[Roobob]

I'm New to this stuff. Can I run BioDiesel in my 2004 Jetta. Which Type????? Whats the difference. Do I need to change anything?????? Clean fuel filter????? My TDI has about 96000 and I have decided to run this thing for ever. I live in Chicago. Anyone know of a good Diesel mechanic that I can Trust???????????/ Thanks

 

[dezel]

Gelled filters, lower mpg, lack of power. I understand the need for alternative fuel but given a choice I wont use it. To me it's not worth the hassel but many do use it.

 

[Norm!]

A4 biodiesel use

Roobob:

I was a big fan of biodiesel when I had my 2000 VW Golf TDI (A4). It would run fine on any of it whether it was B100, B50, B20 or B5. It has higher lubricity than the ULSD fuel currently available and may be beneficial to your engine which was build to use the old standard higher sulfur diesel. The problem with biodiesel is that you can't find winterized biodiesel for winter use; so it will gell below 30 degrees F.

If you can find it, use it if you like, but don't use it in winter in Chicago. I would suggest that you find a fuel station that has the highest quality USLD diesel in your area and then mix it with some B100 for the lubricity.

I'm not sure biodiesel will save the planet. I don't think the US has enough fallow farmland to replace the diesel needs of our country. And the price of corn tortillas has skyrocketed in Mexico, so they don't think it's a good idea either. LOL

Anyway, in an A4 TDI, it is clearly an alternative. Just know the limitations.

Norm!

 

[mr wolfsberg]

A relatively simple solution (as long as you have at least the common automotive knowledge base) to the gelling issue in the winter that I have seen a lot of people do is to find some copper tubing or some kind of tubing that is easily bendable and splice into a heater core line and route that tubing to and coil it around your fuel filter, which in turn once your vehicle's coolant warms up will effictively heat up the "fuel", bio in your case, and prevent it from gelling while the engine is running, but the only down side is it won't do anything for you for if it sits over night unless you park in a garage or you have a block heater that would be relatively close in position to the line you have coiled around your filter.