24.08.06 Would you opt for biodiesel?
Biodiesel is a type of fuel created from plants (e.g. rapeseed, soybean and sunflower) that can be used in modified diesel car engines instead of diesel. Benefits include:
It is cheap to produce.
It is cheaper to buy than diesel.
It can be grown anywhere in the world.
It is more environmentally friendly as it produces low or no CO2 emissions.
Biodiesel production could have a positive effect on our ailing agricultural industry.
Even sunflower oil off a supermarket shelf can be used as a biodiesel. Some diesel engines (do not try this without very thorough research!) are believed to be able to run on biodiesel without any modification.
So why do car manufacturers not produce cars which run on biodiesel? The fuel has been here for decades if not centuries! Yet we continue to rely on oil from underground which is environmentally damaging and costs an arm and a leg for UK motorists.
If biodiesel is so amazing, then why have governments not supported it more? Why have car manufacturers not made biodiesel compatible engines? Why is it not readily available on the forecourts?
Biodiesel has become a really hot topic. The consumer feels hugely let down by corporations with vested interests and ineffective government backing for these cleaner fuels.
Do you currently use biodiesel in your vehicle?
Are you making great savings on your fuel costs?
Do you refine your own biodiesel from waste vegetable oil?
Your Comments
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I have an 04 Nissan Navara, it has covered 110k miles and has been main dealer serviced every 6k miles. I also make a small amount of bio diesel. I have used BD at 30 to 50% for the last 10k miles. 3 months ago it wouldn't start and nobody could carry out diagnostics except Nissan so it was taken to a dealer. They said the pump was at fault. A new one is £2600 + vat. I sourced a used one, but 2 weeks later the engine began to rattle and knock.Back to the dealer. They said the pump and injectors were at fault. They said it was the BD doing this, but didn't know how or why.
I ran a 53 Peugeot 206, 03 Seat Alhambra, 01 Golf on 30 - 50% no probs.
I now run 56 Shogun Sport at 30%.
I have a '96 Peugeot 106 been running it on 50/50 for a few months now with no problems until 2 weeks ago. Started running a bit rough/odd thought it must be the fuel filter and went back to derv as a precaution. Couldnt be arsed to change the filter, and after a few days on derv the roughess/odd running went away(?) Did some research, and found i have a lucas fuel pump. Some sites say they last a few hundred miles on veg then BOOM! (oops breathe sigh of relief) maybe i caught it in time?
Back to the drawing board.........
Hi. I drive a 1996 Peugeot 306 Dturbo and i have done plenty of research on biodiesel. I used to run my car on it throughout most of 2007 until quite recently.
I ran my car on B100, or 100% biodiesel during the warmer months, and B50, or 50% biodiesel mixed with 50% regular diesel during the winter. This is because biodiesel can gel at low temperatures unless mixed with a specialist antifreeze, or regular diesel containing antifreeze.
Back then biodiesel wasn't really heard of at all and was very cheap compared to normal diesel. I used to pay 85p a litre at first. Problem is now everyone has heard of biodiesel the demand, suppliers of biodiesel struggle to keep up, and as a result the price has now increased so much it's not really worth trying to get some around Preston (Lancs). It's now 115p a litre for biodiesel round me, and regular diesel is 119p a litre. Not to mention the fact that cars running biodiesel (as a rule) have to have the fuel filters changed more often.
I did notice the engine seemed to run a little smoother on biodiesel due to the higher lubrication properties of biodiesel, compared to running on regular diesel alone.
Is it worth it? Yes and no, it all depends on what price you can source biodiesel for near you.
As for compatibility, a quick search on google usually brings up lots of info on which cars will run on biodiesel or not.