Thread: Zoom Milperra Rd is back to Biodiesel

What sort of vehicle do you have Langy?
... and how long have you been using bio-diesel?
... I'm guessing by the thread that you're a fan.

I've gone thru 2 fuel pumps this year in my TD5 defender.
2nd time mechanics reckon I got got bad fuel, which would have been from either Shell or Wollies (Caltex).

Anyway, since my 1300+ buck outlay on the latest pump, I'm just going to fill up at BP Milperra (not the one near Maccas, but the back streets of Milperra)... and from that I'll see how it goes.

But, I've had a few people suggest I try bio-diesel.... from the sounds of it it should be cleaner... considering that "normal" diesel cannot be !??? (... although BP have signs on their pumps that read "....now cleaner..."

So I'm curious.

Regards,
Scott

If you are heading down south of Sydney to the southern highlands, then the "Volume Plus" in Minto Mall (NSW) is selling B50. It doesn't state that on the pump, so I rang the distributor to find out. It's several cents per litre cheaper - if you want to run bio in your vehicle. Selling today for $1.37/L

My wife filled up our Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD (Merc 2.7 5-cyl common rail) and it lacked a bit of punch thereafter.... it doesn't seem as peppy as it usually does (120kw/400nm though an adaptive 5-speed auto), but it doesn't blow as much smoke on a full take-off from standstill either. Daimler Chrysler recommends no more than B5, so B50 is a very high concentration for it. Wel'll see....

From the comments by Redback and others, it seems that EDC/TD5/TDV6 etc do not like Bio as much as my 1995 TDi300 manual. I can only guess that (much like petrol cars) the ECU has been programmed to Mineral diesel specs. Admittedly I am not towing anything, nor am I loaded at all. But, on Bio, there is less smoke and of the smoke that exists - my injectors have 270K on them - , it is less black, and I get identical economy - 11.4 L/ 100K city driving. The saving pays for a bottle of injector cleaner per tankfull, and the TDi seems to operate smoother and quieter than on Mineral Diesel. ( And I like the fish'n'chips smell )
I've been operating this way for a few months now, and during a 10K service, I pulled my fuel filter apart to inspect the filter medium. Apparantly bio loosens up fuel tank / fuel line gunk. No such indications of that happening in my case. I can't fault it so far.

Langy