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Product Info >> VW Tdi Biodiesel >> Biodiesel FAQs
Biodiesel Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I thought a conversion was needed to run Biodiesel?
A: There is no conversion needed to run Biodiesel it is a completely interchangeable fuel with diesel. A conversion is needed if you want to run your vehicle on straight or waste vegetable oil.
Q: What do I need to do in order to switch to Biodiesel?
A: Once you have a diesel vehicle all you need to do is go to a Biodiesel Fueling station and fill up. However, Biodiesel is a very good solvent. Because of this it will clean diesel deposits and rust off of your fuel tank and fuel lines. All of these deposits will end up in your fuel filter. It is recommended that you replace your fuel filter after 2-3 months of operation on Biodiesel. Once all the petroleum diesel deposits and rust are removed from your fuel system you will only need to replace your filter during scheduled maintenance.
Q: What do I do if I can’t find a Biodiesel fueling station?
A: Biodiesel can be used alone or blended in any percentage with regular diesel. If you can’t find a Biodiesel fueling station simply top off with petroleum based diesel fuel. The two fuels will blend together inside your tank.
Q: Will Biodiesel dissolve my fuel lines?
A: Biodiesel is a great solvent and it will degrade natural rubber fuel lines, which are sometimes found in older vehicles. All newer cars have synthetic rubber fuel lines, which have no problem transferring Biodiesel. If you have an older vehicle and run Biodiesel you can determine if you have natural rubber fuel lines because the lines will appear to be sweating after a few weeks of use. Simply replace your fuel lines with synthetic rubber ones and your vehicle is ready to go.
Q: What is B20?
A: B20, B99, B5, B100 are all different blends of Biodiesel. The number represents the percentage of Biodiesel in the total volume. B20 is 20% Biodiesel and 80% petrol-diesel.
Q: Why sell B99, and not B100?
A: The federal government recently passed an incentive program for the use of Biodiesel. This incentive removes the federal road tax from the purchase of blended Biodiesel. Because this tax credit only applies to blended Biodiesel we have to mix 1 gallon of petrol-diesel in with ever 99 gallons of Biodiesel in order to pass the savings on to you.
Q: Will Biodiesel work in cold weather?
A: Biodiesel like petrol-diesel will gel in cold temperatures. Pure Biodiesel is not recommended for use below freezing. B20 has basically the same cloud point as #2 Diesel and can be used in similar weather conditions using similar fuel management techniques. B5 has virtually no impact on cold weather flow.
Q: What if I want to go into really cold areas like Alaska?
A: If you are going to a cold environment we recommend that you top of your tank with petrol diesel prior to departing in order to reduce your Biodiesel blend. Also in-line fuel heaters, and block heaters can be used to assist diesel vehicles in colder climates.
Q: Will the Biodiesel and petrol-diesel blend inside my tank?
A: Yes, as long as both fuels are above their cloud point temperature they will blend together inside your vehicles fuel tank.
Q: Will Biodiesel affect my fuel economy?
A: Many people claim that Biodiesel will increase your fuel economy by 5%. It is possible that this is true due to higher lubricity and a higher BTU content than #1 Diesel fuel. We have no data to back these claims. Generally speaking Biodiesel offers you the same power, consumption, horsepower, torque, and hauling rates as conventional diesel only with far less environmental consequences.
Q: Is Biodiesel an ASTM approved fuel?
A: Yes Biodiesel has been an ASTM approved fuel since 1999.
Q: Will Biodiesel damage my engine?
A: No, Biodiesel has a higher lubricity than petroleum diesel and actually extends the life of your engine.
Q: Does Biodiesel take more energy to produce than we get in return?
A: No, this is a misconception that has been highly publicized but refers to a few studies funded by big oil companies. The way these studies were able to reach their conclusions was by ignoring the primary product of the grain crusher. The primary product from crushing soybeans is the meal, not the soy oil used for Biodiesel production. If you consider the primary product waste and use our very energy intensive agricultural methods for growing soybeans it may be a net energy looser. Inclusive and un-biased studies like the Department of Energy and the United States Department of Agriculture’s lifecycle analysis shows that for every unit of fossil energy it takes to make Biodiesel, 3.2 units of energy are gained. This takes into account the planting, harvesting, fuel production and fuel transportation to the end user.
Q: What is the shelf life of Biodiesel?
A: Biodiesel like conventional petrol-diesel should be used within six months or reanalyzed after six months to ensure the fuel meets ASTM specifications. If you intend to store any diesel fuel it is highly recommended that you use a Biocide fuel stabilizer like Bio Bor.
Q: Will Biodiesel production disrupt our food production?
