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Biodiesel In My 156 JTD

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biodiesel
6K views 50 replies 18 participants last post by  turbole 
#1 ·
Hi all just filled up with my First Tank of Bio Diesel , will let you know how it goes :)
 
#5 ·
Is it acually worth it then? how much do you actually save ????
 
#25 · (Edited)
You mean that one on the A64 opposite the Highwayman cafe? If so, it shut down when the price of diesel dropped 30p a litre, at the back end of last year. The bloke told me they were carrying on producing bio in small quantities and stock-piling used oil, just not selling the finished product. I used quite a few tanks of it in my Mondeo 1.8 TD after the price of neat veggie oil went up, I was running 50:50 on veg and pump diesel, veg @ 50p a litre and pump diesel at £1.28 a litre. Worked out about 40p a litre saving over normal pump diesel, plus the car felt torquier and smoother at lower revs, although it didn't rev past 3k rpm as well as on pure pump diesel. When I went over the to the bio diesel it felt just like pump diesel really. 50:50 veg & pump diesel would kill a JTD quick though.

You are obviously aware that biodiesel eats away at your rubber seals ...
Correction, the methanol used to thin out the purified veg oil eats away at your pump seals. @ what percentage methanol the pump seals start to die is another question entirely..

My 2.4 JTD is a 2003 model interior face lift, what I have noticed that there no cloud of black smoke when I boot it :) Economy seems the same so far. It was 62 litres for 49 notes :)
The smoke will be a lot lighter in colour, but I think it will still be there. Noticed this on my Mondeo with veg oil, it still smoked but the smoke wasn't dark. The only time it smoked more was on start-up.

Bio Diesel

Found this Review :) Using a 156 JTD
Interesting, read this ages ago when I still had my JTD :)
 
#9 ·
You are obviously aware that biodiesel eats away at your rubber seals ...
 
#12 ·
Post 1992 JTD's can be safely run on 5% bio. The only issue with going higher is that you might have starting problems come winter time plus Alfa probably say that they only recommend up to 5% blend and going higher may void your warranty.
Shouldn't have any issues in practice though.
 
#13 ·
Really don't see the point in using biodiesel in an Alfa Romeo. My JTD 16v 150bhp really likes the BP Ultimate, better performance and even quieter at idle. I think the detergents they use keep everything a little more clean as well, certainly the turbo response feels more eager.

No way would I use biodiesel to save a few quid. If you want to go the bio route, drive around in a tractor instead:lol:
 
#14 ·
Its fine to use the 95-5% stuff in any diesel, well almost...

i work with renewable energy, and biofuels are 1 of my 5 specialties, use it, its greener, cheaper and the same for the car....
no worries :)

but dont put it in your twin spark :) hahahhah
 
#17 ·
The trouble with bio fuels is the moral aspect ... the fact that we are growing plants to burn when other countries don't have enough food to eat :(
 
#35 ·
Was running on pure bio diesel for about 6 months. after 1000miles replaced fuel filter car ran perfectly, in fact ran smoother. Only one small downside, in very cold weather, took a little more cranking to start. I would still be using it but my supplier closed down for some reason.
 
#40 ·
Ummm. it's an oil, with a cetane rating of 90. It lubricates. Check out Angel Tuning's experience or that of others. Or call the biodiesel provider. It's pretty much 99% the same. Differences arise from how the oil is sourced. Traditional oil is from the ground, and so has plant matter in it (for example) - hence ash, hence DPF. Biodiesel is from kebab shops, and so has 'other' matter in it (lamb?) - hence change of oil filter. There have been recipes to "make your own", which involve using various agents (sodium methoxide and water mists) to clean the sourced-oil. THIS you could get wrong and screw up your car with.
 
#42 ·
Traditional oil is from the ground, and so has plant matter in it (for example) - hence ash, hence DPF. Biodiesel is from kebab shops, and so has 'other' matter in it (lamb?) - hence change of oil filter. There have been recipes to "make your own", which involve using various agents (sodium methoxide and water mists) to clean the sourced-oil. THIS you could get wrong and screw up your car with.
It has to be filtered to 1 micron so theres no bits in it and you have to thoroughly wash it free of lye before its used! And all oil has organic matter in it!

Dont forget the diesel engine was designed to run on ANY oil and it still can (used/new cooking oil, palm oil, lard, tallow, candle wax). Modern common rail cars might need some mods, but they can burn all of it. It was only in the 1930s that oil companies cynically re-named an oily waste product of making petrol "diesel oil" to capitalise on the increasing success of the compression ignition engine. The name stuck, it became the default option and the oil companies laughed all the way to the bank.
 
#41 ·
I thought about this when I first got a JTD as there is a place in Sheffield that sells the recycled chip fat biodiesel. a few of the guys I work with run VW's on it but not common rail. Apart from winter, they get on OK with it, in winter always run a mix otherwise it can for wax. I wasn't sure how suitable common rails are as I understand the pumps and injectors are much more sensitive to any contanination compared to the traditional diesel. I'd be interested to know how you get on.
 
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