Running a 4.2TD on Bio Diesel

[Chris Coombs]

As the subject line states - I am looking at 100's at the mo, and wandered if they are ok to run on the stuff?

Ta

Chris

 

[nathanrobo]

Hi Chris,

Done it for 3 years now (mostly B100)! I'm running a 2001 (50th anniversary version) with the denso fly-by wire pump (Direct injection).

I had problems after a year but this was because of the poor quality of fuel - although I thought I was making fine fuel at the time. No damage done only a finger filter in the injector pump plugged up.

After this I made some changes in my process with a real focus on final polishing (3 passes on a centrifuge at 7 bar and then dispense via polish pots). I also had the tank out and cleaned it.

Since then I've done about 20K miles no issues and the performance is pretty good too!

Are you making BD at the mo? What's your process? What processor do you use? How do you final polish?

 

[Chris Coombs]

Thanks for the reply.

I have a contact who manufactures biodiesel commercially. Sells it in 100/200 litre drums, and just wondering if its useable in a 100 series diesel without too many mods.

cheers

Chris

 

[nathanrobo]

You should be fine. Best advice would be to test the fuel for:

Soap content 100ppm - 200ppm is acceptable (ASTM is 50ppm)
Glycerin
Methanol content
Water very low ppm
Monoglycerides / Tryglycerides

Soap, Glycerin and Methanol are the most important. Also worth understanding what level the fuel is filtered to.

There are some great biodiesel producers out there, but also a noticeable minority who have been less rigorous. The latter have caused damage to mainly injection pumps and injectors. Personally, I've never put a litre of anyone else's fuel in my LC. I brew my own, test at every stage and use a centrifuge and polish pots on final polish to ensure that anything not caught during the wash and dry process is caught. So the fuel has very low soaps, almost zero water ppm, post production residues such as mono/tryglycerides are caught and fuel is cleaned down to 0.3 micron.

Guys on the bio forum have called my final polish 'exotic', but it ensures no problems. The IP on the LC has an internal finger filter that will plug up with contaminants such as soaps that will pass through the fuel filter.

Landcruisers are fine on good fuel, if you want a car that will run on variable quality fuel, old Citroens and VW's pre-common rail are not at all fussy. Virtually all diesels will run on well made BD (Rule of thumb - if it has a DPF or similar, do a bypass and delete the regeneration instructions from the ECU).

 

[ADD]

Can anyone who is running bio diesel B100 provide their experience so far in a 100 series? Any supplier source recommendations so I can try it out. And anyone with home brew kit, which one best?

 

[Jacob100]

I fill my 100 with bio from a place in Rotherham just off the M1 as and when it’s convenient (they’re only open Mon-Fri 9-6).

Mpg works out ever so slightly lower but it’s generally at least 20p under forecourt price - or even cheaper if you take away for ‘off-road use’.

The engine runs beautifully on the stuff, whether in pure form or mixed with derv. Never had any problems. All filters etc have been absolutely fine.

My chap says that a change in tax subsidies killed off most commercial vendors but if you’re anywhere near S Yorks his place is called Biodiesel UK - recommended.

 

[StarCruiser]

I too ran bio through my 80 without many problems. Tha major one was the filter filtering out residual glycerine and bringing the float light on. I also had less mpg from mine which I calculated offset any reduction in pump price. Mine was commercially bought tax paid. As there was no cost benefit, I discontinued use. I think 20p was about the difference per litre.

 

[ADD]

Thanks. Do you know any one who has their own processor?

 

[karl webster]

Thanks. Do you know any one who has their own processor?

i have.

 

[ADD]

Are you using a home made system? any pics?

 

[ADD]

I read on some other thread where some one made there own processor was that Nathan?

I can purchase B100 from a commercial producer for £1/ litre as part of my trial use but really wanted to make my own and need some guidance on what system works best in regard to ease of use and consistency of results.

 

[ADD]

Karl thanks for the PM.

 

[steverjuk]

@karl webster , you posted your biodiesel setup anywhere?

 

[karl webster]

ill try and dig a photo out

 

[karl webster]

doesnt look anything like this now.

 

[ADD]

How much do you use in the car each week?

How much hands on time is required for a batch production?

 

[Jacob100]

I tend to get 400 miles before the light comes on (23.x mpg) no matter how I drive or what I put in the tank - supermarket, branded or Costco ‘premium’.

Lately I’ve been doing my 80-mile-a-day commute on pure commercial biodiesel and I’m pleased to see that the Land Cruiser does at least the same on bio and drives better than ever. (It may even have performed better; I won’t know this week as i did some towing that brought down the average.)

Another interesting effect is that the whole truck runs significantly quieter, smoother and more responsive with less lag when you engage gears, go in and out of cruise and work the accelerator.

 

[karl webster]

Engines on bio or veg defo run smoother jacob.