Community Forums

trafman · 02-03-2023, 04:33 PM

Several local stations have “renewable diesel.” (Arco and Chevron). This is vegetable based and not fossil based. A call to Freightliner got a “We don’t recommend it.” Response from a call to a Cummins service center said “It shouldn’t be a problem.”
It’s quite a bit less expensive here in SoCal - about $.30 - $.50 a gallon less than other B20 diesel. It is claimed to meet all fuel specs and be OK for any Diesel engine. Appreciate input from others.

n2zon · 02-03-2023, 06:32 PM

Cummins is the authority here.

bigb56 · 02-03-2023, 06:40 PM

We had a very lengthy discussion over at the Sprinter forum including input from refinery engineers and a Zoom call with a refinery engineer. The general consensus is that the renewables meet the ASTM 975 standard, is a high quality fuel and is just as good if not better than ULSD. As with all ULSD produced in the US presently it is required to have a lubricity additive which is usually in the form of Biodiesel, up to 5%. Not all the engine manufacturers have tested it so naturally they will not be in a position to recommend it just yet and so their only reply will be "not recommended".

DR60 · 02-03-2023, 06:53 PM

My own research is that the brand name products you buy have all the additives already in them and are safe to use. Some of the private label fuels don't have additives like anti gel, and upper cylinder lubrication. so, in the coldest areas they add diesel to get the additives.
The problem is the additives are then watered down. In the coldest areas you may have to provide heat under your fuel tank to keep your fuel from gelling.
Stick to brand name products, and you won't have problems.

BirchyBoy · 02-03-2023, 08:38 PM

I looked at a pump the other day and it said it contained more than 20% bio diesel. I checked my Duramax book and it said to not use anything over 20%. I drove to a regular diesel station and paid $1 more per gallon.

I’m not sure, but I’d bet there is less energy in biodiesel so you end up using more. But that’s a guess.

96 Wideglide · 02-03-2023, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BirchyBoy

I’m not sure, but I’d bet there is less energy in biodiesel so you end up using more. But that’s a guess.

You would be correct, but some places you have no choice!

astrnmrtom · 02-03-2023, 09:10 PM

Renewable diesel can even come from animal sources.

saddlesore · 02-03-2023, 09:44 PM

If the Fuel is 100% Bio [veggie] fuel... I Need to Know at what temperature is the "Cloud Point" and the finite "Gell Point".
Also What additives will be needed to prevent both of these conditions in Sub Freezing temps...

bigb56 · 02-04-2023, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BirchyBoy

I looked at a pump the other day and it said it contained more than 20% bio diesel. I checked my Duramax book and it said to not use anything over 20%. I drove to a regular diesel station and paid $1 more per gallon.

I’m not sure, but I’d bet there is less energy in biodiesel so you end up using more. But that’s a guess.

The labels are confusing. Some say more than 20% biomass which is not the same as biodiesel. There is a lot of good information on this long thread on the Sprinter forum https://sprinter-source.com/forums/i...hreads/101841/ We researched it to death because Sprinter diesels up until 2023 are not supposed to burn biodiesel according to Mercedes.

BirchyBoy · 02-04-2023, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigb56

The labels are confusing. Some say more than 20% biomass which is not the same as biodiesel. There is a lot of good information on this long thread on the Sprinter forum https://sprinter-source.com/forums/i...hreads/101841/ We researched it to death because Sprinter diesels up until 2023 are not supposed to burn biodiesel according to Mercedes.

Thanks. I’ll take a look at that.

jaydee325 · 02-04-2023, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BirchyBoy

I looked at a pump the other day and it said it contained more than 20% bio diesel. I checked my Duramax book and it said to not use anything over 20%. I drove to a regular diesel station and paid $1 more per gallon.

I’m not sure, but I’d bet there is less energy in biodiesel so you end up using more. But that’s a guess.

This is the most correct answer. Always follow the manual.

FIRE UP · 02-04-2023, 10:15 AM

Ya know,
This kind-a thing pops up every now and then concerning "Veggie" type diesel. Back several years ago, we had a regular old fuel shortage that comes around every once in a while because the fuel companies like to play games. But, in that last one, about sometime around '08 or maybe before or after, there were plenty of *Kits" available to make your own diesel from VEGITABLE oil! And I had way more than a few friends who, at that time, made deals with the local MacDonalds, Carls Jr, Wendys, and a few other places to pick up their used cooking oil.

These friends used a number of these "Kits" to wash/cleanse/change/ and alter this cooking oil so they could use it in their rather expensive diesel trucks. Some of them had two tanks. One for store bought diesel and the other for French fry oil. Not all of them but some, would start their trucks on dino diesel and get it going, then flip a lever and then begin sending French fry oil to the system. There was no coughing, no hesitation, no change in any part of those diesel engines running characteristics.

Some of these boys had upwards of 100-250 5-gallon jugs of clean veggie oil ready for use. They were getting it from these fast-food places in some cases for FREE! And in some cases, they'd pay maybe $20 per full load to empty what they (the establishment) had which still was a serious bargain.

In all those situations, with all those boys and their French fry oil fired diesels, NOT ONE ever had a single issue with their truck engines, not a single one. I had at that time, a 2004 VW Diesel bug which got me religiously, 42 mpg. It didn't care whether there was 1 person, 2 or four in it and going up hill, down hill, A/C on or not, it still got 42 mpg. Since it got that kind of mileage, I just thought it wasn't really worth getting all the equipment (which wasn't all that much) to play with French fry oil.
Scott

bigb56 · 02-04-2023, 10:33 AM

A couple of points to make here folks:

1. The concern with different fuels is not the engine itself but the modern and complex fuel injection systems and emissions systems found on the newer diesels.
2. Biodiesel and Biomass are two different things. Biodiesel does not and never did meet the ASTM 975 standard that most engine manufacturers require. R99 and R95 made from Biomass does meet ASTM 975, same as ULSD and IMHO, after much research, it is perfectly fine for the modern diesel.

jaydee325 · 02-04-2023, 10:34 AM

I've known a few people who have done the home brew bio diesel. Never saw the pay back after buying all the equipment and setting aside space for storage. Then, the labor involved with picking up the used cooking oil, processing and storing. Don't think these folks even realized a savings that would have paid themselves minimum wage!

Of course they all said they enjoyed doing it. To each their own!