Fuel lubricity

This was brought up by 2 people under another topic and I thought it should have a heading all it's own
---
Dorado's comments about other advantages are well taken (and I had previously found those links, but thanks for the reference). So lets explore Lubricity for a moment. The BOCLE number for neat B100 is listed as 7,000 grams (!), and for B20 @ 4600 grams. The same literature lists standard (non-CARB) diesel #2 @ 4,250 grams. Arco's literature lists ECD-1 @ 3,100 grams for Lubricity. While "more" may be better, question 1B is 3,100 grams sufficient for preventing wear?
---

First off the low sulfer fuel seems much lower in lubricity. And if the numbers are accurate (they were pulled off Cytoculture's webpage), it would apppear that just to get equal lubricity to #2 diesel, Low Sulfer diesel would need to be mixed with biosdiesel to B30.

That low sulfer lubricity number scares me. Any thoughts from anyone if this is a point to be concerned about.

[ July 19, 2002, 18:05: Message edited by: eidie2 ]

I hear a lot of older diesels suffered very quick fuel pump/injector destruction when the switch was made from the old high-sulfur diesel to what is now jokingly called low sulfur (at 500 ppm). And I know that the studies I've seen show that wear iron in engine oil goes down with higher lubricity fuels, even with modern injection systems that are supposed to be lubed by things-other-than-the-fuel.

Do a search here for a very enlightening study done for the Canadian Government using several vehicles, including a VW TDI. As I recall, their conclusion was that a few percent of canola oil biodiesel cut wear iron by as much as 50% in the TDI. You may draw your own conclusions vis-a-vi your original question, but my answer would be "yes."

[ July 19, 2002, 18:57: Message edited by: naturist ]

You could add a lubricity additive, such as the power service blend.