Best way to clean out biodiesel?

jjcsnlynn

jjcsnlynn

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Nov 18, 2007
Location
Felton, DE
TDI
02 & 03 Jetta TDI,99 Beetle TDI, 04 Chevy Duramax 2500HD 4x4
I just picked up a 99 Beetle that has a starting problem (Won't start unless some propellant sprayed into intake, but runs fine).

Anyway, it was running on biodiesel and is disgusting. Red crap everywhere.
So far we have drained the tank, pulled the filter and sprayed down the engine.

The tank has red crap on the walls of the tank. What is the best way to get that all out? I need to clean the lines to the engine too. Thinking about getting a pump sprayer and spraying it down with some gas or something and then cleaning that all out very well.

Any ideas?
 
S

steve6

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May 25, 2010
Location
Beaverton, ON
TDI
2003 jetta tdi
...red? are you sure they were not just running dyed diesel?

Are you blaming the no start on the biodiesel?
 
G

Genesis

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Feb 26, 2003
Location
Sevier County TN
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'03 Jetta Wagon
100% Bio won't hurt anything and isn't the cause. Homemade (poorly so) bio or WVO is another matter. It's not uncommon for that to gum up the pump (or worse, corrode things internally) to the point that it's basically a waste of time to try to clean it out.

You might try running some 100% (commercially made) biodiesel through it although if it was running on WVO there's a decent shot you're looking at either major pump work or a different pump. If you do run 100% commercial bio be prepared to change the filter frequently for a while!
 
BobnOH

BobnOH

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May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
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New Beetle 2003 manual
Genesis said:
...................You might try running some 100% (commercially made) biodiesel through it although if it was running on WVO there's a decent shot you're looking at either major pump work or a different pump. If you do run 100% commercial bio be prepared to change the filter frequently for a while!
Click to expand...
Yes, quality B80 or B100 is rated as one of the top cleaners.
And as he suggests, check your car over for those parts that get damaged from WVO use.
 
N

Nevada_TDI

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Location
Reno, sort of...
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2001 Jetta TDI
I concur, B100 is an amazing solvent as well as a fantastic lubricant for the IP and injectors. At approx 100k mile (when I bought my Jetta) I started running Bio-D percentages all the way to B-99. I ran through a few fuel filters early on as the old D-2 was some dirty stuff. I recent pulled my tank sender (256k miles) and the inside of the tank looked brand new, there was no junk built up anywhere. I still run a little Bio-D when I have a jug of it in the garage. My engine just seems to run better when I run a 2%-5% Bio-D blend in the tank. With the Stage 4 Tune I am currently running, fuel economy isn't as high as it used to be, so the slight hit I take by using a small percentage of Bio-D is no big deal.
 
jokila

jokila

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Houston, Texas
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2003 Jetta GLS, Manual
jjcsnlynn said:
I just picked up a 99 Beetle that has a starting problem (Won't start unless some propellant sprayed into intake, but runs fine).
Anyway, it was running on biodiesel and is disgusting. Red crap everywhere.
So far we have drained the tank, pulled the filter and sprayed down the engine.
The tank has red crap on the walls of the tank. What is the best way to get that all out? I need to clean the lines to the engine too. Thinking about getting a pump sprayer and spraying it down with some gas or something and then cleaning that all out very well.
Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Starting problem could be from the injection pump timing is too retarded. The red is probably from offroad diesel being used. See if you can get with someone with a VCDS to check out the IP timing.
 
Z

ZippyNH

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2015
Location
Southern NH
TDI
2015 JETTA TDI SE
My guess...
The red is glycerine...from improperly made bio....a home brew maker didn't wash/let it settle right....
And it's red cause somebody was cheap, and ran off road diesel too....
Good luck
Know on heavy trucks we consider starting fluid to be risky...
It usually starts ok...but occasionally you have something bad happen and it time for a motor.
 
