Running biodiesel in 2005 Passat concern

mwood

Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2005
Location
Virginia
TDI
Passat, 2005, Silver Blue
I just read the following article:

http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=2290

From what I can gather, it says among other things that biodiesel can work its way into the motor oil thereby degrading its effectivness. I usually change my oil at 10,000 mile intervals. After reading this article, I wonder if I should do it sooner. I would appreciate some opinions from others.
I make my own biodiesel and usually run B20-30 in the winter and B80 in the summer. Any general comments on running biodiesel in the 2005 TDI would also be appreciated.
Thanks.
 

weedeater

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 17, 2001
Location
Reston, VA
TDI
Jetta, 2001, Baltic Green
The tdi doen't use a post-injection regime for lighting off a particulate trap. It doesn't have one.
 

T'sTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2008
Location
Maryland
TDI
2001 Jetta
MWood- There wouldn't be any problem burning Biodiesel in an 05 Passat. What weedeater is talking about is the newer diesels have particulate traps to reduce emissions. All a tdi has is a CAT. Your good to go
 

mwood

Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2005
Location
Virginia
TDI
Passat, 2005, Silver Blue
Thanks for the replies.

I guess my main concern was the statement that biodiesel works into your engine oil. I have never heard that before and would think that would be true for any diesel engine and would require more frequent oil changes.
 

Volkstraktor

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2006
Location
North Bay - Northern Sonoma County
TDI
2005 Passat
I don't know if there is a "concensus" about higher percentage Bio use in the PDs or not. Early on there was much debate on the issue here on the board with much "passion" on both sides of the issue. Much of it seemed to revolve around the added viscosity of Bio over Petro, and how much more stress it might put on the injection system and possibly the top end in our motors. The Search function will give you LOTS to read, but I don't know if it will add any clarity to your thoughts.
 
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