Biodiesel

[JE2002]

Hello all,

Fuel prices are higher and higher!

Has anybody experience with biodiesel?

Do I have to replace anything inside or outside my 1.9 dti diesel engine
to run on 100% biodiesel?

Kind regards  ,
Boris

[Lennart Sorth]

Depends on what you mean with biodiesel, - something you buy at a fuelstation, or something a local farmer produces in smaller quantities ?

From what I have heard, no modifications are indeed required for any of these fuels - they should be directly useable on DT and DCI engines.

However, with regard to the "local farmer" product, it is apparently common practice to fit an extra fuel filter in parallel, and a valve, to switch between the two.

The idea being that the local farmer will not be able to filter it sufficiently, hence the extra filter.
When you have to switch from the one to the other, you replace the clogged one.

/Lennart

[Anders Dinsen]

From what I have heard, few standard diesel engnes can run on 100% rape oil, but a 50/50 mixture with mineral diesel oil should work.

The rebuilds necessary should (again: as far as I have heard) concentrate on low pressure pump and injectors.

- Anders

[JE2002]

Thanks for the reply Lennart and Anders,

What I mean with biodiesel is quality biodiesel that doesn't hurt the engine.

I prefer no change to the engine, although extra fuel filter is a good idea.
Are Espace diesel engines biodiesel certified?

Cheers,
Boris

[Lennart Sorth]

Are Espace diesel engines biodiesel certified?

Don't think so, - which is why Anders's suggestion of running on a mixture is probably as far as I would go myself. (providing I could GET any bio-fuel legally)

However, I have friends running their diesel cars (including Espace's) on 100% farmer-produced rapeoil, and have been doing so for years.

Some of the biodiesels are even said to lubricate the fuel-path of the engine better than the fossil oil based diesel.

hmmm - Do we have any chemetry/fuel experts in this forum ?

/Lennart

[Matra_Hans]

Hi
If you are running the car on 100% rape oil you need a preheater for the fuel. This can be a heat exchanger utilizing the engine heat or an electric preheater or a combination.
Further you will need a two tank instalation as you need to start the car on diesel as the rape oil is not heated when you want to start the engine.

Check this sites:

http://www.vow2.co.uk/Whatare.htm
http://www.elsbett.com/
http://www.lowimpact.org/factsheetvegoilmotoring.pdf#search=%22heater%20biofuel%20car%22

regards Hans

[JE2002]

Very good information Hans,

So when 100% Vegetable Oil is used the preheater, special filters, etc. are needed.
But at some fuelstations they sell 100% Biodiesel which is different than Vegetable Oil I guess?

Kind regards  ,
Boris

[beemerjay]

I have a 96 2.1TD espace and in winter i mix Pure veg oil at a ratio of 3 litres for every 7 of mineral oil

30% solution Then when the temperature rises (as in the weather improving) I use 50:50 mixture and so far it runs better on the mix than just pure diesel

Unfortunately it Smells funny?

P.S. If you use a "recycled" biodiesel You must continue to use that, because if you use it and then change back to mineral diesel there are fats which redissolve off the tank walss and block filters extremely quickly!