VW No Longer Approves Biodiesel for New Models

[AutoDiesel]

Biodiesel: Neue Diesel-Modelle erhalten keine Freigabe mehr

translation.......

Bio Diesel: New Diesel models receive no more release
*Although the paragraph of bio Diesel rises continuously, manufacturers announce such as VOLKSWAGEN and Audi that for the new engine generations no more release for bio Diesels will take place. This is justified among other things with strong quality fluctuations of the oil mills.
*During some manufacturers bio Diesels had not ever released (Ford, Opel, partly also BMW), VOLKSWAGEN and Audi so far extensive releases for their engines had given. For the old engines the releases remain existing however.
*This decision is justified with the fact that the new engines would react sensitively to quality differences. Also it is possible that deposits separate in the fuel system, if Diesels and bio Diesels are mixed.
------------------------------------------------------------

I know the people that promote biodiesel here think I have some sort of "agenda" to discredit biodiesel.
I don't.
I just believe everyone should know the facts from every angle.
Use it. Don't use it. It is your choice.

 

[ikendu]

Yup. I'm goin' to keep on keepin' on... it's B100 for me!

 

[Geordi]

Likewise I'm sure, Ikendu.

As for that badly-translated statement, let's review, shall we?

Deposits in the fuel system, from mixing? Yes and no. Deposits are ALREADY THERE from running large amounts of sludge-laden dino. Not really a big issue in a NEW engine and car, but yes, they do exist, and ARE likely to be scoured off by the solvent action of BioD. Cost? Your fuel filter.

Quality issues in the oil mills? Oh, and the quality of Dino-D running ANYWHERE between 40 and 50 cetane DOESN'T affect performance and engine life? Puleeze. You will NEVER have Lab-quality fuel all of the time, VW is looney to even attempt to ask for this, especially from the Dino producers. I did my own tests (Specific gravity only, which would most effectively show pollutants in the fuel - quality differences) and found over about 10 different stations that I tried, there was about a 3 gram variation between samples, with the average slightly heavier than pure Dino should be. This says ALL the stations were selling below-average fuel, with the best reading coming from a truck stop. (makes sense)

Worried about performance of the engine with all those deposits and poor fuel? Then put in a filter that will CATCH all the bad stuff. How about a measly 10 micron? Not the THIRTY that VW thinks is adequate.

Lets look at ALL the facts in the fuel system problems. It's not just Biodiesel, Bio has the same quality flaws that can (and DO) exist in any other fuel. It is rediculous to try to hold it to a higher standard than the crap that the oil companies sell... Oh wait, that is exactly what they WANT us to do, so we dont use Biod, we buy more Saudi Sludge.

--Jim

 

[Lug_Nut]

Well, That changes my mind on the 04 Passat TDI.
Yeah, Right!

 

[SkyPup]

That's exactly right AutoDiesel, none of the new high pressure injection systems work with Biodiesel (neither the Pump Duse or the piezoelectric Common Rail). VWAG had to replace 5,000 VW TDI PD engine that destructed this past winter in Germany alone due to the increased viscosity of the BD, this has led to the ban of the use of BioDiesel in all new Audi, VW, and other newer higher pressure common rail systems.
VWAG was amazed that even with the small number of people that ever use Biodiesel, there were so many engine failures in this small population right away. /images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[jackbombay]

[ QUOTE ]
SkyPup said:
That's exactly right AutoDiesel, none of the new high pressure injection systems work with Biodiesel (neither the Pump Duse or the piezoelectric Common Rail). VWAG had to replace 5,000 VW TDI PD engine that destructed this past winter in Germany alone due to the increased viscosity of the BD, this has led to the ban of the use of BioDiesel in all new Audi, VW, and other newer higher pressure common rail systems.
VWAG was amazed that even with the small number of people that ever use Biodiesel, there were so many engine failures in this small population right away. /images/graemlins/shocked.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

It is a bummer that this happened, got a link? or magazine that the info came from?

-Jack

 

[RichC]

This is a disappointing setback in our attempts to get VWofA to entertain Soy based BD here in the US. I'd be curious ... since B20 is the most popular blend available ... if the viscosity changes are significant enough in cold weather to make such a difference?

