Bio-Diesel & Yanmar

[ducksjunk]

I have been considering using bio-diesel fuel in my 195D.
Anyone have any experience with this?

 

[mark777]

ducksjunk,

Lots of good information if you do a search in this forum on bio diesel. I recall it smells good but is expensive to run 100%. Also some say it is not too good for older tractors, as it dilutes oil deposits / carbon build up, but fine for newer models.

Mark

 

[ducksjunk]

Thanks Mark.
Tried that. Found a little on petro diesel with a lot of squabbling, but nothing on bio.
Just though some Yanny friends might have some experience in this.
bio is fast becoming a popular alternative to petro pollution in this area.
Have a good day.
Richard

 

[lens12]

I run bio-diesel at the 10% level in my compacts, farm tractors, combine , pickup, mini-excavators , & bulldozer. My combine probably gets more hours in a week than most compacts do in a year. & at full throttle. I have not had any problems.

 

[ducksjunk]

Thanks Len. I have friends here who use Bio 100% in the summer and are quite happy with it.
R.

 

[gbirky]

I have heard that the most important issue is that 100% biodiesel can soften rubber seals and hoses. New(er) diesels use viton seals and hoses that are compatible with 100% biodiesel. While the hoses can be easily replaced, seals in the injection pump would be a major concern.

I too would like to run 100% biodiesel in the summer, but am afraid to do so due to the possible damage to seals in the injection pump. Anyone else have information to either confirm or deny this? I'd love to hear it.

 

[mark777]

I have heard the same and resisted using it on my older tractors for the same reasons you stated. I would like to know as well.

Mark

 

[ducksjunk]

Greg and Mark;
I know some people who are into limited production and are very knowledgable. They have done their homework on this. I will talk to them about seals and rubber etc. and see what they have to say. Will post their response.
Richard.

 

[ducksjunk]

I talked with some people on the weekend who have been using bio-D exclusively in mid 80's car, G.M. truck, and older farm equipment for 3 years and have had no problems with seals or hoses. They also checked into the rumors about this and found no info to support these claims.
/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Richard.

 

[Soundguy]

Not specifically yanmar.. but general info.

My manual for my 2002 Nh 7610s mentions that it can run on rapeseed oil and other diesel alternatives.. but you have to increase oil change frequency.

Also.. there was a big newspaper article on willie nelson, and the bio diesel he is representing. According to the info.. it was sopposed to be 100% backwards compatible.. but they did mention two issues.. oil thinning, and gelling in cold weather. ( Why don't they simply add conditioners to it if it gells? I see they have to store it in heated tanks... well.. that is fine at the station.. but what about out on the rig.. when your tank and lines gell up. My cousing lost a tractor/trailer in a blizzard up north a few years ago due to gelled fuel.

Soundguy

 

[jimstractors]

I was looking into bio-diesel about a year ago. The distributor that I contacted in Arizona said they blend theirs 50-50 with regular diesel to keep from gelling. At that time it was still over $3.00 a gallon. I paid $1.87 for diesel Saturday.

 

[cfoxmd]

That is the problem with bio-diesel. Currently its more expensive to produce than diesel is to buy. People do it to feel better ecologically. If diesel goes up to $3 a gallon then it will make sense.

 

[scout180]

Willie's web: www.wnbiodiesel.com has some pretyy good info. The news article I read acknowledged issues with gelling. Same article cites the National Biodiesel Board at: www.biodiesel.org This site has plenty of informational links. Seems that most biodiesel is now in the Midwest.... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Dave in VA

 

[ducksjunk]

Bio does gel at a higher temp, so I wouldn't want to use it today. currently -32 C. Additives for bio in winter are expensive. In warmer weather I can buy bio for $0.70 / liter, about $2.70 / U.S. Gal. sounds terrible but Ive had to pay as much as 80 cents/ liter for red diesel up here so it isn't so far out of line.
R.

 

[gbirky]

Actually, bio-D doesn't gel like regular diesel. It actually crystalizes. The normal diesel anti-gel additives work to some degree, but still don't eliminate the problem. I think this is the reason bio-D is blended at a maximum 50% with regular diesel.

As for the rubber softening from bio-D, it is well documented in many places. If I knew that viton sealing parts were available to rebuild a Yanmar injection pump, I would be more willing to try it. Maybe I should look further into it.

Any dealers out there know whether viton sealing parts are available for Yanmar injection pumps?