Biodiesel A very cheap way to run your van

[idallow]

Just to let everyone know my van is now a veggie (normally can't abide them but on this occasion I'm making and exception)

Running through my first tank of biodiesel and everything seems ok so far, it's coming due for a service pretty soon so Ill change the fuel filter in about 500 miles after the bio has thoroughly cleaned the system as it's better than any fuel system cleaner you can buy.

Incidentally, you can of course if you buy it to heat your house it's only 75p a litre just bring your own drums and they can sell it to you as heating oil, apparently exactly the same stuff.

Now I'm not encouraging anyone to do anything illegal as you have to pay the correct fuel duty but it does stick in the throat you pay a premium to fuel your van especially when most of us use them for work.

Even buying it off their pump it's still 12p a litre cheaper than the local filling station and apparently I'll get better economy as the system is always clean.

Have been advised to keep about 10% dino diesel in the tank but so far so good,

So zero emissions and paying Gordon Brown less works for me

[Doc]

You runnin Bio in a TDI buddy?
I thought the fuel flap said no BIO so I never thought of trying it.
Any change in power?

[PrePavGav]

Was thinkin the same myself Mind you, There is a TDI just up the street from us converted specially to run on bio fuel of some sort, I'll have to have a closer look as it is plastered all over the side of the van It belongs to Staffordshire moorlands district council I think.

[idallow]

VW say you can run on RME biodiesel, I have to say it's very confusing and not clear at all. One part of the statement says all TDI engines since 1996 and then another part says no PD engines and then the next part says the Caddy is compatible dependent on production code.

Mine's an SDI and the chap at the biodiesel place says all VW's run on it fine, I read somewhere that all cars made in the last 13 years must be compatible.

I going to give it a try and see how I get on, from what I've read the main issues are making sure you do a fuel filter change at 500 miles and making sure you use synthetic oil which gets changed on time

Will keep you all posted

[s31teg]

Incidentally, you can of course if you buy it to heat your house it's only 75p a litre just bring your own drums and they can sell it to you as heating oil, apparently exactly the same stuff.

75p? how are you doing it for that price, you sure your doing the correct process to get the ph level right?

if not it more works out about £~1+ with the price of fat going up unless your using 2nd hand stuff

Now I'm not encouraging anyone to do anything illegal as you have to pay the correct fuel duty but it does stick in the throat you pay a premium to fuel your van especially when most of us use them for work.

what do you mean? you mass producing the stuff as your allowed a shit loads before you have to pay any tax and even then they cant regulate it


overall for the hassell, setup costs, mess etc it 10 times easier to go to the pump

but as for our pd tdi its really not recommended,

also you will go threw a load of filters at the start, when it 'cleans' everything out

[idallow]

75p is the price of biodiesel as heating oil, ask around anyone can get it for that price from a supplier.

If I make my own I could make it for half that price but I'd rather entrust it to manafucturer who has the professional equipment.

the majority of BD is made from waste vegetable oil and you save more money on the first tankful than the cost of a fuel filter which only has to be changed once after the first 500 miles and cleaning out your fuel system is no bad thing, my van already runs better after about 200 miles.

You can run BD in your TDI - suggest you read VW's latest press release and then check your production code on your van

[PrePavGav]

Yeah steg, don't be so 'steg'ative all the time

[Caddy c20]

is it true that runing biodiesle for a while i.e a tank and then changing the filter & going back on to normal diesle or optimax better then any fuel and engine cleaning stuff out there. when i say engine i mean injectors etc???

[dubvan]

75p is the price of biodiesel as heating oil, ask around anyone can get it for that price from a supplier.

If I make my own I could make it for half that price but I'd rather entrust it to manafucturer who has the professional equipment.

the majority of BD is made from waste vegetable oil and you save more money on the first tankful than the cost of a fuel filter which only has to be changed once after the first 500 miles and cleaning out your fuel system is no bad thing, my van already runs better after about 200 miles.

You can run BD in your TDI - suggest you read VW's latest press release and then check your production code on your van

This sounds very interesting seeing as I'm currently putting £70 of diesel in every 10 days or so. However, there is a chap at work running an A3 who has been (making it and) putting it in his sons Golf TDi which is a Y reg for a wee while. He won't put it in his ('09 plate) A3 as he's done loads of research on biofuel websites etc and hasn't found anyone running it in a PD engine. Now I am not doubting what you say - I just want to know more, because as it is I'm close to being priced off the road. Where have you seen a press release and what did it say? How do you ascertain what engine codes are ok etc. Many thanks for time.

Jonesy

[s31teg]

who listens to press releases really?

you want to get info from http://www.vegetableoildiesel.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; or another source where lads do it for real and can tell you the truth


you hear that many mixed stories about running the stuff, for me not worth the bother

and a real alternative, lpg!

[idallow]

The official VW line is here

http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/assets/comm ... diesel.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It's a bit contradictory becuase it says Audi's all TDI engines since 1996 and that would include the later TDI PD engines fitted from 2000 onwards, then it goes on to say not approved for some PD engines,

Say's the caddy is OK if it has a certain PR code

I can only tell you so far my van runs better on bio than dino

As regards the fuel filter change I've been told once after 500 miles and then every 20k which I do anyway, the standard filter is a crappy item and needs changing more often than VW recommend.

I actually have more power on the biodiesel, apparently it has a higher cetane rating.

It will mix readily with dino diesel

[firedfromthecircus]

But the main question is does your van now stink like a shite chippy?

[idallow]

No it doesn't - there is a slightly sweet smell from the exhaust but nothing like frying tonight

[DADDY]

I thought I read somwhere the my 2k should not be run on BIO fuel then I remembered where I read this see attached

Will my warranty be invalid if a problem arises within the fuel systems and BIO is found in the fuel lines?? Ill not be taking the chance

[s31teg]

I thought I read somwhere the my 2k should not be run on BIO fuel then I remembered where I read this see attached

Will my warranty be invalid if a problem arises within the fuel systems and BIO is found in the fuel lines?? Ill not be taking the chance

bottom line, yes it will, fuel goes threw the major components so if any were to fail, bye bye warranty on most things

if you put petrol in van and have to get recovered to get pumped your fuel pump is no longer covered for example

and alot of people dont make the bio diesel correctly, dont want it down threw beads, not the correct ph etc so its very sceptical subject