Still, buy biodiesel. Its as american as you can get.

* As long as you don't mind all the foreign oil the farmers use to make it, of course.

Not possible, costs more energy to manufacture bio then you gain by combusting it. At least via current methods. The future holds promise however.

Have had this discussion multiple times though, and BDJ and I both actually agree on 90% of it. We'll hash out the rest over coffee sometime.

How come nobody is talking about F-T Coal Liquifaction?
How do you feel about that method?

Not possible, costs more energy to manufacture bio then you gain by combusting it. At least via current methods. The future holds promise however.

Have had this discussion multiple times though, and BDJ and I both actually agree on 90% of it. We'll hash out the rest over coffee sometime.

I'm new to the CRD, and my wife will be the main driver. She is not too keen on me "messing" with it, introducing CELs with the ORM and is of the opinion the it needs to be left "factory". Of course I'm a long time gear head, and I've read about all the issues with the fuel filter head, the EGR and MAP fouling with soot, and the oil in the intake. I will be addressing these issues, stealing time when I can.

My question to you biodiesel burners who have done this work: Have you observed any difference in the soot and crud in the CRD intake from using high percentages of biodiesel? I've never looked in the intake of my Benz since I installed the engine. Of course the crankcase vent works, the EGR is disabled and it's run B100 for three years now, so I don't know if crud is still building up. I doubt it though.

I will be removing the MAP this weekend to check it out, and working towards installing a Mercedes 240D crankcase filter in place of a ProVent, but I'm hoping the EGR can slide for now, until I build up the EGR disabler that won't set the CEL. Ideas? Opinions?

The gent asked a technical question regarding using biodiesel in his vehicle, not for opinions on whether it's politically correct.

BiodieselJeep's reply is probably the best answer so far. I initially ran B20 in mine for quite a while, when ULSD wasn't readily available, primarily for the same reason - lower sulfur and less soot - to try and prolong the life of that stinking EGR valve.

As far as any benefits, can't really tell. I do know that the CRD ran fine on it without any apparent problems due to the fuel.

A few others on here have run upwards of B100, hopefully they can give you some more feedback on the soot issue.

I haven't had time to check this out or verify it, but word is that on VW's '08 common rail diesels, they are completely ruling out the use of biodiesel in them. Supposedly the reason given is that their common rail system will be pumping the fuel up to 30,000 psi, which will heat it up to well over 200 F, and cause biodiesel to break down into various components that will deposit gum and varnish in the high pressure components and injectors. With pressures in our common rail systems running somewhere in the mid 20's max, I don't know if this would be a valid concern for running B100 in the CRD.

Complete BS. The energy return on soy biodiesel is 3x the input. And do not try to support your position with Pimental's discredited study.

http://entropyproduction.blogspot.com/2 ... eview.html

The 3x return is a commonly misquoted/misunderstood statement. And I agree, Pimental's study was ridiculous. As people here know, I'm not anti-biofuel, I'm against the methods being used today, which are designed to put subsidies in corporate pockets, not solve the energy crisis. There are plenty of biofuel options in development that make it realistic(possibly cellulose, as well as algae based), but they won't result in huge payments to Monosato and General Mills.

If you can get bio-d from rapeseed (canola oil) it seems to be one of the best plants in terms of energy input to energy output. Soybeans are a good first step, but not the best. Making bio-d from coal is not helping the environment any because the fuel is still coming from a fossil fuel and the CO2 (global warming gas) is not being reduced.

Interesting, I didn't know they could produce Biodiesel from coal. What's the case against using it over renewable products?

More energy to convert it? More water to process it? Does BioD produced from coal result in more emitted CO2 than BioD produced from other sources or does it emit more CO2 to process it than producing BioD?

My question to you biodiesel burners who have done this work: Have you observed any difference in the soot and crud in the CRD intake from using high percentages of biodiesel? I've never looked in the intake of my Benz since I installed the engine. Of course the crankcase vent works, the EGR is disabled and it's run B100 for three years now, so I don't know if crud is still building up. I doubt it though.

If it comes from coal, it's not biodiesel. The Germans made liquid diesel fuel from coal in WWII; it's not a new process, and obviously releases a lot more new CO2 per mile.