Crossed over to the dark side

I just put the first 8 gallons of B99 in my car to try to clear some smoke up! I also purchased extra fuel to start blending my own B5 going forward.
It does not smell bad when you spill it over your hands compared to dyno fuel!

Resistance is futile!
Just be confident that the fuel you are using meets your level of comfort. If you have any doubts about its quality, or consistency of keeping up to that quality, stop buying and using it.

Lug_Nut said:

Resistance is futile!

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I got a good chuckle out of that Jonathan. Thanks.

Lug_Nut said:

Resistance is futile!
Just be confident that the fuel you are using meets your level of comfort. If you have any doubts about its quality, or consistency of keeping up to that quality, stop buying and using it.

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Apparently the fuel quality is top notch!

Whoa, just one word of caution: better to ease into it.

After 175k miles, you have a lot of crud (from dirty regular diesel) lining your tank and fuel lines, etc. The natural solvent properties of B99 are going to wash this crud down right into your fuel filter. If you car stalls randomly while driving, this is what happened. I would keep a new filter on hand (in the vehicle) to be ready for such an occasion, of just change it anyway after a few tanks of bio.

Also, going from 175k miles of regular diesel to straight B99 may shock your fuel system seals. I recommend gradually increasing the bio blend (over a few tanks) until you're up to straight B99. Then never go back to straight D2 (injector pump could leak).

But yes, bio diesel is awesome stuff. You can get it on your hands with worry, and your exhaust smell will turn to a nice sweet clean fried-oil type aroma.

Being in the bay area you should be safe for B99 year round (why limit to B5?). Just think ahead if you drive up into the mountains and the temperature goes near or below freezing!

I am adding some D2 later today so the car does not go into shock therapy!
I do drive to the mountains fairly often during winter so I will stay with D2 during those trips. I do have a spare fuel filter in the car as well ... Right now I am running somewhere near B60 with the 8 gallons I just put in there ... So do you slowly go back to D2 for the winter months over 3 or 4 tanks or longer?

I'd caution against going back to straight D2, as the seals you swelled with the biodiesel will want to shrink. A blend as low as B5 should keep things in order, and not cause you much problem with temps down to 0. Do you know the source (soy, WVO, poultry fat, etc.) of the B100 you are using?

And I'm not one to buy into you are now destined to have a clogged fuel filter. Keep one on hand, the tools to change it, and some fuel for priming, just as you should with a diesel fueled on anything.

RC said:

I'd caution against going back to straight D2, as the seals you swelled with the biodiesel will want to shrink. A blend as low as B5 should keep things in order, and not cause you much problem with temps down to 0. Do you know the source (soy, WVO, poultry fat, etc.) of the B100 you are using?

And I'm not one to buy into you are now destined to have a clogged fuel filter. Keep one on hand, the tools to change it, and some fuel for priming, just as you should with a diesel fueled on anything.

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My goal is to maintain B5 +/_ going forward! I drove 60 miles since adding the 8 gallons yesterday so tonight on my way home I will put a few more moles and I will add 2 gallons of regular D2 to bring the blend down some more. The 2 main reasons that I am experimenting with some bio is to bring the smoke level down ( eventual retune as well) and to add lubricity to the fuels since we are now a ULSD country. I searched the source of the bio and it is made from WVO.

Better be careful with low temps then.

So, you're running a B60 tank right now to "clear up smoke" ? then back to B5 forever? The B60 is only going to clear smoke when... you're still running B60. It won't change anything after it's gone. B5 is a good long term strategy for lubricity but won't do anything for smoke reduction.

There's no reason to go all the way back to straight D2 in winter months, unless you live way up north. For most of us in the lower 48, blends of B20 are safe all winter long. I run B20 all winter and slowly blend up to B99 (or close) for the summer, then slowly back down to B20 come October. And yeah, over 3 or 4 tanks, typically. But after years of biodiesel use I try to NEVER get anywhere near straight D2 now.

The coldest I will see in the mountains this winter might be 0 degrees Farenheit so I should not be worried about B5 (1 gallon of bio for every fill up), correct?
About the smoke - I am sending back the ECU to get remap for less fueling and once it gets back if I need to I will change the IQ.
My main goal is to increase lubricity by using BIO, however I have in mind to get a 300TD for a WVO conversion so I can life guilt free !

B5? You'll likely decide it's too darned cold to go out before that blend gels.

I'm doing my annual freezer tests, but I think I may have bought 'summer' diesel as the gel temperature and blend ratios are quite different than prior years.
The B100 from co-mingled used cooking oil sources of assorted feedstocks gels at right about 32F.
B50 (1:1) with local ULSD gels about 25F (!?!?)
B33 (1:2) with ULSD gels about 15F (??!!?!?!)
B25 (1:3) with ULSD is liquid at 10F, solid at 5F (??!!?!?!!)
That trend extrapolates into the ULSD gelling at about 0F.

Yeah Lug, that seems a bit off.

NewTDI, you *should* be able to run B20 down below 0F. I've had (winterized) B20 down to -10F before without issue.

Running Bio- forever NO PROBLEMS EVEN DURING WINTER.

I have ran bio in my truck all winter long (Mid Missouri temps well below freezing point) in amounts exceding B50. This is also tru for my cousins 01 jetta tdi. He actually ran a higher yield during colder temperatures. This of course was home brew, with a little anti gel added.
My truck had a dirty rusty tank on first use, but now it looks like stainless steel on the inside. Lets just say that my filters went quick for the first few months, all is clear now.
The dark side is the only side, modern diesel is JUNK!!! Quit buying it and make ur own!!! BioVeg-Power!!!
Just my thoughts??? good luck

Lug_Nut said:

I'm doing my annual freezer tests, but I think I may have bought 'summer' diesel as the gel temperature and blend ratios are quite different than prior years.
That trend extrapolates into the ULSD gelling at about 0F.

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Using the chest freezer instead of the fridge I discovered that the ULSD I purchased clouds up at -2 F.

NewTdi said:

It does not smell bad when you spill it over your hands compared to dyno fuel!

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Who spills fuel on their hands? Or, were you using it to wash up after changing out the skid plate?

Seriously, though, watch your IP for puddles, when my main IP head seal started leaking, it came on pretty suddenly with a big change from B85 +/- to about B0. After that, it took at least a B 50 blend to stanch the flow. Like Justin told us, it's easy to replace with the new Viton O-ring.