I've done my own cold weather (freezer) testing and have found that commercially available B20 seems just as clear and viscious as the 'stinky' stuff. Perhaps the obvious has been overlooked. Are the failures running B100 in cold weather? If so ... same could happen if your fuel supplier is not getting you winter-blended dino-diesel. I would think the problem is on the fuel supply side (getting the cold weather BD) rather than tossing support for the fuel.

 

[Geordi]

I'm sure he's still busy typing up the article, before he can post a link to it, or looking for the German EPA's website where Diesel is as hated as it is by our EPA. Search Google News for this, using such broad terms as "biodiesel germany"
"biodiesel VW" and "biodiesel volkswagen" and you find... Nothing.

What's that I smell? Oh, that's right, it's Bullsheet.
THERE IS NO REPORT BY ANYONE IN THE NEWS THAT VW HAD TO REPLACE 5K ENGINES FOR BIODIESEL FAILURES. Cmon, that big of a failure rate WOULD have generated at least a small news item in the Reuters wire, but nothing. Do not take ANYTHING said by ANYONE here (even me) at face value. Do your own searches on news.google.com to confirm or deny for yourself. What do the stories on there say? That lots of people, companies, STATES, and Governments are looking into or switching to at least partial Biodiesel use due to it's benefits. NOT A SINGLE LISTING did I find showing anything like "VW SAYS BIODIESEL DESTROYS ENGINES" because it just isn't true.

--Jim

 

[Geordi]

From news.google.com:

Your search - Biodiesel damages engines - did not match any documents.

Your search - Biodiesel engine damage - did not match any documents.

Your search - Bio diesel engine damage - did not match any documents.

I rest my case.

 

[AutoDiesel]

[ QUOTE ]
Geordi 01JetTDI said:
From news.google.com:

Your search - Biodiesel damages engines - did not match any documents.

Your search - Biodiesel engine damage - did not match any documents.

Your search - Bio diesel engine damage - did not match any documents.

I rest my case.

[/ QUOTE ]


Your case doesn't hold up.

Your North Amercan centrist view of the world is limiting your knowledge. Thinking that a Google search will answer all of your questions is very shortsited.
You have to go over there to find answers.
Answers you don't want to hear.

Biodieselkraftstoff-Qualität im Land Brandenburg
(Bio Diesel fuel quality in the country Brandenburg)

Standard?Biodiesel ' correctly ?FAME ' (fatty acid methyl ester) one calls. It can both from raps (RME), and from other basic materials e.g. used old food oils or battle wastes is won. Appropriate production capacities are developed at present in Germany. In December 2001 the examined bio Diesel samples were based on RME, a sample exhibited impurities with fettalkoholen.
The result of the quality test: From the 34 analyzed and as DIN conformal to defined fuels only 3 samples corresponded to the German preliminary standard. 13 samples deviated from the limit values, however still lay in the range of tolerance, while 18 samples missed the standard values ( table 1 ) ( pdf file is needed Adobe Acrobat reader ) .
Compared with a new European standard, to which the fuel is to correspond in the future, the result falls still more badly out ( table 2 ) ( pdf file is needed Adobe Acrobat reader ) . Only one sample would fulfill the standard values here, would still be appropriate for 11 further in the range of tolerance. To bio Diesels if similar legal conditions would apply as to petrol and Diesel fuels, then the sales at the remaining 22 gas stations would have to be forbidden immediately.
Bad cutting of the bio fuel off essentially lies after the statements of the analyzing laboratory at impurities by other fuels as well as mixtures of the winter quality of the fuel with remainders of the summer commodity. A further problem represents oxidation stability in such a way specified. Bio Diesel as natural product is subject to a biological decay process. For however only the period defined after one in the European standard to begin may. Half of the sold fuels were here unsatisfactory almost, some fell below the standard value even around more than 80 per cent. After relevant investigations (among other things General German Automobile Association) these standard deviations at the vehicle can among other things. Blockages of the fuel filter, damages of the injection pump and bad launch characteristics cause.
On the basis of this result it is to be demanded that also bio Diesel is taken up to the legal regulations for fixing and as a check of the fuel qualities. That would make it for the land authorities possible to immediately prevent the sales of bio Diesel, which does not correspond to the standard values. At present these bad states can registered, but not to be repaired. Since these results reflect only the Brandenburger situation, country wide collections for an overall view would be meaningful.
------------------------------------------------------------

You can go here http://de.yahoo.com/ to find many more publications in Germany that have discussed the problems they have had with biodiesel.

