How do you avoid Bio Diesel (over B5) while on the road?

denverhank wrote:
Yes I know the FICM wasn't related to the other issues and the turbo I guess some of you don't notice the labels on the pumps but unfortunately my engine wasn't designed for B20 and I see a lot of labels on pumps saying B20. Take a look at the 6.7 badge, it says B20 on it. That's the difference in having a 13 year old truck. And I do carry additive.

Actually the opposite is generally true. The older engines do the best with high blends of biodiesel as long as the fuel lines are biodiesel compatible. They love it in fact. I know a couple of people running B100 or B99 in their 7.3 PSDs, one with over 100K miles now. No problems at all, but they both did replace their fuel lines before hand. Of course nowhere does the 7.3 say you can use BD, it wasn't around, or at least not widely available when that engine was designed.

The new engines are designed to run on B5 or in some cases B20, but I wouldn't even consider going 1 ounce above the manufacturer recommendations. With the extremely tight tolerances in the injectors and much higher rail pressures, following the manufacturers guidelines becomes critically important. There was definitely a lot more leeway with the older engines!

That said, I don't think B5 is going to cause any issue with your engine and further, I feel confident that any blend higher than B5 will be labeled as such.

If you got all of that for 4K installed you didn't get ripped off.

I don't think the problem is the B5, it's the 6.0 PSD. I think Ford and Navistar are still battling each other in court over that whole debacle.

Just out of curiosity did you get a new Ford FICM or did you get your old one repaired? The reason I ask is because if you bought a new Ford FICM it WILL fail again because the soldering on them sucks. If you had it repaired $350 is about the going rate with a really good warranty. If you don't have one I suggest an Edge Insight to monitor the FICM voltage and you can visually see when it starts to fail and you can get it fixed before it takes out your injectors.

B5 is pretty much the norm. But I can only recall seeing anything greater than B5 one time. And have even forgotten now where I saw that. That covers towing thru TX, CO, OK, NM, AR, LA. My two previous 6.0s had no problem with B5. Actually no problems of any kind.

CavemanCharlie wrote:

denverhank wrote:
After spending $4k on injectors, a new turbo and FICM module this winter, I'd like to learn how to avoid the stations on the highway that sell that B20 ****. My 6L Powerstroke doesn't like that ****. Even the B5 isn't that great but seems everywhere I've stopped to fuel up has that at a minimum.

First, You got ripped off.

Second, a FICM module has nothing at all to do with the type of fuel you use.

Third, the turbo doesn't have anything to do with it either.

Finally, We burn the bio-diesel in dozens of different engines on the farm that were manufactured over several different decades. No problem.

However !! It doesn't hurt to carry a jug of additive that kills fungus and put the right amount of ounces in your tank now and then. When on the road you don't know what sort of care the different filling stations are doing to there holding tanks. A few ounces of additive can save you trouble from poorly managed filling stations.

Yes I know the FICM wasn't related to the other issues and the turbo only slightly so. Out here in the west, the $$$ I spent was reasonable. Especially compared to dealer prices.

I guess some of you don't notice the labels on the pumps but unfortunately my engine wasn't designed for B20 and I see a lot of labels on pumps saying B20. Take a look at the 6.7 badge, it says B20 on it. That's the difference in having a 13 year old truck. And I do carry additive.

I am finding it in more places as Government Mandates kick in. The biggest problem is if you haven't ben using it, it brakes loose all the gunk in your tank and will tend to clog filters till it cleans your system.
The hiest level I have run into was in Missoula Montana. I stopped because it was $3.65 on the signboard (cheap at the time) but when I got to the pump they had 4 types of diesel on the pump. 50/50 bio, red, #1 and regular #2. The #2 was $4.55. I only bought 50 gal of the #2 just so I could get down the road. I didn't want to try the 50/50 on the road. Besides Cummins does not recommend over 20%.
Bill

MrWizard wrote:
i have driven from Calif to Indiana and back
i have never seen BIO diesel anyplace i stopped

A few states do not require that bio-Diesel be labeled as such so you have no way of knowing, same with ethenol gas.

I have had no issues running bio-Diesel, in fact it has better lubrication then straight Diesel.

i have driven from Calif to Indiana and back
i have never seen BIO diesel anyplace i stopped

denverhank wrote:
After spending $4k on injectors, a new turbo and FICM module this winter, I'd like to learn how to avoid the stations on the highway that sell that B20 ****. My 6L Powerstroke doesn't like that ****. Even the B5 isn't that great but seems everywhere I've stopped to fuel up has that at a minimum.

First, You got ripped off.

Second, a FICM module has nothing at all to do with the type of fuel you use.

Third, the turbo doesn't have anything to do with it either.

Finally, We burn the bio-diesel in dozens of different engines on the farm that were manufactured over several different decades. No problem.

However !! It doesn't hurt to carry a jug of additive that kills fungus and put the right amount of ounces in your tank now and then. When on the road you don't know what sort of care the different filling stations are doing to there holding tanks. A few ounces of additive can save you trouble from poorly managed filling stations.