Biodiesel being used

GM 2011 truck with LML engine which is the first year that GM says is OK to use B20 as it has a special fuel heater to minimize gelling problems with biodiesel.

This is straight from the GM owners manual for the Duramax:

Biodiesel fuel quality degrades with time and exposure to high temperature much more quickly than conventional diesel fuel. Biodiesel gels sooner than conventional diesel fuel at cold temperature, and biodiesel fuel requires proper blending for winter time operation. Fuels improperly blended for cold temperature operation may result in restricted fuel filters and degraded vehicle performance.

Your vehicle is equipped with a fuel heating system to provide a level of protection against filter plugging from gelling (waxing) of conventional diesel fuel and biodiesel blends. However, the system will not prevent all cases of plugged filters if the operating temperature is far below the temperature at which gelling or waxing of the fuel occurs (cloud point). Use of biodiesel blends greater than B5 (5% blend) should be avoided in cold temperatures.

Vehicles operated for extended periods of time on conventional diesel fuel and then switched to biodiesel blends may experience premature fuel filter clogging and require more frequent fuel filter service.

With long term use of conventional diesel fuel, gum and varnish may be deposited within the tank and fuel system. These deposits, while not problematic with the use of conventional diesel fuel, may become loosened with a sudden switch to biodiesel blends and cause fuel filter plugging.

This vehicle is equipped with a fuel filter restriction monitoring system that will alert you if the fuel filter requires service, but it will not prevent damage caused by poor quality biodiesel.

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After reading that I knew that I was not going to put B20 in my truck's fuel tank.

Fortunately the feds are standing up to the big corn corporations with regard to ethanol which has been increasing in percentage of a gallon of gas over the years as the volume of gas being consumed has gone down with more fuel efficient cars and trucks but the same amount of ethanol was having to be consumed. Not great for cars and terrible for boat engines. One can hope that this will spread to biodiesel as well as their is no environmental benefit to B20.

Redsky, what truck and year do you have?

DavisK wrote:
GM says my truck can burn bio-diesel, but I really don't want to use it, just like I won't use E-85 in my Flex-Fuel Impala.

It also states in the GM owners manual that B20 can cause problems with fuel gelling and any damage that results is not covered by the warranty.
I would never put B20 in my truck for that reason and others. It is not good for the truck, only good for the big corn outfits like ADM.

Sadly B100 isn't all that easy to find here in Minneapolis, MN (ALL on-road diesel is B5-10 here though), but we have filled up with B100 up north in Duluth, MN. Our Jeep CRD ran GREAT on it, the last B100 tank we ran was about 4,000 miles ago, still on the same fuel filter (but I have a spare filter in the vehicle just in case).

JEBar wrote:
in Feb of 2013 we stopped at the Flying J on the north side of Houston, TX ....I'd already filled on of the tanks on our '07 Freightliner Sportchassis before I noticed the 20% bio diesel warning label .... I ended up filling both tanks and then took off west toward San Antonio .... I couldn't tell any difference in the sound or performance of truck but it didn't take long to notice the fuel gauge dropping at an unusually fast rate .... bottom line, the truck's mileage dropped 2 mpg and when you aren't getting but 10 mpg to start with, that is a significant difference .... every since then, I don't burn 20% unless I just have to

Jim

X2

I had the same thing happen with my 08 Dodge in early March this year. Mileage improved as it was diluted out of the system.:(

rvsolutions wrote:
Mercedes diesels can void warranty if over 5% bio is used, I don't take the Via to truck stops anymore

Mercedes is coming around on the B20 thing. Seems that not being able to sell vehicles in some states may have convinced them to do some research rather than issue blanket statements.

mlts22 wrote:
I've wondered if anti-gel additives would help. It would lower the freeze point by 20 degrees... but in some places, that is good enough, especially if one is storing their rig.

Anti-gels will work to a degree as they do lower the pour(freeze) point. But for colder temps. the fuel must be reformulated for the temps. expected. Refineries may mix in some #1 fuel with the #2 diesel or add an additive. Now, I am talking about my experience in my area, the central Rocky Mountains and Midwest. The further north you are the formulation will change, possibly adding more #1. But this will usually result in a loss of power/fuel mileage as #1 fuel does not have the BTU'S that #2 diesel has.

Raften wrote:
I wonder if the jell like mess reported is caused by low temps. B100 for 13 years with no problems other than ones I caused.

Yes, low temperatures will cause diesel fuel or bio-diesel to jell. When that happens depends on the fuel's formulation and the temperature. I have seen "summer" diesel fuel begin to jell around 0-10 degrees.

I've wondered if anti-gel additives would help. It would lower the freeze point by 20 degrees... but in some places, that is good enough, especially if one is storing their rig.

I wonder if the jell like mess reported is caused by low temps. B100 for 13 years with no problems other than ones I caused.