h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Does anyone know if using bio-diesel requires special seals (Not the clubbed sort) or any special modifications to existing diesel engines or any other car part eg new fuel line etc?

Natural rubber deteriorates when exposed to bioDiesel, synthetics seem to stand up very well so far.

At the end of the day it wasn't what the engine was designed to run on, so with the complexity of modern engines theres bound to be side affects.

What would be interesting is if bio-diesel was produced comercially to a set standard and sold on its own or mixed with standard Diesel. Engines designed to use it, prehaps also incorporating the existing electric hybrid technology Honda use (the engine produces electricity decelerating and that electricity helps the car when accelerating, saving fuel when the engine most uses it).

All UK pump diesel contains some bio-diesel, usually 5% (refered to as B5)

Original diesel engines were designed to run on B100 so the limiting factor for modern engines designed for mineral diesel is getting the fuel efficiently into the combustion chamber.

Fuel Companies and motor manufacturers have interests in each other so they have a commercial bias against bio-diesel.

Most diesel powered vehicles will run OK on B100 but they may need more tolerant pump seals.

There are some differences between regular diesel and bio-diesel to take into account. Bio-diesel generally is an acid, meaning that all kinds of coatings can degrade faster. Specific additives are needed to prevent "clouding" when cold or bacteria growth in storage. Bio-diesel contains water which accumulates in your engine oil reducing change intervals (regular diesel evaporates from the oil).


Later generations of bio-diesel (depending on source material and treatment) show improvements.