Engine Light on and Glow plug light flashing....

Re: Engine Light on and Glow plug light flashing..

I get it from a guy named Peter Bell, his site is here:

www.dfwbiodiesel.com

It's fully certified fuel, from a major manufacturer. B100 is $2.75/gal.

Re: Engine Light on and Glow plug light flashing.... ?

I have recently experienced the same issues, flashing glowplug light (intermittent) along with CEL (intermittent). I've been running B100 since last November. (50/50 during cold months). VW replaced the ECU and the fuel pump, then the issue recurred 400 miles later, so they now say the fule pump warranty is voided. I guess I'm not too surprised, or impressed. The dealership has been pretty helpful, and they're great in general, but I guess the Biodiesel thing is too weird for them to embrace yet. I hope that we can get a handle on what exactly is going wrong with these pumps. Is there something different about the fuel temp sensors they use in europe?

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Was the dealer possibly implying that the fuel pump warranty is voided because of your continued use of biodiesel? I assume your car as a whole is still under warranty.

Re: Engine Light on and Glow plug light flashing.... ?

Yes, he's saying they aren't going to do any more warranty repairs on the fuel system, because of the biodiesel.

The car is still under warranty.

Re: Engine Light on and Glow plug light flashing.... ?

Yes, he's saying they aren't going to do any more warranty repairs on the fuel system, because of the biodiesel.

The car is still under warranty.

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But then again if the fuel is fully certified then the 'ball is on the dealers court'. Unless this 'certification' you are refering to is not recognized federally and is different than lets say the certification for diesel (#2) from Shell or BP.

Re: Engine Light on and Glow plug light flashing.... ?

The VW paperwork seems to indicate that any "incorrect" fuel that I use would have to CAUSE a failure in order for them to be able to refuse to pay for the repair, which would seem to mean that THEY would have to PROVE that the fuel was the culprit. However, that would probably involve going to court and who needs that?

The fuel I use is ASTM D 6751 certified, from Peter Cremer North America LP

Re: Engine Light on and Glow plug light flashing.... ?

Is there something different about the fuel temp sensors they use in europe?

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I would not think that there is something different about sensors in Europe. I firmly believe that the difference is in the Bio. I'm told that manufacturing standards used in Germany, under DIN 51606 and DIN EN 14214, are the most stringent in the world today. German BIO can be used year-round down to beyond -20deg.C and will not trigger any idiot lights.
http://www.biodiesel.de/index.php3?hid=014107&spid=2

Re: Engine Light on and Glow plug light flashing..

Since this thread has moved away from the original topic and finally fallen into the archives, I assume that means that I'm not alone and no one has had a problem with Topia's B20 since mid August. That's good to see.

Recently, I sent a note to Topia, asking if they ever did find the root of the problem and got the following response:

"I have a very strong suspicion but no absolute proof. What is telling is that after we had this problem the supplier of the fuel changed their process in a manner that would significantly reduce the chance of high soap levels. Once the change was made we didn't have any more trouble.

Thanks for continuing interest. "

Let's hope we don't see the problem return.

Re: Engine Light on and Glow plug light flashing..

I'd like to add on topic that I had the very symptom the thread is named for. As I make my own fuel, I did not care too much for the idea that something had happened to my process to allow water in and damage my pump, even if it was only the temp sensor.

It turns out that what my glow plug light was really blinking about was a bad brake switch. I had never gone in when I got the bulletin as the switch was working fine, but when it went bad I got a blinking glow light to tell me.

Re: Engine Light on and Glow plug light flashing..

For the brake light switch, it is only the glowplug which flashes...this was glowplug flashing with the MIL being on all the time.

I filled up at the beginning of November and didn't have the light flashing, but I happened to be using some of that motormaster 3in1 conditioner at the time just because I wanted to clean things out, not to avoid the light. Anyhow, no flashing at all.

Re: Engine Light on and Glow plug light flashing..

John; You also have a Mk3; maybe it's the Mk4s that are more sensitive? I did get the light on my Jetta (a Mk4 of course) but had the code cleared and when I got BioD after the Thanksgiving Meet, I never got the CEL/GP light again..and then I sold the car .

Making my own BioD now! (and I have no CEL in my Rabbit ).

Re: Engine Light on and Glow plug light flashing..

Oh, I DID have the glowplug issue on my MK3. I lived with it for a tank, and then stopped using the B20 from Topia. I filled up again cause I wasn't far from there, and didn't have an issue this time around.

Congrats on making your own Bio-D...I toyed with the idea, but decided against it for now. Do Rabbits even have CELs? HA HA! Heck, do they even have computers?

Re: Engine Light on and Glow plug light flashing..

