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B-50 & B-100 in So Cal:

Anybody know where to find it and what are the implications of using it????

"The google" has many answers. Also, use the search feature here, as bio-fuels are discussed often. There's even a section up top of the page called Alternative Fuels.

Here is the National Biodiesel Boards Map of retail pumps.
http://www.biodiesel.org/using-biodiesel/finding-biodiesel/retail-locations/retail-map

In short you won't have to do anything to run biodiesel. It will degrade your rubber hoses quicker than diesel will, so be prepared to replace them. With low blends it will take a long time, with higher blends it will take a shorter time. But it all depends on the type of hoses on your car and how old they are. Also biodiesel gels at a much warmer temp than diesel. So if/when temps are hovering around freezing you need to be blending. B50 will cover you pretty well around freezing, but if it drops much more you'll want B20 and even less if temps go go further down. It will ungel(is that a word?) when temps come back up, but often a new fuel filter is needed after the system gels up.

Properly made biodiesel has no negative affects, other than the cold temp issues which are easily taken care of with blending. Improperly made biodiesel often still has methanol in it while is very hard and engine parts.

I have heard rumors of IP trouble with B-100. Any validity????

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doktor Bert (Post 3070691)

I have heard rumors of IP trouble with B-100. Any validity????

Not that I've ever seen. I know plenty of folks here and personally, that have well over 100k miles of B100 use with no issues. Biodiesel has higher lubricity than diesel does, and therefore causes less wear on IP parts. The later 60x engines have IP leak issues as do VW and many other makes. But the MW pumps on the 61x engines don't have leaking issues.

Thanks,

It was +17°F this morning here...

My refrigerator tests some years ago showed significant gelling in B100 below 32F. A blend of B100 and D2 will resist gelling. Somewhere between B20 and B50 will be safe in your area. I have been using B20 for several years and B100 before that (pure B100 got too expensive). As has previously been said, B100 will weaken and eventually dissolve rubber parts so you'll have to switch to Viton hoses and o-rings. B20 is much slower to act but does eventually need precautions. Any small amount of biodiesel (example: B5) will improve the lubricity of the fuel.

Commercial or well-made home biodiesel will not affect the IP. Poorly made biodiesel can contain not only methanol but water, which is bad for the IP and can damage injectors. I have heard that VW IPs have internal rubber seals that are attacked by biodiesel, resulting in an expensive rebuild, but my information is 3rd hand and should be verified. Mercedes IPs apparently have no such problems, at least I have had none. My '85 300D-T (OM617 engine) went 30,000 miles on mostly B100 with no problems.

One preventative you might consider is a rubber or plastic "diaper" for the fuel filler pipe. The rubber seal between the car body and the filler pipe is attacked by biodiesel; it gradually loses its ability to seal and will allow water into the trunk or other rear area of the car. A simple protection for this factory part is a small flap of rubber or plastic sheeting (used for home water-feature lining). A square three inches on a side with a hole in the middle, pushed over the filler neck, will protect the factory seal. The flap can easily be replaced and is somewhere between free and cheap.

Jeremy

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doktor Bert (Post 3070712)

Thanks,

It was +17°F this morning here...

You'll definitely want to be blending then. At that temp I would be running no higher than B20. I've always played it safe when temps start dropping, because I've had gelled fuel and there isn't much you can do to get the car started with gelled fuel. The only solution is heat, either wait it out, or adding electric head or moving the car to a heated garage. When temps start dipping below freezing at night I always switch to about B50. Then when temps start hovering around or dropping below freezing all day then it's B20 or less.

You can experience hard starts with cold biodiesel. It gets thick and doesn't flow as well. So even when it's not gelled it can be a little harder to get the car to start on those cold mornings. Blending solves this issue.

The bottle necks for gelled and thick fuel are the fuel lines and the fuel filter. The tank is more resistant to gelling because of the volume of the fluid in the tank, and it's somewhat sheltered, being in the trunk.

I ran B100 for several months in my 300SD. I had no issues - but the power (and mileage) loss was just too annoying for me. I'm running B20 now, and that seems like the best of both worlds.

Propel Fuels: Renewable Fuels | E85 Ethanol | Biodiesel – Propel Fuels

This is the first time i tried using biodiesel. Filled up $25 worth of B20. My daughter gave me a coupon so we checked it out. I didnt see any B50 or B100 at the Fullerton location.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremy5848 (Post 3070738)

My Volvo IP is similar to the older ones used on the VW. The whole pump is lubed by the Fuel. It has a Drive Shaft Seal on the End and O-rings on the Throttle Shaft.
In sidethere is also some small Kidney shaped rubber dampers.
I have only read of the Shaft O-rings and Seals being changed but that was also cased by the new Diesel Fuel.
The Drive Shaft Seal leaked on mine and I changed all of the above stuff including the Kidney shaped dampers.

Another problem caused by the various changes in the Diesel Fuel is where the advance Mechanism in side of the IP rides on the Aluminum Housing wears faster. That also includes the Standyne (Roosamaster) IPs.

One thing that nobody here has mentioned is the cleaning the BD will do. If you have a clean system - no problem. If not, get ready to change filters a couple of times on short intervals and notice.

Need to do an oil pickup run tomorrow.

I have used B100 in a dozen or more vehicles in the last 8 yrs . The only things I have ever had to do is change the return line hoses to Viton and change fuel filters a few times at first. My fuel has a cloud point of around -5C and a gel point of around -10C. I run about 30% D2 for one or 2 tanks each winter other than that it is B100 all the way. Cheers Dan