Where I live I can't find Bio diesel so I use regular Diesel.
A friend tells me these cars run a lot better on Bio diesel.
He lives 100 miles away.

My question:

What do you guys use if you have both available?

IF this bio diesel is so-good I guess I can drive out of town and go find some.
Just wondering if I should is all or just stick to regular Diesel.


Thanks

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1982 300SD

My experience is that they both "run" about the same. Bio gets less fuel mileage, about 10% or so, but really cleans up the fuel system. And the exhaust smells a lot better. Engine runs a lot smoother & quieter.

Caveat: I usually mix mine with regular diesel, so my using 100% Bio experience isn't really all that great. But I do like it...
Would I drive 100 miles out of my way to get it? No. If your friend comes your way, see if he will bring a couple of 5 gallon cans worth to you.

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1987 300DT
2002 Ford F-250 7.3 Crew Cab Short Bed

I'm actually running biodiesel in my 1993 300D. The engine was nailing quite badly, but when I started running Bio it smoothed out and runs perfectly now. From my experience it seems to run just fine if not better. But I'm not exactly sure what running Biodiesel long term would do to the IP, etc.

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1987 300SDL 271,000
1999 E300 Turbodiesel 155,000ish. (Dad's)

Obviously the Car was manufactured before Biodiesel was around so using regular Diesel Fuel is fine.
Biodiesel starts burning easier, lubricates the Fuel Injection parts better and has a solvent effect on stuff and cleans the.
There is also less energy per Gallon of Fuel (mpg might suffer a little) and it gels easier in cold weather (I believe there are additives just for Biodiesel but from what I have read most people just use Diesel Fuel in the Winter).
Also depending on the percent of Biodiesel in the Fuel it can over time eat up your regular Rubber Fuel Lines; most people replace the Fuel lines with Viton or Fuel Injection Hose that is lined with Viton.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

If you see a Spinx station in your area, they usually have bio-diesel. I have used it in my Ford Power Stroke with good results. Never used it in my 300CD.

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"Life is tough...it's even tougher if you're stupid." John Wayne


Dave
Pawleys Island, SC

'79 300CD

It may shorten the life of your Delivery Valve Seal O-rings. But, if they leak you can change them to Viton O-rings.

Biodiesel is supposed to lubricate the Fuel Injection Parts better than Diesel Fuell and it cleans out your Fuel System.
Somewhere there is a long thread on Diesel Addatives with a test done by Spicer. Diesel Fuel with something like %20 Biodiesel in it lubricated better than any of the additives.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Firsthand info only...

- 10% hit to fuel economy is true.
- quieter and smoother is true.
- eating away rubber may be true, but it's slow...40k on my 83 SD, 72k on my 97 E300, 18k on my cdi and I still haven't changed a fuel line yet. My home HHO furnace has run 100% BD for 5 years and haven't changed the pump seals yet either.
- by itself BD gels at a high temp (about 20-30F depending on source oil), but mixed with a small amount of D2 or HHO it will stay liquid in subzero temps (by small amount I mean 10%).
- it cleans lines and will therefore clog filters that have run D2 for long periods. I experienced many filter changes on 83 and 97, but not yet on CDI.

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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

I drive the extra 20 miles to fill up with BD but still rotate through quality Diesel
on rotation. Yes it runs smoother,quieter and feels like it has more balls ( hope that word is okay) I keep extra filters in the glovebox but only had to change them once after the first tank full cleaned everything up. I switched to Viton hoses because at 196Kmiles it seemed about time.

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92 500E Silver 66k
82 Porsche 911SC 84K
68 Cadillac ( Gone Now )
03 Suburban Z71 200K
85 300SD 217k From Original Owner ( Dad )

I run B100 in my '81 240D and love it. The car was run on regular diesel before I bought it last year, and when I started running biodiesel it did indeed run smoother and quieter.