[ QUOTE ]
Puleeze. You will NEVER have Lab-quality fuel all of the time, VW is looney to even attempt to ask for this, especially from the Dino producers.

[/ QUOTE ]

Read the above items closely.

"To bio Diesels if similar legal conditions would apply as to petrol and Diesel fuels, then the sales at the remaining 22 gas stations would have to be forbidden immediately."

Petrol and diesel fuels are regulated at the pump in Germany and yes VW and any other manufacturer can demand by law that the petro and regular diesel meets the best lab standards at the pump .

I like the part that states that only one out of the thirty-four samples would meet the minimum specs. for the new DIN EN 14214. I guess they had good reason to crack down on the bad biodiesel that was being sold over there in '01. Doesn't mean VW or any other manufacture will approve it for use.

 

[Geordi]

Only one out of thirty four? Sorry, no. You are not capable of reading German I take it, and are using an inefficient online translator. Here is the complete article for anyone interested:
Translated article

and here is the correct sentence you refer to:
"The result of the quality test: From the 34 analyzed and as DIN conformal to defined fuels only 3 samples corresponded to the German preliminary standard. 13 samples deviated from the limit values, however still lay in the range of tolerance, while 18 samples missed the standard values"

Here is the chart that shows the entire test group.
Chart
As can be seen quite easily, most of the "yellow" or caution, but still within spec samples were in fact due only to the gell point of the fuel, where -20*C is the standard. The cold sensitivity of pure biodiesel is not in question, never has been. So that is not anything to worry about, unless you are running pure and expect the temps to be very cold.

Further, the two that were red-zoned for free glycerin may have just been due to the extended reaction time that we have learned about only recently with Biodiesel, and even then, the numbers were not that large. A 10 micron filter would easily capture that excess.

Continuing to the next column, the Flashpoint readings were out-of-spec for only 3, but we must remember that 100*C is 212*F, and even the slightly lower readings are still extremely high for a flashpoint, when compared with regular diesel or gasoline. Not something that will cause damage anyway, only a concern during spills.

The last column, total water, they are allowing 300 milligrams per kilogram. that is a lot of allowed water in my estimation, but if the samples were made then "washed" with ADDED WATER this would certainly explain the high readings on two of the samples. As I have stated many times, I do not wash my biodiesel, nor do I believe that properly-produced source oil NEEDS washing afterwards. This would be where I would ask the suppliers to instead of conforming just to this diesel fuel standard, choose to exceed the expectation and reduce water to as little as physically possible. Purify the oil with vacuum, not washing. Then produce, using a clean feedstock, and do not contaminate with ANY water if at all possible.

Get your facts straight about Google News anyway. They are not a "North America Only" source, Google News is not a Newspaper at all. It searches ALL the news services available WORLD WIDE and creates a custom page or search results based on the collective stories in THOUSANDS of newspapers and wire reports worldwide.

VW replacing 5K engines due to Biodiesel? Nope, never happened.

 

[Geordi]

Oh, here is one more thing for you:

The GERMAN Google site, where the links are not sponsored, they are legitimate. This page will load in the Google translator, the search term was "Biodiesel Damage" in German.
www.google.de

 

[AutoDiesel]

[ QUOTE ]
Only one out of thirty four? Sorry, no. You are not capable of reading German I take it, and are using an inefficient online translator. Here is the complete article for anyone interested:

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry, yes. They are stating that if the samples were held to the new EN14214 standard only one would qualify. Table 1 is for the old standard. Table 2 is for the new standard.
Go read it again.

The result of the quality test: From the 34 analyzed and as DIN conformal to defined fuels only 3 samples corresponded to the German preliminary standard. 13 samples deviated from the limit values, however still lay in the range of tolerance, while 18 samples missed the standard values ( table 1 ) ( pdf file is needed Adobe Acrobat reader ) .
------------------------------------------------------------

"Compared with a new European standard, to which the fuel is to correspond in the future, the result falls still more badly out ( table 2 ) ( pdf file is needed Adobe Acrobat reader ) . Only one sample would fulfill the standard values here, would still be appropriate for 11 further in the range of tolerance. To bio Diesels if similar legal conditions would apply as to petrol and Diesel fuels, then the sales at the remaining 22 gas stations would have to be forbidden immediately. "
------------------------------------------------------------

Go look at table 2 (prEN 14214:2001) again and read the legende below.

Only one sample is in the normal range.

