GBMUD Posted December 14, 2007 Author Share Posted December 14, 2007 The 110 is running B30 and has been fine these cold mornings. I also add some Millers Diesel Power Plus - for what that is worth. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbeaumont Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 The 110 is running B30 and has been fine these cold mornings. I also add some Millers Diesel Power Plus - for what that is worth.Chris It's not B30 in mine - it was B100, guess it's now about B70. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WALFY Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 Good point Kev and really what I was getting at when I first posted.From my own point of view, a little knowledge about the process and chemistry of the operation and a wary attitude to the quality makes the risks acceptable as long as the price is right. I have now got a reliable source of high quality bio-diesel which I trust so I will be using that as and when needed. Chris Chris Where is this source? Is it as close to me as you? Do they sell at the same prices as the other place? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbeaumont Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 It's not B30 in mine - it was B100, guess it's now about B70. Left it idling for a while on the drive tonight then changed the filter and it seems to be okay now. Ragged it around a bit and topped up with dino diesel, so hopefully that's an end to the problems - I'm ordering another couple of filters tonight though to be on the safe side... The fuel in the filter didn't seem excessively thick, so I'm not sure if the problem was waxing, or grotty fuel or just crud from the tank that got flushed out by the biodiesel - this was the third tankful, though, and a brand new filter (only a day old when the problems started). I'm not sure if I'll be putting any more bio in it - if Erica wasn't abroad at the moment this would have immobilised me. Not sure it saves enough money to risk that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RRX Posted December 15, 2007 Share Posted December 15, 2007 Clogged 2 filters in no time at all when i started running on veg due to the carp it pulled through from the tank and the bits i had left in it. Always carry a spare now just in case Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbeaumont Posted December 16, 2007 Share Posted December 16, 2007 Was discussing this with my dad earlier (he works in the oil industry) - he pointed out that the temperatures in Birmingham at the beginning of the week were low enough to cause waxing problems with summer or red diesel (it got down to -4oC one night), and the oil companies will have been adding anti-waxing agents to mineral diesel since october, so there's a very good chance it was just waxing. That also means it could well happen again, though, if I carry on using bio Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted December 16, 2007 Share Posted December 16, 2007 I don't use SVO or bio at the mo because the problems seem to far outweigh the savings. Call me old fashioned but I like my 90 running, which it does with good old full fat diesel from the pump Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbeaumont Posted December 16, 2007 Share Posted December 16, 2007 I don't use SVO or bio at the mo because the problems seem to far outweigh the savings. Call me old fashioned but I like my 90 running, which it does with good old full fat diesel from the pump For some strange reason much the view I'm leaning towards at the moment... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WALFY Posted December 16, 2007 Share Posted December 16, 2007 I like the price of the bio round here. The only problem I have with it was after 1 bad batch with the white matter suspended in it tends to block fuel filters on a regular basis. As the outlet is some way from me I fill the tank up and then fill 8 j/cans with it as well. So now I must assume that there is the sediment in my tank. I filter my fuel at home from the cans before I use it now. But when I fill the tank there it must swirl the sediment up and then block my filter. So will now have to inspect the interior of tank to work out whether to syphon off the fuel trying to suck out all the cr*p at the bottom or drop the tank. I'm a bit sceptical off using the drain bolt on the tank as it seals at the moment and doesn't leak, can i guarantee that if I take it out and replace it. The fact that everyone behind me can smell the chipfat and I can' doesn't bother me in the slightest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbeaumont Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 Left it idling for a while on the drive tonight then changed the filter and it seems to be okay now. Ragged it around a bit and topped up with dino diesel, so hopefully that's an end to the problems - I'm ordering another couple of filters tonight though to be on the safe side...... I'm not sure if I'll be putting any more bio in it - if Erica wasn't abroad at the moment this would have immobilised me. Not sure it saves enough money to risk that... Oh joy... Got about two miles this morning before it chugged to a halt again Definitely waxing then, since it's cold mornings that knock it out. I managed to limp most of the way home - it's at the bottom of the hill up to my house as it wasn't going to make it up it, even in low range. Had to cycle to Ericas and get her car and was over an hour late in to work. Don't think I've got any choice now - I'm going to have to buy some jerry cans and syphon the tank - by the time I've done that it'll have cost me more than I've saved in the time I've been running biodiesel And what the hell am I going to do with 80l of dodgy biodiesel?!! Anyone want it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adz Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 If it's waxing that's causing the problem - then the bio might not be dodgy at all. Stick it in some jerry cans and keep it for spring Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbeaumont Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 If it's waxing that's causing the problem - then the bio might not be dodgy at all. Stick it in some jerry cans and keep it for spring True, I'm just a bit reluctant to let