Gull Biodiesel quality

[smithie Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close smithie]

Can anyone advise whether Gull Bio Diesel has adequate cetane rating for the D4D engine. I've been told it may not be suitable?

Regards
Smithie

[slimf Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close slimf]

There is no way I would risk bio in my 66500 dollar altitude. Why risk $$$& on pumps or rebuilds for the sake of saving a few bucks at the bowser?

[cfryback Find all posts View Profile Close cfryback]

Bio diesel from what I have read is only good for non-CRD diesel engines.

From memory, because it is a more viscus fuel, you would end up destroying the pump and injectors.

Might be a go in the older non-CRD prado, but I doubt that you will find anyone here willing to take that risk.

[Riv39 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Riv39]

I believe it states not to use it in the owners manual anyway

[brooksy78 Member Find all posts View Profile Close brooksy78]

I believe it has to meet the Aussie specs for diesel so in theory it should be acceptable.

However biodiesel tends to have a higher moisture content and is more susceptible to agal contamination. A low blend like 5% is unlikely to be any problem.

I believe BP, shell and Caltex still guarantee their fuel at 5% blend.

[snapper49 Member Find all posts View Profile Close snapper49]

believe BP, shell and Caltex still guarantee their fuel at 5% blend.

My understanding is that up to 5% they don't have to tell you that its in there

[barajak Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close barajak]

My understanding is that up to 5% they don't have to tell you that its in there

That is a problem in itself. A few years ago I attended a seminar on the do's and don'ts and how to make bio-diesel. They were saying that bicarb is the catalyst that kicks the glycerol out of the oil molecules to be replaced with ethanol and the result is bio-diesel. The bicarb stays in the fuel and cleans the buildup from the walls of the fuel tank and the fuel lines. It was recommended that full filter changes be made every 500km for 1500km when changing over to bio, after that it was a good clean fuel. A big problem though is that the glycerol is never 100 percent out of the fuel. The more bicarb used and the longer it is stored the better it is. Two problems here, time is money and bicarb cleans everything including the seals that are often damaged. I would NOT use and fuel that may contain bio, never. I would love to know if injector issues that modern diesels are having is caused by blended fuel. I guess time will tell. If markets that do not have blended fuels have less issues???

[brooksy78 Member Find all posts View Profile Close brooksy78]

There are a number of ways to make biodiesel. But I understand all Aussie biodiesel is produced thru transesterification of animal fats using methanol rather than ethanol. I thought the cleaning had more to do with trace amounts of methanol. But I'm not really sure.
In NZ where most biodiesel is made from recycled vegetable oil they get some good cetane numbers and low sulphur as well as less issues with cloud point or cold weather diesel than the animal fats used in Australia.

My understanding is also that in NSW the bulk,of diesel at retail sites contains some biodiesel. Less than 5% and it doesn't have to be labelled As snapper49 pointed out.

My main experience with injector issues on Diesel engines is water, particulate or algal contamination mainly from tanks with old diesel or just after a delivery stirs up the crap at the bottom of an old tank.