Racetrack B5 - B20

kcunniff

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2013
Location
Southwest Florida
TDI
2005 Golf GLS BEW (5spd)
Hi all, so while evacuating from Irma, I stopped at a Racetrack along I-75 (north-central Florida) in order to fuel up. This was my first visit to a Racetrack as I am pretty exclusively a Shell D2 guy, but given how hard it was to come by fuel, I was not in a position to be picky. Anyway, this Racetrack's diesel said it was a blend of anywhere from B5 - B20. I have never put biodiesel into my car, but I ended up getting some of the best mileage over a tank of fuel as I ever have. I know it is only one tank, and from there went back to D2, but for you guys using anywhere from B5 - B20, do you need to modify the fuel system in any way to consistently run bio? I know that fuel filters need to be checked and perhaps changed more initially as the bio erodes away any gunk within the fuel system. Just curious, and if you guys running bio have good things to say over a long period, I may consider using it myself.

My TDI is a '05 Golf, PD, 225K miles, and I have driven them all except for a few by service techs on road tests. Thanks.
 

phaser

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2004
Location
Oregon
TDI
2004 Jetta PD - 490k
No mods necessary. Run the bio, but nothing higher than B-20.

In Oregon, all diesel is B-5 by law, but I've been using B-20 for several years because it's exempt from state fuel tax.

.
 
Last edited:

Terrific-In-Tahoma

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2012
Location
East-of-Toronto, Ontario, Canada
TDI
'01 ALH Jetta M5 / 05 BEW Jetta Wagon A4
Central FL - Racetrak D2 with B5 to B20

Congratulations!
ou found one of the improvements of having D2 with B5 to B20 in it.

There are three questions that you brought up in your original post that need some expnsion on.

Fuel Filter replacement:

The fuel filter in the VW TDi line of Engines is designed to cause the water to preciptate and fall to the bottom of the canister, and either be returned to the fuel tank, or to stay in the bottom of the filter , and with a screw nut at the bottom, occaiisionally (once in 48,000 mi service).

Depending on the conistancy of the waxy particles(from the refinery-nlender), and their size, they may suspend in the fuel filter when cold, then when warm, the waxy crystals(clumps) would blend with the warmer fuel, and pass through the fuel system, enter the injectors, and get sprayed into the chamber and get burned with the cycle.

Improved MPG per tankful:

The improvement you found with the Bio blend, could be due to the blend of fuel, or the type of driving. (A 5% -10% variation can happen depending on driving style). The addition of the clean-lubricating bio oil is an addititive that perhaps improves the ignition timing to increase the burn time during the entire stroke.

Now that you have gone back to the regular Shell D2, do you normally add any Standyne or other additive that has 2-EHN (2-Exylhexylnitrate) as part of the formula?

In Canada, where I live, Shell offers a "Premium Diesel" fuel that has an additive (not available separate from the fuel) added at the pumps injected at a ratio of 2000:1 , (and a premium price as well).

There are some after-market fuel additives that have 2-EHN added as a significant part of their blend. I know if two that I have found contain 10 to 30% 2-EHN and when I add it to my fuel tank adds to my mpg performance.

Unfortunately, 2-EHN, is not available , nor is it advisable to mess with it since (from my reading of chemistry journals, that 2-EHN when in an un-diluted state is subject to be very volatile, and perhaps due to this volatility, is not so easily found.) it can be considered an explosive compound. (not sure at what quantity it is considered a hazardous substance).

It has been shown (see elsewhere use search) that 2-EHN does improve the fuel burn and the ignition timing is improved up to a blend ratio of 2000 ppm. After 2000 ppm (parts-per-million), the >2000 ppm blend was not able to improve the ignition improvement beyond what had already been achieved.

(just recently filled up after using an additive in the fuel mix, and the fuel consumed was 10 litres over 350 kilometers), [Yes , you read that correct , over 350 kilometers used only 10 litres of fuel] (This translates to 82.5 MPG!) (It was all highway miles, and I kept the throttle in cruise at 105 km/h, with a westerly tail wind.)

(now the fill up could be short by 5 litres, because I did not top-up, to maximum, (we had a heat wave, and I did not want to lose any due to temprature expansion that might have filled the car with 15 litres over 350 kms or 54.9 MPG)

Still not bad for a 16 year old car!

So see if there are any suppliers around that can supply the 2-EHN, and look for the B5-B20 blended fuel if available.

In Ontario, there is limited availability of B5, or at least the refineries do not advertise the blend(It actually costs more per litre than D2, and it is road taxed the same rate as D2(no break on taxes).

I hope this helps the discussion about fuel blends and additives.

Modifications to Fuel system:

There is no need for any modificationt to add B20 to your fuel tank, it is totlly compatible with your vehicle. With ULSD D2, the lubricity was reduced somewhat, with the reduction from 200ppm of Sulfur to 50ppm, however , the newer TDi engines were built with this in mind.

Some people add straight Canola to the tank, but this is not recommended, as the veggie oil has not been trans-estrified to remove the water, and make the oil compatible with D2. (I tried it in mine, it did not hurt, but my engine is a 2001 with ALH model code, I only added 10% STRAIGHT VEGGIE OIL (5 litres Canola per fillup).

Not mentioned - but noted elsewhere:

There are a few TDI drivers that plug in their block heater, to warm up the block before they drive off in the morning. It was suggested that by having the block warm, during the startup, there is less time, to bring the block up to running temperature.

Remember these are bassically heat engines that have a byproduct of rotationl energy, and one of the 'losses' in the search for better MPGs is the heat-up and cool-down cycle. (A smll one, but it is a noticable loss).