My German isn't any good anymore.
But I can still real a chart.

White = Kraftstoff entspricht der Norm = Fuel corresponds to the standard

Only one sample is white.
Gesamtbewertung der Probe = Total evaluation of the sample

 

[AutoDiesel]

[ QUOTE ]
and here is the correct sentence you refer to:
"The result of the quality test: From the 34 analyzed and as DIN conformal to defined fuels only 3 samples corresponded to the German preliminary standard. 13 samples deviated from the limit values, however still lay in the range of tolerance, while 18 samples missed the standard values"

[/ QUOTE ]

That is not what I referred to.
That is for the old standard EN DIN 51606

Only one meets the standard for this chart........

Table 2

That is for the new standard EN 14214:2001.

" Compared with a new European standard , to which the fuel is to correspond in the future, the result falls still more badly out ( table 2 ) ( pdf file is needed Adobe Acrobat reader ) . Only one sample would fulfill the standard values here , would still be appropriate for 11 further in the range of tolerance. To bio Diesels if similar legal conditions would apply as to petrol and Diesel fuels, then the sales at the remaining 22 gas stations would have to be forbidden immediately ."


They have tighend the standards and come out the dark ages.

 

[AutoDiesel]

[ QUOTE ]
Get your facts straight about Google News anyway. They are not a "North America Only" source,

[/ QUOTE ]

Ha, Ha, Ha! You make-a me laugh!!!

Put in "Deutschland" in the Google news search and you get this......
Deutschland
Bloomberg, Time, MozillaZine, Time of Oman, Reuters, Forbes, Mars Society, American Daily......

Where's the real German sites?!?!?!??!?!

Using Google.de will give you more.
But the first hit is Yahoo! Deutschland! He!He!He!

Like I said, where's the real German sites???

My point? Don't think you are going to find anything by using Yahoo, Google, or any other search engines.
You gotta go over "there" and read their sites.

 

[Lug_Nut]

[ QUOTE ]
Bad cutting of the bio fuel off essentially lies after the statements of the analyzing laboratory at impurities by other fuels as well as mixtures of the winter quality of the fuel with remainders of the summer commodity.

[/ QUOTE ]

Someone more fluent in translation will need to assist me with this one.
Do the presence of other fuel impurities and the mixing of winter and summer grades have significance on the results of the tests? Were tests performed on petro/bio blends? Anything on neat biodiesel, presumably not a "winter quality" nor "summer commodity" grade of bio?

 

[BioDiesel]

Nice work dissecting the report George.
N.A. TDI's have nothing to worry about.

 

[kemper]

So what part of the common rail system is the problem. Is it the pump or the Injectors.

Canada is trying to mandate the use of bio-diesel (5%) in all diesel in a couple of years,, Are we still going to be able to buy the new VW's after this??

What about the Jeep Liberty,, It is coming out with a common rail diesel will it have the same problems??

Jeff

 

[SkyPup]

LOL, Geordi 01JetTDI, what a cute Google guy your are! /images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Those 5,000 totally destroyed VW TDP-PD engines were finally covered by VW for repleacement due to the huge uproar over all the destroyed engines throughout the entire country. What a disaster that has been for Biodiesel.

Unfortunately, contrary to all of GeWill & NHMike's daydreams, there are no effective Biodiesel Antigels and lower temps mean too high viscosities in Biodiesel blends during the winter.

All the engines blew during the winter when the PD injectors failed and pieces fell into the engine permanently requiring the replacement of the engine.

 

[Ricdude]

[ QUOTE ]
kemper said:
What about the Jeep Liberty, It is coming out with a common rail diesel will it have the same problems??


[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
Daimler-Chrysler responded:

Information on the manufacturer of the diesel engine or whether the engine will run on biodiesel (i. e., soy) fuel has not been released as at this time.


[/ QUOTE ]

The UK Jeep Cherokee (same model as US Liberty) currently uses a diesel engine co-designed by VM Motori (Italian) and Detroit Diesel (US). No idea what their track record for biodiesel (official or anecdotal) look like on either end.

As to specific damages from biodiesel usage, it looks like so far we have two possibilities: temperature sensors and engine/pump/injection damage from high glycerin levels. Both of which appear to to be avoidable with sufficient quality fuel. In addition, we can guard against excess glycerin (and other particle contamination) with finer quality fuel filters.

