D24TIC I don't think my car likes Biodiesel!

[ian2000t]

Just put a tank of Biodiesel in my 760 D24Tic. £111.9/ltr, and I don't think it likes it! (£40 bio + £15.00 pump diesel that was still in the tank)

It doesn't feel too bad once warm - a little down on power though. Thing is, it's a clattery engine anyway (always sounds like one cylinder clattering more than the rest, so guess I need an injector rebuild) but it's noticebly more clattery on Biodiesel!
- My timing is set to 0.98mm - is this too advanced? I read somewhere that Biodiesel burns faster so you should retard timing slightly.

Cold starting is really not fun! All glowplugs work (recently changed) and it fires fairly easily, but then once running clatters and splutters and the idle hunts around, sometimes stalling.

My coldstart doesn't work - I disconnected it because it's siezed up and was permanently stuck on slightly (hot or cold), over-advancing timing to 1.03mm. It still starts fine on diesel without this. No chance with bio.

To start on bio I have to jam this open with something to start it and leave it jammed open for 10 seconds - even with the Cold start on it's hunting around, clattering, and filling the street with white/blue smoke.


Could this just be that my injectors need rebuilding badly? Timing too advanced? Or other issues? I've heard many people on forums say their D24T's ran smoother and quieter on bio!

[doingitsideways]

Hi Ian.

My PERSONAL experiance (have to emphasise this in these cases, or I get lynched by the Volvo Mafia!) is that when I'm running on SVO/Diesel-50/50 mix, mine runs slightly smoother once warm.

Possibly a little more lumpy from cold, with a touch more white smoke but that's all, it's fine after about 30 seconds-2 minutes depending on how cold it is.

I always gathered that it was more lumpy in the cold as it's harder to pump, being slightly thicker than pump diesel, my idle also drops by about 50-or-so RPM, again, I presumed for the same reason.

I ran a 2.8 td Shogun on the same for years, with the same results.


One thing though, try changing your fuel filter, as Bio-Derv/veg oils tend to drag all of the carp out of your tank and fuel lines.

Would make a certain amount of sence, if it's being starved of fuel then it will be a b1tch to start.

HTH,

Steve

[Daim]

Whar %age is the bio-diesel? Or better said, to what degree is it bio?

If you simply fill plant oil into the tank, then you'll have problems running it. Bio diesel is a mix between both which can - depending on the %age - mean that the engine will need a different setting. For example, the bio diesel/plant oil/vegi oil has a different combustion point and can even burn slower than normal diesel. Thrus, reving it high when cold isn't clever. A friend killed an injection pump in winter with chip fat... Although he would tank anything he could get his fingers on, like lard, normal oil, engine oil, used chip fat and the odd chunk of butter/margarine

The injection time and amount will need to be trimmed, at the same time, an addition in the glow plug duration wouldn't go a miss and - as it is cheaper - a little increase in power might not go a miss

[ian2000t]

Well, i think it is B100 from the place i filled from. I did have about £15-20 real diesel in the tank aswell tho!

I think my injectors probably need a rebuild - it clatters plenty even on normal diesel! If they do its not going to help it run well on bio/plant oil i suppose!

Ive read bio burns faster so timing should be retarded. Ive alwo read svo/wvo burns slower needing it advancing. But surely bio is made of wvo?

[Daim]

The most common form of biodiesel is rapeseed methyl ester (here shortend as RME) which is that yellow stuff on the fields. I don't know what you mean with svo or wvo...

If the injectors are worn or the timing is wrong (injection amount etc.) then it won't run right. In order to set up right for biodiesel (pure 100% RME) you need to end up with "stage 0". Means: engine MUST be set up correctly. Only then, and really only then, you can set the engine up correctly

[Laney760]

I sometimes run my (low mileage, fairly quiet) D24Tic on svo, pure rapeseed oil, great for cleaning engines, engines that have been run on this are amazingly clean when stripped down. My D24Tic can sound a little clattery when started up on rapeseed, I give it more than one go with the glow-plugs for this reason, to thin it down a bit. It's also a bit down on power but that is normal from all I have read. I also used to run my old very low compression D24Tic on straight rapeseed sometimes, again a bit noisier on start up and a bit down on power. I also notice I get slightly less mpg

Can't say I've ever had my idle speed drop though

The reason svo kills the pump eventually is that it dissolves the gaskets, if you're going to run on it a lot you must replace them with ones made of Viton, ditto the fuel lines

I can't remember what it is but I did read up lately from quite a lot of different sources that they're now putting something in biodiesel which is not very engine-friendly and which has convinced me to avoid it like the plague! So it might be better if you make your own bio, at least you know what's in it! A garage manager did tell me recently that they are now putting a small percentage on rapeseed in normal diesel, dont know if this is true or not

[doingitsideways]

Originally Posted by Laneystrider

A garage manager did tell me recently that they are now putting a small percentage on rapeseed in normal diesel, dont know if this is true or not

Yep, it's true I think.

Whether it's rapeseed or not I don't know, but I've been told on more than 1 occasion that up to 10% of pump diesel is vegetable oil.

Fill a glass with pump diesel now and hold it up to the light, it's got a golden tinge... Never used to be like that!!

Steve