Sorry to hear about all the problems here.
As per the apparent finding on JimR's tractor, I'm thinking that the fuel issue is a bit curious.
From
https://www.chipexpress.com/articles/rating-diesel-understanding-cetane-numbers/:
There are many different factors that are involved in determining the best cetane number for a certain type of engine. This normally includes the physical size of the engine, the way it is designed, how fast it operates, as well as its load variations. A less factor, but one that is counted all the same, is external weather or climate conditions. On the other hand, if an engine is operated with a fuel that features a cetane number lower than the recommended amount, there can be several drawbacks. The vehicle will not operate as smoothly, and the poor operation can result in vibrations as well as extra noises. Additionally, it could create a larger amount of emissions and wear on the engine. In some cases, the driver may even have difficulty starting the engine.
Types of Diesel Fuels and Corresponding Cetane Numbers
Most diesels for standard vehicles and general highway usage normally require a cetane rating that falls between 45 to around 55. The table below outlines the different grades of cetane numbers that correspond with various diesel fuels that are compression ignited.
| Types of Diesel | Cetane Numbers |
|---|
| Regular Diesel | 48 |
| Premium Diesel | 55 |
| Biodiesel (B100) | 55 |
| Biodiesel Blend (B20) | 50 |
| Synthetic Diesel | 55 |
---
According to those numbers the cetane of biodiesel is actually above standard diesel. BUT, that's "book. Reality could be different.
According to
this paper, biodiesel CAN end up having low cetane values:
Reported values of the cetane number for biodiesel vary widely. For soybean oil-derived biodiesel, the values range from 48 to as high as 67. Some of this variation may be due to differences in the fatty acid composition of the soybean oil but other factors are also important. This paper reviews the historical development of the cetane number test procedure and its current status. It discusses the existing data for the cetane number of biodiesel and presents new data for the effect of the fatty acid composition and for fuel contaminants such as unsaponifiable matter and hydroperoxides. Data are presented for the cetane number increase resulting from blending small amounts of pure fatty esters with diesel fuel. These data indicate that the cetane number is most strongly affected by the saturation level of the fatty acids. The unsaponifiable matter does not affect the cetane number but higher levels of hydroperoxides increase the cetane number.
---
This is a pretty good read (with some worrying points):
https://dtnacontent-dtna.prd.freigh...olant/Detroit_Bio_Fuel_Position_Statement.pdf
I get fuel from a local, major, distributor: delivered on-site. It's not a biodiesel blend (it's off-road, though I don't know if all off-road is such). My Kioti has 638 hrs on it and has exhibited no engine issues at all: my regens happen at what I figure is a fairly typical frequency (I'm guessing 50hrs, maybe more?); I am pretty good about running RPMs at 1,800 or more nearly all the time (infrequently run lower, only for when hooking up implements and for things like a quick out and back in again for operating fence gates). I run Ford/Motorcraft HD Diesel oil, 10-30w or 15-40w: I run this in everything I have (I switched to it a couple years back when manufacturers went from CJ-4 to CK-4; it is spec'd almost identically to CJ-4 Rotella T6, which I primarily used to use; I don't like the specs on the CK-4 oils for my older equipment; Kioti spec'd CJ-4 [though, in theory, CK-4 is supposed to be better on DPFs; in 2016, my tractor's build year, CK-4 wasn't yet on the scene]).