It appears that fuel quality is the most pressing issue when it comes to using biodiesel in our TDIs. The hypothesis that "Using high quality, properly treated BioDiesel will not cause a mechanical failure or problem in the TDI engine/fuel system." appears to hold up under all this evidence. While it is certainly interesting to know that most of a couple dozen german biodiesel pumps fail to meet the more stringent EU DIN specs for biodiesel, it still doesn't contradict the hypothesis that sufficiently high-quality biodiesel is ok. Failure modes of engine models that are not even available in this country yet also do not contradict this hypothesis.

On to practicalities, I know my not-quite-local biodiesel pump claims on its fuel pump to be ASTM certified, but if there are issues with longer term storage, these are concerns that need to be conveyed to the manufacturers and distributors. As far as ASTM certified fuel being regulated at the pump: If the pump says "ASTM certified 100% virgin soy biodiesel", that's what I'm paying for, and that's what I expect to get out of the pump. If that's not what I'm getting out of the pump, they need to refund my money or replace the fuel with different fuel that matches the description.

P.S. Someone needs to name their band, "Flammpunkt".

 

[BioDiesel]

If Skypups assertions are true ( and that might be a first ), it still doesn't apply to the old-fashioned TDI's here in North America.
If anyone is really concerned, they can fit a coolant heated fuel exchanger commonly used on WVO and SVO cars ( like my TDI ). Or an electric one from Neoteric, the Veg-Therm.
It's probably all that's required to fix the PD TDI's in Germany too. Too bad BOSCH didn't test it first before releasing it to the public.

If 5,000 cars croaked, there must have been 10,000 or more using it. Don't those BOSCH engineers drive by fuel stations?

 

[gredi]

How does Sunfuel fit into this discussion?

 

[AutoDiesel]

[ QUOTE ]
Don't those BOSCH engineers drive by fuel stations?


[/ QUOTE ]

Bosch has never approved biodiesel for its' injection systems.

VW: Schäden durch Biodiesel werden ersetzt
VOLKSWAGEN: Damage by bio Diesels is replaced
05.05.2003

The car manufacturer VOLKSWAGEN announced to pay for damage, which resulted from bio Diesels at the fuel injection system of self fuzes. In one in the magazine "autopicture" printed letter to a customer, whose trade wind TDI had broken gone through bio Diesel employment, writes a Volkswagen speaker, one the "costs of the repair would take over". For similar problems is besides "after careful examination of the individual case" together with the service enterprises a "customer-oriented solution" are made possible. On a tide of complaints the enterprise does not count however. "it us probably only isolates inquiries to reach", confirmed the Volkswagen speaker in relation to AUTO SERVICE PRACTICE on-line one.
For model year 1996 there is a release for the enterprise with bio Diesel with Volkswagen self fuzes. And that, although the pump supplier Bosch expresses itself against the employment of the alternative fuel and rejects any guarantee and warranty. also Bosch does not have as supplier, but VOLKSWAGEN as a final producer the responsibility for the release take over?, describes Jens head of the working group quality management Bodiesel e.V. (AGQM).
------------------------------------------------------------

"On a tide of complaints......"
".......the pump supplier Bosch expresses itself against the employment of the alternative fuel and rejects any guarantee and warranty."

------------------------------------------------------------

Über die Märchen von Biodiesel
Over the fairy tales of bio Diesel
" The Postings of damaged Volkswagen/cAudi drivers is Legion!"
" Bosch has so far not one injection pump for bio Diesels to release!"

------------------------------------------------------------

Now why would they be saying anything like that? /images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

 

[AutoDiesel]

[ QUOTE ]
gredi said:
How does Sunfuel fit into this discussion?

[/ QUOTE ]

VW is investing heavily in Sunfuel.

SunFuel

Cleanliness
SunFuel® is a high-grade fuel consisting of hydrocarbons which contain no sulphur or aromatic compounds.
This fuel has great potential for significantly reducing pollutant emissions produced by engines - in particular nitrogen oxides (NOx ) and particles.
Designer fuel
SunFuel® is produced synthetically and is therefore designated a designer fuel. The fuel properties can be chemically modified and adapted to meet the requirements of optimised combustion. Biomass is the raw material from which SunFuel® is extracted is biomass.
Infrastructure
As a first step SunFuel® will be offered as a diesel fuel. This SunFuel® uses the same infrastructure as conventional mineral oil fuels. It can be used as an alternative to diesel fossil fuel without having to tune the engine.
Using SunFuel® immediately provides a major contribution to reducing CO2 levels pollutant emissions (in particular particles) at the same time.
------------------------------------------------------------
".....without having to tune the engine......"


ie. Can use without any modifications or adaptations like biodiesel must have. Especially in cold weather.

