First Post, My New Biodiesel CRD!

Special Agent · **Posted:** Sat May 13, 2006 2:59 pm

Hello all, I've been lurking for about 2 months and I've enjoyed the great wealth of knowledge on the board.

I got a new CRD about 3 weeks ago and have been running it on B99 biodiesel from a local Seattle company.

I've got some questions for you guys, but first some pics:

So I drove it home from the dealership over 90 miles away and got about 26 miles per gallon doing 70 with cruise engaged.

Once back in town, and doing 50/50 highway/street driving, I put it into full-time 4wd and started seeing MPG numbers at 17-18.

This seems low, BUT I am:

1) Running B99 bio
2) in full-time 4wd
3) and Seattle is hilly
4) and Seattle is cool/cold (in the 40s and 50s a lot)

So is this fuel mileage too low, is some flash update needed? Also, it starts a bit slowly sometimes. I give the starter about two seconds and then turn the key back. Always on the second key-turn, it starts right up. Is this a cold diesel thing or should I be worried? I've never owned a diesel before, but it starts up like a gas engine about half the time so I'm prolly just being paranoid.

Regardless, I love my CRD. My old truck was getting about 11mpg, a Dodge Ram 4X4 V8. Only thing I miss is the leg room.

This CRD has sirius satelite w/6cd changer, side-impact airbags, sunroof, skid plates, everything. A great vehicle.

Anybody else running b99? I'm thinking about mixing it back down to 50/50 to see if it clears up these problems...[/img]

Cowcatcher · **Posted:** Sat May 13, 2006 3:20 pm

Golly I wish there was more Bio on this side of the state

.

The CRD takes some breaking in before the mileage perks up. You may be getting a little lower than you might expect after 10K miles. You might also find your odometer off, I did others have not, and that could make a difference. I think you will probably be getting in the low twenties on your daily drives after 5K>8K miles and pushing 30 on long freeway runs. Back in January I made a Spokane/Olympia trip and got 28 MPG, a little lowerer on the return. I just did a Spokane to Walla Walla trip and got 26 down and 29.85 overall, I was driving into a 40 MPH wind most of the way down (that was on about B15).

Even if your daily mileage is 50/50 what really matters in town is idling. If your miles are 50% in town but you are sitting in traffic 30% of that time it just kills your mileage no matter what you are driving. Lately my daily drive has been plagued by construction and one intersection has been taking sometimes 5>6 traffic light rotations to get through. My alternative is to drive about 10 miles out of the way each way. Kills the mileage to idle.

Congradulations on the CRD. Your love for it will only grow with time.

Special Agent · **Posted:** Sat May 13, 2006 3:27 pm

Thanks Cowcatcher!

Do you have any hard starting issues?

The place I get my bio is at Seaport Biofuels.

http:/www.seaportbiofuels.com

It's selling at $2.99 versus $3.16 for diesel at the Shell next door! :lol:

Cowcatcher · **Posted:** Sat May 13, 2006 3:56 pm

SA,

Diesels crank a couple of more times before they light. I have diesel tractors so I don't find that an issue. Not sitting with you while you start it I don't know exactly what you are experiencing but I am thinking that it is just a diesel thing. Are you always getting right in and turning the key to the "start" position and cranking it? If so count to three after you turn it on and then crank the starter, that will give the glow plugs a chance to work especially on a cold day.

I only have one source for bio diesel and it is out of my way and more expensive than petrol based and only B20. I am waiting for an excuse to come over the mountians and fill up on some B99. There are bio plants planned for Spokane, I think Moses Lake and the Tri Cities so maybe I will see more bio soon and at least in the warm months B99. A local school bus fleet was on a test program this year with the B20 and they had to drop out of it in the winter when it got cold due to jelling. I ran a tank of the same stuff in December with no problems and it seems like there are cold weather folks here that are running higher % of B without problems. I paid $3.14 for Bio and my last tank of regular stuff was $3.07.

CATCRD · **Posted:** Sat May 13, 2006 5:45 pm

Why are you running in 4WD all the time?

n3qik · **Posted:** Sat May 13, 2006 7:11 pm

The extra long crank time needed to start is due to the B99 and low temps. Move to B50 and you it should start on the first try.