This was done even in Florida, where the ambient temperatures are not as extreme as further north. (Your Mileage may vary).
 
Last edited:

Nevada_TDI

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 17, 2008
Location
Reno, sort of...
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI
I don't live where any bio blend is easily available anymore. I like the idea of burning at least B2 just for the extra lubrication if nothing else. I ran quite a bit of B50 and B100 through my car quite a few years back, and while I did prematurely dirty a couple of fuel filters, all these years later the inside of my fuel tank is still pristine.
Nowadays I have to drive 30 minutes away to fill a jerry can and I use it at a rate of 1 quart or a little more to every tank fill.
 

Jetta_Pilot

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 14, 2005
Location
West Hill, Ont.
TDI
2015 Passat Highline TDI Candy White (SEL Premium) long gone 2002 Jetta TDI
I have used BIO in my former 2002 Jetta whenever or wherever I found some with no ill effects.

But for my 2015 Passat according to VW it is strictly "verboten"!!!:rolleyes:
 

Nevada_TDI

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 17, 2008
Location
Reno, sort of...
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI
JP, what if you lived in a state where all D2 has a state mandated 2-5%, what would you do? I am not being an a$$, I am honestly wondering.
 

mohawk69

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2005
Location
Richmond Hill, GA (Savannah)
TDI
1996 B4, 1996 B4V, 2000 Beetle TDI
Your increased fuel mileage is a a non sequitur. When did you flee the storm? Early on, highways are crowded but moving steadily at a slower speed. Had you filled up at the same station but later in the evacuation window, the roads became stop and go. Travel time doubled or tripled. So, you'd be reporting the same fuel but with a significant decrease in economy. Could this explain it?
 

kcunniff

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2013
Location
Southwest Florida
TDI
2005 Golf GLS BEW (5spd)
Thanks for the informative responses. I am not an additive user, and in my area in south Florida, I have never found any Shells that advertise selling "premium diesel." As for the biodiesel, it is readily available in my area as I have been checking out various Racetracks, but am still not using it. I may change my mind.
 

kcunniff

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2013
Location
Southwest Florida
TDI
2005 Golf GLS BEW (5spd)
Your increased fuel mileage is a a non sequitur. When did you flee the storm? Early on, highways are crowded but moving steadily at a slower speed. Had you filled up at the same station but later in the evacuation window, the roads became stop and go. Travel time doubled or tripled. So, you'd be reporting the same fuel but with a significant decrease in economy. Could this explain it?
The tank of fuel spanned travel to and from southwest Florida and the Panhandle. Yes, there was some slow going for some miles, but I was able to drive mostly at the speeds and in the manner I normally do. It is possible the conditions affected my measured fuel economy, but by over 5 mpg? I suppose I should run some more to increase my sample size.
 

Nevada_TDI

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 17, 2008
Location
Reno, sort of...
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI
Yes, by over 5 MPG is possible depending upon conditions: I will usually drive at 75 on the highway, but if I have to slow down to 65, there is a significant increase in FE, and IIRC it is around 5 MPG.
 

belome

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 8, 2010
Location
Mid MI
TDI
2002 Jetta GLS TDI 5-speed
I was going to say, I stopped at a station several states over and got B20... I felt like I got horrible mileage from it.
 

JB05

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 20, 2005
Location
Il.USA
TDI
Golf,2005,anthracite blue
I too use Shell, but here in Il. most of the stations sell the 5 to 20% bio blend. I have never had a problem in my '05 Golf with an auto. transmission. The only place I know of in Cook County, Il. that sells straight D2 is the Meijer's down the street from me. I stopped going there because the pump has too much pressure and takes forever to top off.
 

Jetta_Pilot

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 14, 2005
Location
West Hill, Ont.
TDI
2015 Passat Highline TDI Candy White (SEL Premium) long gone 2002 Jetta TDI
Some years back I fueled up my 2002 Jetta with Bio - Diesel in Texas at Carl's corner off I-35. Had rotten mileage on that. It's gone now, something else in it's place.
Fast forward a few years somewhere on I-70 east of St.Louis at New Florence saw a sign for cheap Diesel. Pulled in and found it was Bio-Diesel. From this I got amazing mileage and after that every-time I happened to go by there I filled up. Last time I found it is closed now.
So different Bio from two different locations and different mileage experiences. Why? In both cases almost exclusive Interstate driving.
 

williambill

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2013
Location
Dry Prong, LA
TDI
2002 Jetta TDI
Thought I'd share my experiences with Bio-diesel, which is limited to my own personal production from WVO. I have ran it in 4 different vehicles, in varying concentrations (due to the amount of supply or production I had at the time), for about 8 years now at around 2100 gallons in all. The vehicles were an '84 Mazda B2200 (50k miles), a 2002 F250 (off and on for 9 yearsn. It eats it to fast!), a '98 Jetta (55k miles), and an '02 Jetta (40k and climbing). I haven't had ANY related issues in any of those vehicles running up to 100% in the summer and 50% in the winter in Louisiana. Overall, it's worked very well for me. As far as mileage, I always lose a little when using Bio compared to diesel. On the F250 I'd lose about 1 1/2 MPG. On the TDI, I lose about 2-3. My cost of production is around $0.80/gallon, so I don't care about a few lost MPG's. I think I read somewhere a few years back that Bio has less BTU's per gallon than diesel, which should explain the loss of MPG's. As far as commercially available Bio blends and MPG's, I just don't know. I do know that different types of veg oil, when made into Bio, have more or less energy, and varying gell points. But mixed with #2 diesel in the amounts available at the pump, I feel like it's just a more friendly fuel with better lubricity. And smells better to!
 
Top