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Topic: Bio diesel and Alcohol (Read 441 times) previous topic - next topic

Bio diesel and Alcohol

I keep hearing on the forum that bio-diesel contains alcohol and it's killing our fuel lines or that special alcohol resistant fuel lines need to be used. I could not find any info showing this to be true. I did find that Bio-diesel is processed using Ethanol or methanol alcohol, But said alcohol is in fact removed to be reused to process more biomass in the transesterification process.
what is bio-diesel
Jerry & Nona and Kimeru the cat that thinks she's a dog
1998 36' WTFE U320  #5314 Motorcade #17711
USAF 1975-1995
2019 Subaru Crosstrek 'toad'
2003 Subaru Legacy touring car
jerry Fincher | Flickr

Re: Bio diesel and Alcohol

Reply #1 –
Still using the OEM tank to engine hoses on our 1993 U300. Most all in California and all in the Sac Valley is biodiesel. No problems at all. Our 300SD is almost ten years older than the U300 and while it has steel lines through the body the firewall to engine lines are rubber and made long before biodiesel was for sale. No problems with them either.

As I posted a couple of weeks ago, it's my fuel of choice. If you lived in our smog, it would be yours too.

If you watched the NASCAR All Star race tonight, not one of the cars had petroleum oil in their engines. Dino products are fading like the dinosaur.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: Bio diesel and Alcohol

Reply #2 –
Doesn't really matter. You will need to replace the fuel lines eventually unless you're lucky like Pierce and me. And when you do, they will outlive you.
1994 U280, Build 4490
Deming, NM.

Re: Bio diesel and Alcohol

Reply #3 –
It's not only a biodiesel thing, age and heat also effect the fuel lines.
Bruce, Linda, and Macy
Zoey RIP 1/20/19
1999 U295 40' build #5400
2017 silver Jeep Wrangler, 1260 watts of solar on top
Moving around the country

Re: Bio diesel and Alcohol

Reply #4 –
Bio-diesel is a very good cleaner. Be prepared to replace your fuel filters a lot more frequently until the old deposits are washed away into the filters.
Bob and Pam Brumbaugh
Ernie (English Bulldog)
2000 U320 WTFE 40' Build # 5740 (former)
Xtreme "Lights and Paintjob"
Motorcade# 18659
Souderton, PA
Towd: 2021 Ford Ranger
Quickee Mini Golf Cart (former)

We Are....Penn State!

Re: Bio diesel and Alcohol

Reply #5 –
Quote from: Twig –
Doesn't really matter. You will need to replace the fuel lines eventually unless you're lucky like Pierce and me. And when you do, they will outlive you.
Very true Twig. But I think that a lot of folks on this forum shy away from Bio-diesel because it has been said it's liquid death to your fuel lines and engine. Even cummins did an about face on their 2002 and newer engines and said B20 is fine after saying that B20 was bad. The engines didn't change. So I don't know why it wouldn't be the same for our older M-11's. Cummins only did testing back to 2002 and probably won't test our old M-11's.
The only caveat I could find is that Bio-Diesel does have a naturally higher viscosity than #2 dino-diesel. Which means it has more lubrication than #2 but gels up at a higher temp than #2.
Jerry & Nona and Kimeru the cat that thinks she's a dog
1998 36' WTFE U320  #5314 Motorcade #17711
USAF 1975-1995
2019 Subaru Crosstrek 'toad'
2003 Subaru Legacy touring car
jerry Fincher | Flickr

Re: Bio diesel and Alcohol

Reply #6 –
Quote from: bigdog –
Very true Twig. But I think that a lot of folks on this forum shy away from Bio-diesel because it has been said it's liquid death to your fuel lines and engine. Even cummins did an about face on their 2002 and newer engines and said B20 is fine after saying that B20 was bad. The engines didn't change. So I don't know why it wouldn't be the same for our older M-11's. Cummins only did testing back to 2002 and probably won't test our old M-11's.
The only caveat I could find is that Bio-Diesel does have a naturally higher viscosity than #2 dino-diesel. Which means it has more lubrication than #2 but gels up at a higher temp than #2.
The biggest caveat is lower emissions!

P
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)
 

Re: Bio diesel and Alcohol

Reply #7 –
Quote from: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart –
The biggest caveat is lower emissions!

P
Caveats are more about a warning, But your point is valid and a great one ^.^d

As I was taking short trips when we first bought the coach and was traveling the gorge in Oregon. I had been pretty much exclusively running B20 from the Flying J at Biggs Junction for the first three years as it was so convenient for us. Zero issues, No clogged filters.
Jerry & Nona and Kimeru the cat that thinks she's a dog
1998 36' WTFE U320  #5314 Motorcade #17711
USAF 1975-1995
2019 Subaru Crosstrek 'toad'
2003 Subaru Legacy touring car
jerry Fincher | Flickr