 

[gredi]

Sounds like an energy intensive refining process.

 

[Davin]

Search long enough and you'll get more answers. From Aug 19,2003:

http://translate.google.com/translate?so...%5F23003%2Ehtml

[ QUOTE ]

From it according to industry estimations in the past years a damage of approximately 20 million euro resulted to the Wolfsburgern nevertheless. Above all the rubber seals of the injection pumps were the problem. "due to these experiences we became more carefully", said hoping man. Thus VOLKSWAGEN for the TDI models gave route to no release for bio Diesels. This will apply also to the gulf Diesels coming in the autumn on the market.

"this changes however in the coming year. Then a fuel sensor can be inserted, the unrestricted release for bio Diesels made possible ", said hoping man. The customer must pay the installation however from own bag. Over the price hoping man gave however no data. The sensor recognizes thereby the portion of bio Diesels as well as its quality and adjusts the engine to it. "that is necessarily, there electronics in the vehicles more complicated and it to varying fuel qualities more sensitively will react", explained hoping man.



[/ QUOTE ]

So there isn't anything inherently wrong with the fuel which is damaging the engine... otherwise just adding a sensor and changing programming wouldn't fix the problem.

 

[Steve York UK]

One thing that seems to have escaped everyones attention. In Europe, fuel quality is guaranteed at the pump by a sticker saying the the fuel meets the relevant EU (BS/DIN equivalent) standard. This means that if your engine fails you are covered by the warranty. I understand that the legal position in NA is different, hence VWofNA's different stance to biodiesel to VAG in Europe.

Also note that this is a particularly German problem. Note the statement that "if the fuel had been sold according to the law for petrol and petro-diesel the garages would have been shut down".

This implies some legal concession/blind eye exists in Germany for biodiesel.

This certainly doesn't apply in the UK where such infraction WOULD involve prosecution for failure to meet BS(DIN) standards. No problems were reported with PD engines here running on biodiesel. Also, ALL French diesel contains 5% biodiesel and there were no reported problems there, either.

 

[AutoDiesel]

[ QUOTE ]
"this changes however in the coming year. Then a fuel sensor can be inserted, the unrestricted release for bio Diesels made possible ", said hoping man.

[/ QUOTE ]

The "biodiesel sensor" is something the biodiesel manufactures are pushing, not Volkswagen.
And the sensor has to do with adjusting injection to lower NOx emissions.

Keine Freigabe für Biodiesel mehr
A possible solution for this problem could be a bio Diesel sensor, which the RME producers develop at present according to UF OI speaker Dieter Bockey together with Volkswagens: The construction unit recognizes, as high the RME portion in the fuel system is and adapts if necessary electronic injection. Thus with high RME portion a too high output of nitrogen oxides (NOx) one avoid.
------------------------------------------------------------

The RME producers are pushing it not Volkswagen.
Volkswagen is not convinced it will garranty Euro 4 compliance. A real stickler in 2005.

 

[AutoDiesel]

from Geordi 01JetTDI's post.....
[ QUOTE ]
THERE IS NO REPORT BY ANYONE IN THE NEWS THAT VW HAD TO REPLACE 5K ENGINES FOR BIODIESEL FAILURES.

[/ QUOTE ]


from Davins post,
[ QUOTE ]
From it according to industry estimations in the past years a damage of approximately 20 million euro resulted to the Wolfsburgern nevertheless.

[/ QUOTE ]

20 million euros is damage that VW had to eat would sound like some problems to me! /images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

 

[Davin]

[ QUOTE ]

The "biodiesel sensor" is something the biodiesel manufactures are pushing, not Volkswagen.
And the sensor has to do with adjusting injection to lower NOx emissions.


[/ QUOTE ]

It seems to me that these are two different sensors. Reread the article that I posted. The "hoping man" is Harthmuth Hoffmann... He specifically mentions rubber seal problems that VW had, and then he says that this will change when a sensor is added which will allow unrestricted use of biodiesel.

I think it's pretty clear that he means that this sensor will fix the problem causing the financial losses, and not any problem with pollution controls.