Biodiesel use and EGR/soot

KJMedic · **Posted:** Sat Aug 18, 2007 2:55 pm

Reflex wrote:

Quote:

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.

Here we go again

UFO · **Posted:** Sun Aug 19, 2007 12:06 am

bugnout wrote:

In reference to the part I bolded, your saying, because coal is in the form of captured Carbon, it is always a NET Plus to the environment vs Biodiesel that is made from plants that absorb CO2 and thus is closer to a NET Zero proposition. I tend to agree with the argument that net zero is better. I had forgotten about coal as a possible source of diesel,and I'd be interested to see if anyone has done a net CO2 analysis.

Unfortunately most analysis i've seen of biofuels don't factor in the cost (in CO2) to produce in the NET equation. additional costs like the tractors, pesticides, fertilizer, transportation, processing etc. Ethanol from corn is certainly been oversold by the farm lobby as a solution and IMHO is not cost effective and probably does more harm to our environment than good.

Yes, I'm on board with this, including the ethanol part.

DadsDiesel · **Posted:** Sun Aug 19, 2007 11:57 pm

Cowcatcher wrote:

It would be good to move this discussion to the "Alternative Fuel" forum prior to the inevitable blood letting! :roll:

No Dave,

I'm keepin my mouth shut on Reflex's ah, er, comments.

UFO,

Watch polymerization of crankcase oil. Keep up on oil changes. Are you looking at buying commercial bio-d or brewing it yourself?

If you are looking at home brewing just to save money, forget it. With methanol up over $3 a gallon and the costs for setting up a still - wash tanks - drying tanks - etc. It will take a year to pay for the set up and almost another to break even. - That is unless Hurricane Dean makes a right hand turn and slams Alabama and Louisiana and fuel prices jump another dollar or so.

If you are looking at it for the tree hugging and geopolitical statements and according to your siggy you are, home brewing will fit the bill.

Dad

UFO · **Posted:** Mon Aug 20, 2007 2:12 am

I've been homebrewing for three years now, and my setup, which cost about $500 paid itself off in 6 months. My fuel is well washed and dried, and passes 3/27 and comes close to passing ASTM for conversion. Yes, methanol is now $3.20 a gallon, putting the per gallon cost of bio near $0.80. Not too bad, and so far the CRD is OK with it. I'm not about to go overboard, and I will keep a close eye on the engine oil as well as the fuel filter (and the MAP sensor until I figure out how to do the ORM).

techTim · **Posted:** Tue Aug 21, 2007 12:24 am

Unplug the MAF, mass air flow sensor on the air-cleaner top, where it begins the transition to round

instant ORM

and do the EHM, if not done yet. I simply ran 3' of 3/4 (?) from the crankcase vent down around the radiator overflow tank, and down to the skid where the oil drain plug is. sometimes startling how much vapor is produced from the thing when sitting at a light, but it has almost no oil drip. Don't forget the plug for the air inlet that you opened by removing the short S hose, it is open directly onto the turbo :shock:

ericanand · **Posted:** Sun Sep 02, 2007 3:52 pm

retmil46 wrote:

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.

Where did you hear this bit about '08 VWs? I'd like to follow it up, but I can't find anything on Google so far.

-Eric.

Biodiesel use and EGR/soot

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