Vox Fatalis · **Posted:** Sat May 13, 2006 8:36 pm

Fellow King Country CRD user!! :-)

Welcome!!

I've noticed low mileage and diesel smell, but found that the fuel return module was cracked and spraying diesel under the car. Boy, it was nasty when it finally went all the way...

Anyhow, WITH a small leak I was getting 21-23 MPG. If you're city driving you will see a radical drop in your mileage, like if you're commuting the 520 on a daily basis, stop and go. If 17-18MPG is what you get in stop n go traffic, it's actually not bad.

I also noticed that with increased miles on the Jeep, I'm seeing some incremental increases in my MPG. Around 1500 - 2500, I was seeing 21 consistently. At 4200 I'm getting 23.

On the biodiesel front, I'm running B99 from the Issaquah Grange (2.99/gal), but mix with petro on occasion. I noticed when the tank was full of biodiesel, it took a couple times to crank it up. When things cool down, I'm planning on running a 50/50 mix in the CRD.

Glad to see a fellow CRD on the list in the area! (closer than Spokane that is... LOL) Cheers!

bhysjulien · **Posted:** Sat May 13, 2006 9:30 pm

17-18 mpg running around in FT 4wd is pretty good. Take it out of FT and you'd probably see 20-22. BTW, why are you running around in FT?

Vox Fatalis · **Posted:** Sat May 13, 2006 10:38 pm

Oh dang, I missed that part about him running a 4WD.

Why are you doing that? That's really not necessary, and that mileage IS par for running 4WD.

I'd recommend running 4WD only adverse conditions, but never for everyday driving. You will kill your fuel economy.

Special Agent · **Posted:** Sat May 13, 2006 11:38 pm

I'm just running the full-time 4wd for fun, I guess. I do like how the KJ handles better on the hills, especially when it rains. All that torque going to both front and rear really lets you climb effortlessly. And also, I've always had part-timers that I couldn't run on dry pavement, so there's the nifty factor.

I'm not married to the idea, so I'll try it w/out the 4wd and report back on my gas mileage.

:twisted:

TxAshurst · **Posted:** Sun May 14, 2006 12:35 am

I brew my own biodiesel, but due to the time it takes, sometimes I don't have any to put in (crazy job) and then I run petro diesel. Because of that, I run anywhere from B0 to B100 depending on circumstances. So I've seen the difference many times.

As the proportion of biodiesel goes higher it is absolutely normal to have to crank a few seconds to get it started on cool mornings if it sits outside. A little extra time to let the glowplugs work usually solves it, but sometimes you just have to crank a little longer.

Below about 40 degrees F. and it is a little harder to start even with petro diesel (using the built-in engine block heater solves that problem.) Below freezing, you don't want very much biodiesel in there at all - to avoid jelling. So run B5 to B20 when it might get cold or if you are going to a ski resort. Or even straight petro.

Running petro diesel makes the engine clatter more. A lot more. When I run biodiesel, I often remove that big plastic cover/insulator on top of the engine because I don't like to have anything that funnels dirt into my oil filler.

Running biodiesel, you don't get quite as good mileage as on petro. It's pure physics - nothing to be done about it. In my book, it is worth it anyway.

I love my CRD dearly, especially on wet, slippery days when I can slip into Full-time FWD. Especially now that I have some good tires mounted. If I still lived in Seattle, I think I'd spend a lot of time in FT, too. Full speed ahead and dang the torpedoes! :wink:

But remember that every car out there has 4Wbrakes. Your advantage is in going and control, not in stopping.

Enjoy! And welcome tothe forum.

Special Agent · **Posted:** Sun May 14, 2006 2:21 am

Hey Tex,

Thumbs up on making your own brew!

Yeah, I took it off 4wd, just having fun 'cause it's new.

I'm far too lazy to make my own biodiesel, I just buy it outta the pump with my credit card! LOL.

So, next question for everybody:

How does a FrankenLift affect gas mileage and handling??? (I can't wait to put on those 32s!!!)

Vox Fatalis · **Posted:** Sun May 14, 2006 2:54 am

I suspect the Frankenlift and some 32's will put a huge dent in your mileage.