Ha ha! No way John; NO CEL in my Rabbit; I don't think there's any computer on board either (unless I take the laptop from work with me ). Plain and simple; how I like my VWs .

Re. the BioD; I'm planning a HomeBrew GTG at my Farm in the Spring, and you're more than welcome to attend. You can make some here!

Re: Engine Light on and Glow plug light flashing..

Assuming that this thread is still being watched:
I'm curious, did anyone have a problem with Toronto B20 over the winter?

Also, I paid 87.9c/ltr ($2.72 US per gallon) for Sunoco Gold today. What are they charging for B20 now?

Re: Engine Light on and Glow plug light flashing..

No reported problems this winter with Topia B20, even on the coldest of days. The price has been 82.9 for quite a while.

Re: Engine Light on and Glow plug light flashing..

I paid 83.9 yesterday morning. It's amusing that Gold and even Crap are both more expensive.

Re: Engine Light on and Glow plug light flashing..

I'm out in California, have a 2002 Jetta wagon and just had engine light, flashing glow plug issue for the first time. I run B100 and there is only one place to get it around here. I've been going to the same place for 22K mi. I believe the code came up on the #2 and #3 glow plugs. My mechanic is not a dealer, but has the equipment. Should I find out the exact codes before I let him do anything? I did plug a fuel filter about a month ago with dirty biodiesel - we have external filters on all of our tanks now...

thanks for the help

Re: Engine Light on and Glow plug light flashing..

it's professional grade stuff from Distribution Drive www.dfwbiodiesel.com

Re: Engine Light on and Glow plug light flashing..

I paid 83.9 yesterday morning. It's amusing that Gold and even Crap are both more expensive.

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I went to Unionville yesterday and found the station closed.
Is the Toronto downtown station still open?

Re: Engine Light on and Glow plug light flashing..

Unionville is closed but the other location is still open last I heard. There is also some talk about a Markam (sp?) station opening in the GTA.

Can anyone comment on or confirm the idea that the flashing glowplug issue when it is specific to biodiesel (i.e. not brake lights or glow plugs etc) is related to the amount of glyercin in the fuel?

Re: Engine Light on and Glow plug light flashing..

http://www.greenincubator.com/aboutbiodiesel/TA-07192004.pdf

Soap=Glycerine? Why would there be soap in the fuel?

Re: Engine Light on and Glow plug light flashing..

IIRC, it is a byproduct of the production process.

Re: Engine Light on and Glow plug light flashing..

Yes, I think that is right. Biodiesel is most commonly made from veg oil mixed with methanol and lye. Byproducts of this reaction are biodiesel and glycerin, which is essentially soap. Topia suggests they got some soapy bio from WE and the the high content of soap (aka glyercin) caused the CEL and flashing glowplug issue last summer.

What I would really like is some input from more learned and experienced biodiesel minds than mine about whether this glycerin issue is the most common problem with bio (aside from water infiltration) and whether it is caused by a lack of washing or simply an incomplete reaction during the production process...

Re: Engine Light on and Glow plug light flashing..

Topia’s retail Biodiesel pump in Unionville will move on May 20th 2005 to a new location at the OLCO service station at 35-51 Old Kennedy Road in Markham. (see attached map)

After a successful year of introducing BioDiesel to the retail consumer market, Topia Energy is pleased to announce the new location of our BioDiesel service station addressing the needs of the Markham-Unionville area.

The station will be opened between 5:30 am and 9:00 pm weekdays and 7:30am to 8:00 pm weekends.

The demand for BioDiesel has grown. Recently we expanded to Ottawa and the new Markham model represents the first of many potential BioDiesel stations in the GTA and beyond.

We appreciate the support of your group in building the demand for BioDiesel.

Although this move took longer than we wanted, we hope to have the signs up and open for business for the May long weekend.

Re: Engine Light on and Glow plug light flashing..

Topia’s retail Biodiesel pump in Unionville will move on May 20th 2005 to a new location at the OLCO service station at 35-51 Old Kennedy Road in Markham. (Old Kennedy & Steeles see signs on Steeles)

After a successful year of introducing BioDiesel to the retail consumer market, Topia Energy is pleased to announce the new location of our BioDiesel service station addressing the needs of the Markham-Unionville area.

The station will be opened between 5:30 am and 9:00 pm weekdays and 7:30am to 8:00 pm weekends.

The demand for BioDiesel has grown. Recently we expanded to Ottawa and the new Markham model represents the first of many potential BioDiesel stations in the GTA and beyond.

We appreciate the support of your group in building the demand for BioDiesel.

Although this move took longer than we wanted, we hope to have the signs up and open for business for the May long weekend.