Weird behavior on BIO during hot day... any ideas?

blacksmoke · **Posted:** Sun Jul 30, 2006 8:22 pm

So last week we got that 90F+ all week here in Seattle. I fill up B100 at the University and got the following behavior 2 days in a row:
Normal driving with A/C on, suddenly the engine temp start slowly to move from 1/2 close to 4/4 in 2-3minutes! I'm on the floating bridge so can't stop, therefore i shutdown A/C and pull the heater at max heat (equivalent to BROIL setting in the oven!) and open all windows to survive. The temp gauge slowly get back to 1/2 and everything seems fine.
Next day the same exact thing happens, i was towing my Seadoo (only 800lbs) and the temp start moving up again. Did the same thing and everything went back to normal.
The next morning i put dyno in which put the tank at about B50... the problem didn't occurs after that although it was still in the high 90's outside.

I know 90's is nothing for an engine in good condition, therefore (because the thermostatic fan works) I'm wondering if the quality of the bio I use could have provoke this... I'm really puzzled!

What you think? Bad batch of bio? Temporary problem with the fan? Hallucination on my part? :shock:

BTW I just reached 38,000miles yesterday: i think i can safely say I reached break-in :wink:

oldnavy · **Posted:** Sun Jul 30, 2006 8:32 pm

blacksmoke wrote:

So last week we got that 90F+ all week here in Seattle. I fill up B100 at the University and got the following behavior 2 days in a row:
Normal driving with A/C on, suddenly the engine temp start slowly to move from 1/2 close to 4/4 in 2-3minutes! I'm on the floating bridge so can't stop, therefore i shutdown A/C and pull the heater at max heat (equivalent to BROIL setting in the oven!) and open all windows to survive. The temp gauge slowly get back to 1/2 and everything seems fine.
Next day the same exact thing happens, i was towing my Seadoo (only 800lbs) and the temp start moving up again. Did the same thing and everything went back to normal.
The next morning i put dyno in which put the tank at about B50... the problem didn't occurs after that although it was still in the high 90's outside.

I know 90's is nothing for an engine in good condition, therefore (because the thermostatic fan works) I'm wondering if the quality of the bio I use could have provoke this... I'm really puzzled!

What you think? Bad batch of bio? Temporary problem with the fan? Hallucination on my part? :shock:

BTW I just reached 38,000miles yesterday: i think i can safely say I reached break-in :wink:

I read a report where D/C durring testing with trailer towing out west had basically same problem running biodiesel and also reported that EGT went dangerous high also requiring trailering test to end. Seems only after dropping below B20 did the EGT's temp's drop back to normal durring trailering. I had doubted it at the time but a friend with a TDI has noticed the same with his car when using anything over B20 I think was what he said, will have to check. Not many Jetta TDI's towing 3000 lb trailers in the US.

AZ CRD · **Posted:** Sun Jul 30, 2006 8:40 pm

I'm running B50 in PHX--118 with A/C on last week. Granted, I'm not pulling anything but my temp has never crossed the twelve noon mark.

BCool · **Posted:** Sun Jul 30, 2006 9:12 pm

I was overheating and had a tsb done, I haven't tested it yet but mine would overheat with or without bio.

oldnavy · **Posted:** Sun Jul 30, 2006 9:16 pm

AZ CRD wrote:

I'm running B50 in PHX--118 with A/C on last week. Granted, I'm not pulling anything but my temp has never crossed the twelve noon mark.

The thing I remember reading was about hauling 5000lbs up long steep grade in 90*F plus summer running B100 I think, but not sure. But then I'm not sure even where I read the report so don't hold me to exact fact's. I seem at time's to suffer from CRS syndrome.

DarbyWalters · **Posted:** Sun Jul 30, 2006 9:23 pm

There have been problems with the Temp Guages reading high...The Guages were giving bad readings. Your sounds like the same thing...check General Discussion I think.

offroadsubaru · **Posted:** Sun Jul 30, 2006 10:38 pm

blacksmoke wrote:

So last week we got that 90F+ all week here in Seattle. I fill up B100 at the University and got the following behavior 2 days in a row:
Normal driving with A/C on, suddenly the engine temp start slowly to move from 1/2 close to 4/4 in 2-3minutes! I'm on the floating bridge so can't stop, therefore i shutdown A/C and pull the heater at max heat (equivalent to BROIL setting in the oven!) and open all windows to survive. The temp gauge slowly get back to 1/2 and everything seems fine.
Next day the same exact thing happens, i was towing my Seadoo (only 800lbs) and the temp start moving up again. Did the same thing and everything went back to normal.
The next morning i put dyno in which put the tank at about B50... the problem didn't occurs after that although it was still in the high 90's outside.

I know 90's is nothing for an engine in good condition, therefore (because the thermostatic fan works) I'm wondering if the quality of the bio I use could have provoke this... I'm really puzzled!

What you think? Bad batch of bio? Temporary problem with the fan? Hallucination on my part? :shock:

BTW I just reached 38,000miles yesterday: i think i can safely say I reached break-in :wink:

Are you filling up with B100 at Laurelhurst Oil?

blacksmoke · **Posted:** Mon Jul 31, 2006 12:09 pm

offroadsubaru wrote:

Are you filling up with B100 at Laurelhurst Oil?

yes it was my first time at Laurelhurst. I know i have better MPG when i go to SeattlePort versus La Grange, so i guess bio's quality is a big factor

blacksmoke · **Posted:** Mon Jul 31, 2006 12:11 pm

DarbyWalters wrote:

There have been problems with the Temp Guages reading high...The Guages were giving bad readings. Your sounds like the same thing...check General Discussion I think.

I'll check that, thanks for the tips. I do remember thinking "why the fan is not working if the temp is so high?" so yes maybe it was the gauge itself

GilaMonster · **Posted:** Mon Jul 31, 2006 1:58 pm

I've run B99 in Tucson, AZ heat of 110 with AC load with no problems. Just like the poster from Phx, I was not towing any load. Just letting you know my results with BioD in the heat.

Weird behavior on BIO during hot day... any ideas?

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