A: It is possible but not for a very long time. Potential Biodiesel crops here in Washington include mustard seed and canola oil. These crops are currently grown in crop rotations, but because there is no economic use for the seeds they are simply tilled into the ground rather than harvested. These crops are grown to increase soil fertility and the yields of the primary crop. Waste crops like these are grown all over the country and offer huge potential of Biodiesel production.
Q: Why is there no economic use of the seeds if they can be converted into Biodiesel?
A: The primary reason is because in Washington we do not have any seed crushers. Because of this we have no way to locally convert mustard or canola oil seeds into vegetable oil, the first step in the Biodiesel production process. Further many of the federal subsidies for Biodiesel production only apply to large-scale agricultural processes like those used for soybean production. In the end it is cheaper to bring soy oil in on train from Iowa than it is to pay our local farmers for their unused oil seed crops. Many people in this region are working very hard to build local seed crushers, and create incentives for local vegetable oil production so we can change this unfortunate situation.
Q: Will we ever run out of Biodiesel production capability?
A: Yes arable land is a finite resource. Most estimators of Bio-fuel production potential estimate that at max capacity our agricultural assets could feed this country and fuel 30-40% of our vehicles with bio-fuels. It will take us a very long time to reach this potential but if we did it would undoubtedly be one of the largest contributors of renewable energy in our country.
Q: Will Biodiesel be cheaper than petrol-diesel?
A: We have seen a few occurrences where Biodiesel has actually been cheaper and the prices are continuing to get closer and closer together. That being said unless specific governmental regulation prohibiting petrol-diesel sales, or requiring Biodiesel sales is enacted Biodiesel will always stay slightly more expensive that petrol-diesel. Biodiesel is a direct substitute that is a higher quality product. It is a higher quality product because it produces significantly less environmental impacts. Because it is a higher quality product and in shorter supply it will always sell at a premium. Imagine that all the sudden it was 20 cent cheaper per gallon. Everyone would want to use Biodiesel. No one is cold hearted enough to pay more to destroy the planet, deplete fossil fuels, and support resource wars. But if we don’t have enough for everyone to use supply and demand takes over. The higher quality product will be in higher demand and will bring a higher market price. First supplies will be restricted by rates of increasing production, but eventually by total biofuel production capacity. Biofuels are not a silver bullet to our energy problems, but they probably are one of the biggest bullets we have.
Q: What is a WVO or conversion kit?
A: To run a diesel vehicle on Waste or Straight vegetable oil you need to preheat the oil prior to using it as a fuel. Preheating the oil makes it viscous enough to flow through the fuel lines and insure proper atomization of the oil. A WVO kit adds a separate vegetable oil fuel tank to your vehicle. The operator starts his or her car on Biodiesel like normal, then after the vehicle reaches proper operating temperature the hot water in the vehicles radiator is passed though a heat exchanger in the vegetable oil tank heating up the vegetable oil. When the vegetable oil reaches operating temperatures the driver switches from the Biodiesel tank to the vegetable oil tank and the car is now running on veggie power. Prior to shutting down the vehicle the driver needs to purge the fuel lines of vegetable oil, which is done by switching back to the Biodiesel fuel tank.
Q: Can I run a WVO kit with regular canola oil?
A: Yes a WVO kit can be used to burn straight vegetable oil in your vehicle.
Q: What is the Benefit of WVO?
A: Running your vehicle on waste vegetable oil offers many benefits. First powering your vehicle on waste is far greener than fueling it with any other agricultural or petroleum based fuel. The second major benefit is waste vegetable oil is very cheap. Most restaurants actually pay to get their grease hauled away. People who power their vehicles on waste typically pay nothing for fuel at all.
Q: What do I need to do after collecting WVO?
A: After collecting WVO you need to filter it down to at least a 5-micron level. This can be achieved by moving the oil through a sock filter either using gravity or a pump. Next you need to remove any water from your oil and then you are ready for fueling.
Q: Where and what type of WVO should I collect?
A: Waste vegetable oil can be found at a variety of restaurants and shops including: Chinese food, doughnut shops, grocery stores, burger joints, etc. When locating a source it is best to find one that uses un-homogenized oils, as this is the best type of oil to use as vehicle fuel.
Q: Where can I get a WVO kit?
A: The Green Car Company sells and installs WVO kits. Kits range in price from $600 - $1000. The higher priced kits offer fully automated fuel switching, and higher inlet vegetable oil temperatures.
Q: Can I run a gasoline vehicle on WVO?
A: No you can only install WVO kits on diesel vehicles.
Q: Is WVO an ASTM approved Fuel?
A: No, WVO is not an ASTM approved Fuel.
Q: Will WVO damage my engine?
A: Using Waste Vegetable oil can lead to some engine damage if it is not properly cleaned and utilized. One possible problem is engine coking. This should not be a problem if clean oil is used, and the oil enters the fuel jet above atomization temperature.
