Hi all,
I own a Mk3 Golf TDI. If I wanted to, and had access to, would I be able to use 100% biodiesel in my car or would I have to adapt it ? I think I can use the 95petro/5bio mix but what about the really pure stuff ???
Cheers
Richard
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In short, check the manual if you still have it.
However, I think that pretty much any VW diesel engined car will be OK to run on biodiesel, as long as it meets the appropriate international standard, it may even have been / still be a German legal requirement.
There has been a very long thread about running cars on biodiesel in this forum - started by andymc if I recall correctly (do a forum search), he will probably be along to recount his experiences and give you some tips. He's run a variety of cars on it, inclusing a SEAT Leon and an old shape Passat.
The manual for my diesel Skoda and SEAT Ibiza (with the PD engine) say that they can be run on biodiesel that meets the appropriate international standard.
Where are you located by the way ? I live in Essex and would love to find a local supplier.
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Soupytwist !
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Yep, shouldn't be a problem at all on quality fuel, i.e. biodiesel that has gone through the chemical process of transesterification. It should meet the EN14214 standard.
On a car out of warranty, it pretty much doesn't matter whether the manual mentions it or not - diesel cars from the 1990's can all run on biodiesel if they can run on ULSD. The latest high pressure common rail systems seem to have fuel pump and/or injector issues though and I wouldn't advise running pure biodiesel through them.
Usual precaution that you should time the car's next service for some several hundred miles after you start using biodiesel - this means that if the biodiesel cleans a lot of gunk out of your fuel system and the fuel filter gets clogged, it was going to be changed anyway.
Have now covered over 140k on biodiesel, mostly in the two cars mentioned above. The Leon still feels like a new car after more than four years.
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andymc
Vroom, vroom - mmm, doughnuts ...
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quote:"The manual for my diesel Skoda and SEAT Ibiza (with the PD engine) say that they can be run on biodiesel that meets the appropriate international standard."
Does the manual state what percentage bio-diesel?
I thought VW only recommended Bio for pre-PD diesels. I'm sure I read that here somewhere...
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I don't know - I'll have a look when I get home and let you know.
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Soupytwist !
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What the owners manual (printed in 2001) for my 02 plate Seat Ibiza 1.9 100bhp diesel says about fuel quality
Diesel fuel must correspond to EN590 with a cetane rating no lower than 49.
It then goes on to say that RME fuel (which it defines as being chemically produced from vegetable oil mixed with methanol and converted via a catalyst into RME, so bidiesel in effect) must correspond to DIN51606 (possibly now superseded by EN14214). It goes on to say that RME can used in temperatures down to -10C. Diesel fuel must be added at ambient temperatures below -10 in a ratio of approximately 50:50. During the summer months RME may be mixed diesel at any ratio.
However, further research on the web suggests that VW are not now warranting their PD engines for using anything other than a 5% blend - this discussion in particular -
www.vegetableoildiesel.co.uk/forum/viewthread.php?...5
I think caution should be advised when using biodiesel in PD / common rail diesel engines.
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Soupytwist !
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Thanks for the responces....I'd forgotten I'd posted !!
Below is a link to some filling stations for biodiesel..
www.biodieselfillingstations.co.uk/outlets.htm
I'll keep people posted on how it goes...
Cheers
Richard
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Just found a Biodiesel retailer in Newcastle under lyme for 87p per litre.... !!!
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