Hello, I've been running 100% biodiesel in my sdi fabia for 3 monthe now and all ok, had to change filter twice in 2000 miles so hopefully getting to a stage where the filter should now last a little longer. The fuel has had no difference on the way the car drives. Anyone else using the stuff? The bonus is its 90p per litre! The most it has cost me to fill up is £32 for 35 litres yesterday, fuel light just came on as I was driving into the industrial estate where they sell it, the place is close to where i live in walton le dale preston, its in the industrial estate just behing the corsa centre, get yourself down there!!!

could you write address please (postcode)

I'm running both my Fabia SDI and Lupo SDI on biodiesel up here in Glasgow.

I can't buy it as cheap as you but, like you, I've not noticed any apparent difference in the drive - just more money in my pocket and a knowing smile on my face

I'd be interested to know where this is?

Also how do you run it with bio diesel and why do you change the filter so often?

I'd be interested to know where this is?

Also how do you run it with bio diesel and why do you change the filter so often?

How? You fill it up and drive it, duh.

Bio-diesel is lumpy, it blocks filters.

Protip: Fit a much larger remote fuel filter housing with a very fine filter in an easily accessible location and scrap the factory fitted item.

I believe that the reason for more regular filter changes is that biodiesel is actually a more corrosive fuel than normal diesel.

This corrosive characteristic lifts all the accumulated gunk out of your tank and fuel lines, which then gets caught in the fuel filter, clogging that up. Answer is therefore to change your filter after a few tanks worth of this 'cleaning' process and therefore remove the gunk from your system.

This is also one reason that you shouldn't use 100% biodiesel in certain vehicles - like my Merc CDI :( - as it slowly eats away at fuel lines that aren't made of suitable materials. Fortunately for us, all non-PD VAG SDI and TDI vehicles prior to 2004 have fuel lines that can handle 100% biodiesel

Of course the above may be utter twaddle - but it was what I have been told... :p

The biodiesel place is at school lane, bamber bridge. Its an industrial estate, as you turn into the estate take 2nd left then 2nd left again, its a dead end, the unit is the last one on the left. He's only open in the mornings. I usually fill up on saturday morning, open 10 to about 2'ish. If you see an orange audi A2 outside then he will be open. There are no signs at all to say it sells the stuff, just a yellow roller shutter door. Reverse your car in and fill up, he has a small filling pump which has a pipe into a 1000 litre IBC! Seriously cheap running, I spend cica £80/month on fuel and do around 1000 miles, happy days

I believe that the reason for more regular filter changes is that biodiesel is actually a more corrosive fuel than normal diesel.

This corrosive characteristic lifts all the accumulated gunk out of your tank and fuel lines, which then gets caught in the fuel filter, clogging that up. Answer is therefore to change your filter after a few tanks worth of this 'cleaning' process and therefore remove the gunk from your system.

This is also one reason that you shouldn't use 100% biodiesel in certain vehicles - like my Merc CDI :( - as it slowly eats away at fuel lines that aren't made of suitable materials. Fortunately for us, all non-PD VAG SDI and TDI vehicles prior to 2004 have fuel lines that can handle 100% biodiesel

Of course the above may be utter twaddle - but it was what I have been told... :p

My own ramblings, 2p, inexpert twaddle...

Running on any fuel/diesel, it's usual for an amount of "crud" or residue to be deposited in the fuel lines and tank. Switching to a different fuel type (mineral diesel to bio for example) tends to result in these lifting and entering the fuel system, blocking the filter(s). Hence the recommendation to change the filter initially, and then at narrower intervals.

Also, the fuel pumps (certainly in common rail applications), tend to rely on the fuel for both cooling and lubrication. Internet search can show which pumps are Bio friendly. Also beware that the percentage of bio in a fuel can make a difference. B5 or B10 or B20 (5%, 10%, 20%) could be approved but not B100 - 100% bio.

ISTR the PD engines are OK for small percentages of bio, but I think part of that is just that normal diesel tends to contain 5% bio these days anyway.

Lots of discussions on Tdiclub.

J.

Edited 6 September, 201114 yr by vindaloo

Been now running on 100% biodiesel for 9 months and no problems, cruises on motorways just fine, starts instantly and covered 9000 miles on the stuff, the fuel smells of donuts when you put it in and the seller now delivers to my house as he's given up renting the industrial unit due to cost reasons. Still 90 pence a litre and delivered to my house! These sdi engines are great! and after the first 2 fuel filters, no nore issues. If you want cheap motoring get an sdi.

Any others running bio with similar experiences out there?

I take it this wouldn't work on my 55 plate VRS mk1 though as it's a PD engine?? Be nice to even be able to run it 75% diesel to 25% bio.

Yeah would this work on my pd130 Ibiza ???? sick of it costing me 60 quid a week to fill up

When I had my SDI I ran it on 100% Vegetable oil (not biodiesel!) for about 4-5months, didn't notice any difference in performance at all and only changed the filter once, and best bit it was only costing £1 a litre compared to £1.25 ? I think it was at the pump at that time.

Edited 18 March, 201214 yr by Lycanthrope

From my user manual, Biodeisel conforming to E51 606 CAN BE MIXED IN ANY DESIRED RATIO with diesel conforming to EN590 .Can't find it now, but I did see an article on changing fuel filter after two fills, as Biodeisel tends to have a cleaning effect on the tank/fuel lines( or something to that effect).

There is also a CAUTION about using non standard BIO that evn one tank can damage the fuel system ,and not using Bio BELOW -10C

AFAIK mine is PD ,and this is the origonal manual .

Edited 18 March, 201214 yr by VWD

A couple of lads at work are converted to biodiesel and one runs a golf gt tdi 1999 year. The early mechanical non common rail diesel pump set up is much more bio friendly, so if you want a car to run on it, get a car of that era! I now avoid hefty fuel bills and spend just £22 quid a week on fuel

So I might be able tl mix a quater to half a tank of this stuff with normal diesel but just need to change my fuel filter ? Were bout is the guy you know if you dnt mind me asking. I'm only in Preston myself

so how much is he charging per l ?

Any update ?

He's charging £1 a litre at moment and he now delivers to your house which is great, the fuel comes to me!! I've just driven up to Keswick and around workington, whitehaven and back through windermere on my way back to preston and used 25 litres of bio to cover 258 miles of motoring. I have his mobile number if you require. Car never misses a beat.

Sdi's and old school diesels are fine with bio normally, but not PD engines iirc.

Sp what would running this stuff on my pd engine do ? Wouldn't mind even if I could do just half a tank to real fuel

I don't know tbh, I'm only really going by what I read ages and ages ago. Id guess the huge pressure the injection system runs at on a PD engine would need to be considered, with injectors alone costing £££££ it'll not take long for any saving you make to be wiped out if they need replacing.

Now its £1 a litre and he delivers to your house!

I might try 20 lts of stuff to 25 normal to try worth atr at a quid a llt. Can you pm me his details ?

Edited 10 April, 201214 yr by tommyWareing

I'd really appreciate the mobile number of the guy selling bio diesel in preston too.

Thanks