This link can help locate biodiesel sellers: http://www.nearbio.com/

OK, thanks for all the replies. As long as they have have regular diesel close by I'll continue to use it. I wonder if Regular Diesel will be replaced with Bio in the future and we won't be able to get regular diesel anymore, sort of like ethenol now just about everwhere in the gas we buy.

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1982 300SD

I have a B20 station 1 mile from home. It's all I've been using since about 2004. Cars run smoother and quieter on it, and 20% of my fuel purchase is supporting US soybean farmers instead of international oil tycoons. I definitely like it better than regular diesel. I would not drive 100 miles to buy it though, that isn't practical.

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'98 E300 turbodiesel

For regular pump diesel a fuel lubricant is highly advised. OPTILUBE XPD is an excellent one, Amsoil Diesel Concentrate is also good.

The Duramax forum went into this in detail because of their fussy bosch injectors. They had quite a test and write up on fuel lubricants/additives. A gallon of biodiesel was number one, Optilube XPD was number 2, Amsoil was about 7. The new ultra-low sulfer diesel has about 60% of lubricity as former grades. Really hard on the high performance diesels, injectors, pumps, etc. I'll find a link to the report if anyone is interested.

The MB diesel definitely runs smoother and quieter with something in there. I had a cardlock at the local petroleum distributor that carried B20 at the pump. Worked great when I was driving the car a lot. But now it's parked in the garage and hasn't had any fuel put in it for months so I turned in the card and just use pump diesel with an additive.

Optilube sells direct. The gallon with pump works really well and is easy to use. They have a winter grade that's good for northern climes too. Great stuff. http://opti-lube.com/XPD.htm

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Chris Brown
"OC", So-Cal
1979 240D, 122K, 4spd, Colorado Biege w/Tobacco, Pwr Roof, AC, Cruise, Becker Corona - SOLD
Past Benzos: 71 250 • 83 240D • 84 190E • 04 C240 • 11 GLK350 • 13 c250 Coupe
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...ine=1276896801

I live out near Ashburn and have to go the opposite direction to get B10 in Leesburg. I was aware of their being a station in Arlington that sells BIOdiesel.
What road is it on ?
Thanks
Alan

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92 500E Silver 66k
82 Porsche 911SC 84K
68 Cadillac ( Gone Now )
03 Suburban Z71 200K
85 300SD 217k From Original Owner ( Dad )

Illinois is HUGE on Bio.
From what I read, gas stations get big tax cuts to run bio in Illinois.
Just about every gas station around here runs at least 10%.
I run it in the 300sd and my 97 Dodge (signature) all the time with zero problems. It runs smoother and is alot quieter.
It the winter I make sure to use a anti-gel additive, because I have had my truck gell up only one time, and the last time!
I am collecting parts to make my own biodiesel reactor. When its up and running, I will most likely mix my bio with regular #2.

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1983 300sd 150,000 miles on her (wifes)
1997 dodge ram 2500 cummins turbo diesel 550rwhp with a set of twins ready to go on.
2005 Audi A6 2.7T Sline Quattro
1998 30' Four Winds

It seems like I'm in the minority here but I don't care for bio at all, and I live in Seattle where EVERYONE runs bio. I have never run it in my Powerstroke truck, but my older Mercedes have almost always had a full tank of bio in them when I bought them and the problems that come along with it, granted some of those problems are just from the previous owner's ignorance.

My SD had been run on bio for a several years before I bought it and that stuff plugged up the injectors pretty badly, and that's not taking into account what may be going on inside the IP that I can't see, doesn't appear to be filtered as well as regular diesel. The previous owner also neglected to change the fuel lines to synthetic, not a big deal to swap some leaky return lines, but the real problem came a little later on when I noticed the fuel tank strainer line was leaking bio right onto the rubber axle boot for years. Ate that right up too along with the rest of the fuel lines.

Oh yea, it smells like dead fish, I like the smell of an old Benz motor burning diesel fuel.