Heh... I'm thinking of making my CRD more streetable than off-roadable. I only consider doing that because I already have a trail rig ('99 XJ). I won't "DUB" the rig or anything like that... can you imagine a metal singer in a "dub rig"? LOL

Hey Special Agent, that biodiesel location is open 24 hours and doesn't require a cardlock, just a credit card? If so, I'm gonna be filling up there tomorrow!

Special Agent · **Posted:** Sun May 14, 2006 3:23 am

Yeah, it's on Detroit avenue right next to the 509 freeway.

It's open 24/7 and takes major credit cards.

Drive in like you are going to get some grub at the Shell foodmart, the pumps over to the right (north) and are behind the "Big Rig" Diesel pumps, over on Seaport Biofuel's back lot area. You can pull right up and pump away. Hope those directions were helpful instead of confusing!

RFCRD · **Posted:** Sun May 14, 2006 7:08 am

Special Agent wrote:

Thanks Cowcatcher!

Do you have any hard starting issues?

The place I get my bio is at Seaport Biofuels.

http:/www.seaportbiofuels.com

It's selling at $2.99 versus $3.16 for diesel at the Shell next door! :lol:

Noticed a few more revolutions before it fires on B20. When @ 0 out sometimes took a 2nd attempt. As long as you have enough battery it's not a bad thing. Atleast it circulates some oil before it starts and doesn't sound like the rods are coming out.

Cowcatcher · **Posted:** Sun May 14, 2006 12:05 pm

Here are a couple of links for you lucky Puget folks. You have lots of choices!

http://www.fuelwerks.com/stations.htm

http://www.biodiesel.org/buyingbiodiese ... .asp?st=WA

dog_party · **Posted:** Mon May 15, 2006 9:26 am

Welcome to LOST Special Agent! I'm not going to repeat the fuel mileage suggestions already stated. But I will answer your Frankenlift question...don't think about it. The Frankenlift front is not strong enough to hold up that big metal chunk of high-pressure sweetness beneath your hood. Not yet anyway. You can wait for it to be developed (I thought about that for a while), or you can get a spacer lift like the ones made by Daystar. They sell the Daystar lifts on http://www.boulderbars.com/ and you'll thoroughly enjoy the experience of dealing with that great company (they're LOST sponsors). Or, there are a couple other options (hybrid lifts).

Special Agent · **Posted:** Mon May 15, 2006 12:44 pm

dog_party wrote:

Welcome to L.O.S.T. Special Agent! I'm not going to repeat the fuel mileage suggestions already stated. But I will answer your Frankenlift question...don't think about it. The Frankenlift front is not strong enough to hold up that big metal chunk of high-pressure sweetness beneath your hood. Not yet anyway. You can wait for it to be developed (I thought about that for a while), or you can get a spacer lift like the ones made by Daystar. They sell the Daystar lifts on http://www.boulderbars.com/ and you'll thoroughly enjoy the experience of dealing with that great company (they're L.O.S.T. sponsors). Or, there are a couple other options (hybrid lifts).

So you don't think the CRD Frankenlift is strong enough? Theirs is a hybrid lift, I suppose...

Anybody have the CRD-specific Frankenlift???

dog_party · **Posted:** Mon May 15, 2006 1:50 pm

D'oh! My sincere apologies. There appears to now be two Frankenlifts for the CRD! They snuck those in on me while I wasn't watching. They are Daystar lifts with either OME (Frankenlift CRD II) or Rancho (Frankenlift CRD) struts. They will utilize your existing front springs because no one makes springs tougher than the ones we already have up there.

Go with anything from BoulderBars.com...you won't be sorry. The service is second to none, and so is the quality of the parts they choose to sell.

Your fuel mileage might suffer the TINIEST bit with a lift. If you get larger tires, it will suffer a bit more. The lift will do less to deteriorate your mileage than the larger tires though.

Special Agent · **Posted:** Mon May 15, 2006 2:15 pm

Dog_Party- Thanks, I figured you hadn't seen those! LOL.

As far as my Gas Mileage goes... Been running in 2wd now for quite a few miles... Mileage numbers are unchanged. 17.5-18.5mpg in 2wd.

Is my EGR valve all screwed up???

Do the 2006 model years need all those reflashes everybody was talking about?

Should I run regular diesel and see if that is the problem?

First Post, My New Biodiesel CRD!

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