it anywhere near my truck again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbeaumont Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 Well, it's definitely waxing - fuel tipped out of the filter is nice and clear, and sitting the filter in front of a fan heater for an hour or so with the drain open results in about three quarters of a tomato tin of fuel running out. That's a bit murky but only in a waxy way, no sign of particulate contaminants. Cleared the last filter out like this then took it down and swopped it for the next clogged one and was able to drive the truck home (all of about half a mile). It's not going anywhere 'til the tanks been drained now. Had to order some jerry cans to put the fuel in, so that's blown all the money I've saved since I started running on bio Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roverdrive Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 Interesting thread Explains why a friend of a friend has a more complex system fitted to his disco. He has two tanks, with change over valves and heaters. He also starts and stops on dino diesel, only changing to chip butty power when the engine is warm ( presumably to give the heat exchanger time to heat up from the jacket water ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted December 18, 2007 Author Share Posted December 18, 2007 He has two tanks, with change over valves and heaters. That sounds like a vegetable oil system rather than biodiesel - although it might help in Geoff's case. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbeaumont Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 That sounds like a vegetable oil system rather than biodiesel - although it might help in Geoff's case.Chris Seems to me that if you're going to run B100 in this country you need to go dual tank (or at least pre-heater with a heated filter) as well. The potential savings, at least if you're buying commercial biodiesel, are no where near big enough to justify that. Maybe if you're making your own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roverdrive Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 OK didn't realise the significance of vegetable oil and bio diesel - assumed they were one and the same, especially with the reference further up the thread to the smell of frying chips! He does indeed use re cycled cooking oil in his 300tdi disco. Does anyone know if you can get 12v trace heating tape? Might be enough to get you through the colder weather if you can wrap the fuel filters in that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gromit Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 Might be enough to get you through the colder weather if you can wrap the fuel filters in that. What about one of these: Filter heater from dieselveg.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Defender Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 I've been running my 300tdi on bio-diesel for about 5,000 miles & I've only clogged 2 filters in this time. I even think it gives more power than running on diesel, it's cheaper & it burns 75% cleaner than diesel which is handy when its running in confined spaces! I had heard a rumour that diesel fuel quality is getting worse & worse & that is why the common rail high pressure fuel systems have been brought in to help burn the lower quality fuel. This could be complete rubbish but it does kind of make sense. I am left wondering why a few years back the whole country was up in arms about fuel being a £1 a litre & now we're all happily paying £1.08!!!! Anyway I'm a fan of bio it's not caused me any issues & it's cheap!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRecklessEngineer Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 Or just go down the scrappy and grab a heated filter from a Peugeot. Electrical heaters simply don't have the efficiency... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WALFY Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 Or just go down the scrappy and grab a heated filter from a Peugeot.Electrical heaters simply don't have the efficiency... James Care to elaborate on the heated filter thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbeaumont Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 Or just go down the scrappy and grab a heated filter from a Peugeot.Electrical heaters simply don't have the efficiency... They do, however, work before the engine is up to temperature. Realistically, you probably want both - an electric element to heat it until the engine is up to temperature, then coolant. I guess for this to work you'd want the coolant to be cut off by a thermostat so it doesn't carry the heat from the electric element away. Or you could just put mineral diesel in it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gromit Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 They do, however, work before the engine is up to temperature. Realistically, you probably want both - an electric element to heat it until the engine is up to temperature, then coolant. This is how the veg systems work. Coolant heat exchangers to heat your veg. The electrical filter heater to stop waxing in your filter on startup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon W Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 I was looking at products like these on ebay after having a few problems with cold weather and veg oil. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...A:IT&ih=018 and http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...A:IT&ih=007 as they allow heating before the engine temperature is up enough to heat the fuel. However the glow plugs will put quite a strain on the battery. There are better heat exchangers for heating fuel avaliable on one of the grow your own fuel websites which are much more efficient but then you still have cold starting problems unless you have a 2 tanks system. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white90 Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 Well I had the twin tank system as very cold weather still made running on veg impossible as it solidified in the fuel lines even with a heat exchanger and insulated fuel lines Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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