2012 Passat TDI and biodiesel

Kai

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2004
Location
Kailua, Hawaii
TDI
2004 Jetta TDI wagon manual; 2006 Jetta TDI sedan manual
Anybody running biodiesel in the new Passat TDI? If so, what blends are you using and with what success? My VW dealer gave us a new Passat loaner car (gas & DSG) and my wife and I really like it. Of course, we'd order a TDI with manual trans.! Thanks.
 

Knarrly Viking

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Feb 25, 2012
Location
Washington
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2015 Passat SE 6MT, 2 of them!
B5 is all the warranty currently allows. I'm hoping for a change in the warranty to allow higher % and for greater availability of it.
 

Kai

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2004
Location
Kailua, Hawaii
TDI
2004 Jetta TDI wagon manual; 2006 Jetta TDI sedan manual
If it's the same motor and emission system as in the 2009+ Jetta TDI, those cars have been successfully running B20 since the beginning. There are still some experiments going on with B100. I wrote to the new CEO of VWofA and his assistant told me that VW is considering raising the bio. blend limit for their TDIs. Some states like Minnesota, I believe, are mandating higher limits than B5 at the pump. So if VW doesn't raise their allowable limit, they will be in an awkward position in states where B5 or less blends are no longer available. How can you sell a car in Minnesota if you can't buy fuel for that car there?
 

donDavide

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Oct 4, 2005
Location
Severna Park, Maryland USA
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2003 Jetta ;2006 Golf; 2015 Jetta S
If it's the same motor and emission system as in the 2009+ Jetta TDI, those cars have been successfully running B20 since the beginning. There are still some experiments going on with B100. I wrote to the new CEO of VWofA and his assistant told me that VW is considering raising the bio. blend limit for their TDIs. Some states like Minnesota, I believe, are mandating higher limits than B5 at the pump. So if VW doesn't raise their allowable limit, they will be in an awkward position in states where B5 or less blends are no longer available. How can you sell a car in Minnesota if you can't buy fuel for that car there?
It is not the same emissons system, it has Urea/Adblue or ever you want to call it. But B5 is the limit for now. Higher amounts could ruin DPF, not cheap to relpace. Read The Forum and you will find more info. I have not seen many run B20 in CRs, (09+)
 
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740GLE

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Aug 19, 2009
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NH
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2015 Passat SEL, 2017 Alltrack SE; BB 2010 Sedan Man; 2012 Passat,
higher bio than B5 won't ruin the DPF, it'll dilute the engine oil. Keep searching and reading.
 

CsTDI

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Oct 28, 2004
Location
Baltimore, Maryland
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'10 TouaregTDI, '15 JettaTDI
so maybe instead of "ruin" the DPF, to paraphrase VW, it will cause premature expiration of your DPF... as well as oil dilution
 

Kai

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2004
Location
Kailua, Hawaii
TDI
2004 Jetta TDI wagon manual; 2006 Jetta TDI sedan manual
I have not seen many run B20 in CRs, (09+)[/QUOTE]
Over the past few years several TDI club members with Jetta CR's (09+) have reported running successfully on B20. TDIsky is one. Check out his posts. If I bought a CR I would start with B20 and run nothing less. We have B20 pumps on Oahu, so it's easy.
I didn't realize the Passat had a different emissions system. Thanks.
 

740GLE

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Location
NH
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2015 Passat SEL, 2017 Alltrack SE; BB 2010 Sedan Man; 2012 Passat,
paraphrase VW, it will cause premature expiration of your DPF... as well as oil dilution
How? does it create more ash when doing a regen? can you not get it as clean?

There's a study posted a while back 2006-7 or so, stating the use of high Bio content will actually reduce the temps at which a passive regen is initiated.
 

CsTDI

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Joined
Oct 28, 2004
Location
Baltimore, Maryland
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'10 TouaregTDI, '15 JettaTDI
From experience, I would question the 2006-07 study if it is suggesting by lower temps. that it is fine. Then maybe active regeneration is the issue and it rags it out quicker or clogs? All I can tell you is that DPF backpressure issues occur with B20 and very frequent regenerations. The dealer tech showed me something from VW that said >B5 or LSD would cause "premature expiration" of the DPF. Only ULSD and BD was used
 
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TomB

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May 1, 2003
Location
Cle Elum, Washington/Las Vegas, Nevada
TDI
2015 Audi TDI Prestige Sport
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=345189&highlight=biodiesel+study

I haven't heard that Bio will cause clogging from any VW technical paper but i'd be sure interested in reading it. I've put on about 40K using B5.
I would suspect that BD produces less Particulate matter therefore less clogging of the DPF, but then the lower combustion temperature of BD would mean less effective regen cycles when it runs them. Hence not as much clearing as expected. As well the ethyl/methyl esters could cause reactions with the surface material of the dpf too so who knows for sure.
 
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