Thread: TD5 BioD?

We've had a few fuel related issues through here lately.
Some customers are running bio diesel but not 100% & are having all sorts of dramas in the TD5 & the TDV6.

Some of the fuel samples I've seen have been extremely dodgy. In most, I don't think it's the bio causing problems but whatever the servo owner is mixing in with it.
Most seem to have a strong smell of thinners or some other solvent in with the fuel.
We've had samples analysed but the lab can't positively identify the culprit.

Originally Posted by Scouse

We've had a few fuel related issues through here lately.
Some customers are running bio diesel but not 100% & are having all sorts of dramas in the TD5 & the TDV6.

Some of the fuel samples I've seen have been extremely dodgy. In most, I don't think it's the bio causing problems but whatever the servo owner is mixing in with it.
Most seem to have a strong smell of thinners or some other solvent in with the fuel.
We've had samples analysed but the lab can't positively identify the culprit.

Thats interesting. If you know would you pm me the servo brands. Rig is running fine but I an 2-300km down on distance this tank already! I'm not even half way though it. I plan to search for leaks this weekend.

Biodiesel is good but unfortunately as a general rule biodiesel from Volume Plus is just not up to the standard that we would like it to be.

Please don't write biodiesel off because some dodgy people are cutting it with crap.

Keep informed through www.biofuelsforum.com and keep your eyes open for the new association we have just incorporated:
Australian Biofuel Users (ABU) http://www.biofuel.org.au

ABU is currently discussing the best options as far as suppliers of inconsistant quality biodiesel goes.

cheers,
Cameron

Originally Posted by DirtyDawg

Ben, I'm a Brickie for phuksakes keep your post in "dumb english" for me 'slightly less oomph is good, to me thermodynamics sounds like a fashion accessory I enjoy your posts but the 3 hours of google deciphering them is killing me (all in good humor) the only people I see in white coats are the ones telling me to calm down its gonna be alright

Originally Posted by tombraider

Exactly.....

And to top it off, to save $0.10 per litre only to use 10% more fuel to travel the same distance.

And guys, with the inherent power loss what do you think this does to your vehicle?...... Easy.....

You work it harder, rev it more, change gears or labour the engine more....

Tombraider

keh? how the hell can an engine thats making less power cause more wear? if thats true I should be absolutey killing my series parts.

A weaker dieso just means that I make less power at the same throttle position. Bio burns a little cooler than dieso so IMHO if the EGT's arent up then the engines not working hard regardless of throttle settings.

As for your 10c per liter savings Im making experimental batches and each litre costs me between 21 and 25 cents per litre the diesel I bought today cost me $1.29 a litre. Unless your using my wifes accounting thats about $1.04 to $1.08 back in my pocket.

Originally Posted by Slunnie

I understand the bio can lose some of its properties at the 24,000psi that the uniti injector produce. Apparently the lubricity breaks down and particles fall out of solution.

particals yes, no, Maybe? (lubricity I'll get to next)

If the bio is clean bio, filtered through a 1 micron filter, is correctly dewatered and contains no ethanol or hydroxides there are no particals to come out of solution. But thats a lot of ifs, Its easy to make it this clean on a small scale but doing it on a large scale means the economies of doing it go right out the window. The big problem comes when the bio picks up the stuff thats already in your fuel system theres also the problem of it slipping past seals that are worn and once that happens theres the fuel leaks to deal with.

from an experiment I did last year the hydroxides and ethanol used in the production of bio are not plastics friendly.. I took some of the ethanol and soaked a fuel injector in it for a week the result was not something I want to see done to my $1550 injectors and the hydroxides made the ethanol look like something that Id happily recomend as injector cleaner.

Originally Posted by dobbo

What I do is change filters add an additive and only use high flow or BP diesel

I might be wrong here but isnt high flow diesel just the indicator that the pump has a big nozzle and a high flow rate compared to a normal pump?

Originally Posted by Slunnie

I was under the impression that every 3db gain was a double in noise. eg 93db is twice as loud as 90db, and 96db was twice as loud as 93db.

Also I understood that BioD does have better lubricity, but that may change under the extreme pressure generated in the unit injectors.

the doubling per 3db is about right.

the lubricity loss thing is one of those disputable things depending on what the base oil was how it was made blahdy blahdy blah... any little change in the base oil quality or the remanufacturing process will effect the qualities of the bio. From my experimental batches I had it come out slicker than snot and some batches the just didnt feel like oil at all (still ran ok in the little test diesel ive got)

all oils have a "filming" pressure which in a nut shell is how hard you have to press 2 things together to dissipate the lubricating film of oil. An aftermarket stabiliser will help sort this out...
That still leaves you with the "how good is your bio?" conundrum..


IMHO Bios a double edged sword. Perfect Bio in an electronic diesel that has all the right type of materials in the fuel system that hasnt yet been run on normal diesel should be fine and dandy as theres nothing to contaminate the bio or go wrong with the bio. Occasional use of good bio mixed with good dieso shouldnt be a problem as you'll get the protective benifits of the dieso.

good bio in a mechanically injected diesel shouldnt cause any problems after its had the chance to clean out the crud from the normal diesel and at less than $80 for a new nozzle for an injector (parts only) if your brewing your own and makeing a 50c a litre saving you only have to run 160l (make it 176l to make up for the 10% power loss) youve saved enough to have a nice bloke like me rebuild your injector over a 6 pack of beer and a BBQ. But I'll bet you get further than that out of a set of injectors.

Originally Posted by geckos

I SECOND THAT HERE HERE!

[/QOUTE]And to top it off, to save $0.10 per litre only to use 10% more fuel to travel the same distance.[/QUOTE]

And guys, with the inherent power loss what do you think this does to your vehicle?...... Easy.....

You work it harder, rev it more, change gears or labour the engine more....

Tombraider

Too right, it should be posted if the pump is bio. And priced accordingly too! I've got a mate in seymoure who brews his own at a cost of 25-30 cents a lt. So some stations are still charging the dino going rate for the bio. Further to that I've put two tanks of the stuff in to sally anne and now I,ve got starting problems. I'll post when I figure out the exact drama.