truly better to keep them separate in the tank, then why would diesel additive makers put water dispersants in their additives?

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

Using water dispersents in Diesel inhibits the Water Separating Capabilities
of the Filter Element. (Microscopic level)

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'84 300SD sold
124.128