Diesel fuel

upfisk

Member
Joined
May 7, 2011
Location
Prescott, AZ area
TDI
'04 Passat wagon, 2011 Golf TDI 4 door, 6 speed manual, 2015 GSW TDI DSG. al
The owner's manual is very specific about using only low sulfur diesel and biodiesel not exceeding 5% bio. Sometimes on long distance trips, truck fueling stations only offer 20% biodiesel when we need fuel. How serious are these warnings? We'd like to take our GSW to Mexico this winter. Mexico does not sell extremely low sulfer diesel as recommended. Again, how serious is this warning?
 

Lightflyer1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 13, 2005
Location
Round Rock, Texas
TDI
2015 Beetle tdi dsg
Do not use anything that isn't ULSD. That part is very serious. Using up to B20 occasionally when traveling shouldn't hurt anything and is covered in some states that only sell that. Nothing over B20 at all. Long term use shouldn't be over B5. I wouldn't worry over any commercially sold fuel from the major providers in the US (bio wise).

If you live in one of the states that mandates B20 then checking your oil is important to detect any rise in the level (fuel dilution). If this occurs change your oil.
 

STLTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 23, 2013
Location
Raleigh, NC
TDI
2017 GTI SE
Do not use anything that isn't ULSD. That part is very serious. Using up to B20 occasionally when traveling shouldn't hurt anything and is covered in some states that only sell that. Nothing over B20 at all. Long term use shouldn't be over B5. I wouldn't worry over any commercially sold fuel from the major providers in the US (bio wise).

If you live in one of the states that mandates B20 then checking your oil is important to detect any rise in the level (fuel dilution). If this occurs change your oil.
Agree with this. Was on a long trip to FL with my previous Passat TDI. Stopped in MS, and the only diesel available was ULSD "contains up to" B20. Car ran fine, no issues. Wouldn't do it over and over again, but a little won't hurt.
 

kjclow

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 26, 2003
Location
Charlotte, NC
TDI
2010 JSW TDI silver and black. 2017 Ram Ecodiesel dark red with brown and beige interior.
I've run a few tanks of B100 or B90 in my JSW over the years with no ill effects. There are a few stations in NC that only sell biobased diesel.
 

oerbilgin

Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2015
Location
San Francisco
TDI
2015 Golf S
I read quite a bit about this when I first got my car, and the reason why it's not recommended to use above B5 is due to the regen cycle for the DPF. If I remember correctly, The way it works on the TDIs is diesel fuel is injected into the cylinder during the exhaust cycle, which is at a high enough temperature to combust the diesel without compression. However, biodiesel has a higher flash point than petrol diesel, so you don't get a complete combustion and the uncombusted diesel Supposedly leaks out and contaminates your oil. I think if you use biodiesel you are supposed to just change your oil more frequently, which negates the point of biodiesel from an environmental standpoint. The way other Diesel engines get around this is they inject the diesel into the exhaust pipe, (which I guess is still hot enough to combust the fuel), not the cylinder, so you don't dilute your engine oil. Not sure why VW decided to inject it into the cylinder... probably to cut cost on a separate injection system. But long story short, any kind of biodiesel should be okay for one fillup every now and then, I suppose ideally after a regen cycle and as low %biodiesel as possible, but prolonged use will mess up your engine unless you flush the engine oil regularly.
 

PD Rig

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Location
Pennsylvania
TDI
2004, 2015 Golf TDI
I have been running b20 in my 04 and 12 for a couple of years. Used oil analysis on both do not show any adverse effects. hooefully Drivebiwire sees this and chimes in. He rebuilds injectors professionally and knows what high concentrations of bio can do. Don't go over b20 and you will be fine. If you drive your car for 2 miles to work everyday, you probably do not want to run bio, but then again your used oil analysis running straight d2 will not look so good either. And I do not really notice a difference in mpg either. B20 allegedly decreases fuel economy by 3% or so, but I run it because that is what the station near my house sells.
 

2015vwgolfdiesel

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 1, 2016
Location
Oklahoma
TDI
2015 VW Golf S DSG Silver
BIO diesel is a mess

Ima thanking the greens for this added worry.

Been trying hard to local 100 % diesel here in T-town.

Had a $20 SHELL gilt card, and the man said it was 100% diesel.

Have my doubts about that man's truthfulness.
 

740GLE

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Location
NH
TDI
2015 Passat SEL, 2017 Alltrack SE; BB 2010 Sedan Man; 2012 Passat,
B5 is gold for the HPFP, I'd take that over plain old ULSD.

Remember if you lose the DPF, quality B100 won't be a problem what so ever.
 

2015vwgolfdiesel

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 1, 2016
Location
Oklahoma
TDI
2015 VW Golf S DSG Silver
B5 is gold for the HPFP, I'd take that over plain old ULSD.

Remember if you lose the DPF, quality B100 won't be a problem what so ever.
I take your post in good faith.

Question please.

Is my DPF covered in the 11 year, 162,000 warranty?

Then there is the info floating around the VW wants 100% diesel to back their 5 year 60,000 (normal) new car warranty.

The only dog I have in the fight, is ---- I want the best fuel (and oil) for my car.

... if used KFC grease is best for my car, I get a tank full X 10 :D:D:D:D
 
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