I've been making my own biodiesel for about 3 1/2 years now and I was wondering if I should follow the manufactures specs on oil change intervals or if I should change the oil sooner. I currently have a 2007 Chevrolet 2500HD Duramax (LBZ), '01 VW Golf TDI, '02 VW Jetta TDI, and '03 VW Jetta TDI.
Oil Change Intervals Using Biodiesel
- Thread starter adamrc
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You really need to do some testing. The results may depend on how good the fuel is that you're making.
I know that with waste veggie oil (WVO), and presumably with virgin veggie oil (VVO or SVO), the normal oil change interval is cut by roughly 2/3. So if the normal OCI in a VW TDI is 10k miles, with WVO or SVO the interval should be roughly 3k miles.
If your biodiesel is extremely high quality, then maybe you don't need to cut the interval at all. It all depends on the quality of injection and completeness of combustion -- you do not want any raw biodiesel being scraped off the cylinder walls and ending up in the crankcase. Diesel engine oil is designed to keep working if there is some diesel fuel contamination, but not with veggie oil or biodiesel contamination.
I know that with waste veggie oil (WVO), and presumably with virgin veggie oil (VVO or SVO), the normal oil change interval is cut by roughly 2/3. So if the normal OCI in a VW TDI is 10k miles, with WVO or SVO the interval should be roughly 3k miles.
If your biodiesel is extremely high quality, then maybe you don't need to cut the interval at all. It all depends on the quality of injection and completeness of combustion -- you do not want any raw biodiesel being scraped off the cylinder walls and ending up in the crankcase. Diesel engine oil is designed to keep working if there is some diesel fuel contamination, but not with veggie oil or biodiesel contamination.
I would say that the quality of my biodiesel is high. I currently process my bio using a BioPro 190 and it passes the 3/27 biodiesel conversion test. I'm thinking about changing the TDI oil interval to around 7500 miles instead of 10,000 and the Duramax around 5-6,000 miles.
it shortens the oil life due to the acid levels of the feul.
change sooner Bio has higher volitility and will dilute crankcase oil also some issue with soot.
Thanks for the replies so far. I do know that my biodiesel is fully converted as well as washed, dried, and filtered before I put it in the fuel tank. I will change sooner than what is recommended by the manufacturer. I know there is a lot less particulates (soot) when burning biodiesel and the oil doesn't get as dirty looking nearly as quickly.
These articles have been posted before,have a look:
http://www.lubrizol.com/acea2008/presentations/UEIL2007Biodiesel/EUIL2007presentation.asp
http://www.lubrizol.com/acea2008/presentations/ICISLOR2008Biodiesel/isispresentation2008.asp
http://www.lubrizol.com/acea2008/presentations/UEIL2007Biodiesel/EUIL2007presentation.asp
http://www.lubrizol.com/acea2008/presentations/ICISLOR2008Biodiesel/isispresentation2008.asp
Originally Posted By: Steve S
it shortens the oil life due to the acid levels of the feul.
Is that why, since I am using a B10 blend, that my TBN dropped to 7.6 at 40,000 miles on the same oil and soot levels were at .2 and viscosity at 14.1?
it shortens the oil life due to the acid levels of the feul.
Is that why, since I am using a B10 blend, that my TBN dropped to 7.6 at 40,000 miles on the same oil and soot levels were at .2 and viscosity at 14.1?
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