E

eddieleephd

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Location
Battle Ground, Wa
TDI
2002 jetta Wagon
Just 1% bio improves lubricity by 1000% over conventional diesel.
I would ensure that the lines are purged of air as all the work you have done will let it in.
 
jjcsnlynn

jjcsnlynn

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Joined
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Location
Felton, DE
TDI
02 & 03 Jetta TDI,99 Beetle TDI, 04 Chevy Duramax 2500HD 4x4
Sorry, I have not answered these. Yes, he was making his own biodiesel. I am not saying the no start is from the biodiesel. I just want to clean it out before I try to work on the no start condition. They previous owner said it runs fine but won't start after shutting it off.
 
jjcsnlynn

jjcsnlynn

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Felton, DE
TDI
02 & 03 Jetta TDI,99 Beetle TDI, 04 Chevy Duramax 2500HD 4x4
jokila said:
Starting problem could be from the injection pump timing is too retarded. The red is probably from offroad diesel being used. See if you can get with someone with a VCDS to check out the IP timing.
Click to expand...
I have VCDS and will check it out once I get the fuel system cleaned out.
 
G

Genesis

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Sevier County TN
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'03 Jetta Wagon
What Jokila said. You can check static timing (which is important for starting performance) by rotating the crank (do it with the crank bolt and NEVER counter-clockwise!) to be right on TDC and then look at the pump's pin hole. If it is partly misaligned that's likely your problem; it should be dead-balls on and you should be able to pin it (if you have the pin.) If it's off a TINY bit it'll start ok but if it's off by much the car will be extremely hard to start initially -- if it will start at all.

If it's off then before I went any further I'd give a VERY close look at the entire timing belt system. If there's evidence of trouble there you definitely want to fix it now before you get an ugly surprise.
 
jjcsnlynn

jjcsnlynn

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Location
Felton, DE
TDI
02 & 03 Jetta TDI,99 Beetle TDI, 04 Chevy Duramax 2500HD 4x4
Genesis said:
What Jokila said. You can check static timing (which is important for starting performance) by rotating the crank (do it with the crank bolt and NEVER counter-clockwise!) to be right on TDC and then look at the pump's pin hole. If it is partly misaligned that's likely your problem; it should be dead-balls on and you should be able to pin it (if you have the pin.) If it's off a TINY bit it'll start ok but if it's off by much the car will be extremely hard to start initially -- if it will start at all.

If it's off then before I went any further I'd give a VERY close look at the entire timing belt system. If there's evidence of trouble there you definitely want to fix it now before you get an ugly surprise.
Click to expand...
Yeah, he said he had the timing belt done by a local person. I have the tools and will check that out before we try to start it.
Thanks.
 
K

KLXD

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Lompoc, CA
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'98, '2 Jettas
Unlike the AHU, if one has made an adjustment to the timing of the ALH after setting it using the tools one can no longer expect the pump pin to fit "exactly".
 
G

Genesis

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Feb 26, 2003
Location
Sevier County TN
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'03 Jetta Wagon
True that, but it ought to be damn close. If you're far enough out to miss the start window it will be quite obvious with #1 at TDC if you look with an inspection mirror.
 
E

eddieleephd

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Battle Ground, Wa
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2002 jetta Wagon
Bio is hell on the injection pump.
I recommend looking at priming the pump and ensuring it's operation.
May need seal replacement or something.
A good thing would be to get some commercially produced bio, prime with that, and allow it to clean it out for you.
 
coalminer16

coalminer16

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Never use starting fluid if you have glow plugs or some kind of an intake warmer or risk blowing things up.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 
jjcsnlynn

jjcsnlynn

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Joined
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Location
Felton, DE
TDI
02 & 03 Jetta TDI,99 Beetle TDI, 04 Chevy Duramax 2500HD 4x4
coalminer16 said:
Never use starting fluid if you have glow plugs or some kind of an intake warmer or risk blowing things up.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
I don't think the glow plugs were working. The GP harness is bad and hanging.
 
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