Biodiesel Reviews: Pros & Cons

Hello everyone,
I'd like to know how things are with biodiesel for everyone. Does anyone use it? And if so, what about performance, torque, etc.?

I used to use that fuel with my 90hp AHU engine for a while, but I experienced a complete loss of torque. It could still reach a good 190 km/h (according to the speedometer), but even on the slightest hill, I was down to 160 km/h, and the acceleration wasn't as strong anymore. And when I heard about the fuel pump issues (which tend to get clogged with bio-diesel), I switched back to regular gasoline for better performance.

Best regards, Alex.

Hi,
I've been driving with biodiesel for 40,000 km. So far, I haven't had any problems, aside from a (suspected) increase in engine oil consumption when driving mostly short distances.
However, as a precaution, I had the diesel filter replaced after the second tankful of RME.

Regards,
Udo.

A4 AFN (81kW), 265,000 km, 5.5-6 l / 100km.

Hi,
Last year, I also tried using biodiesel – several tankfuls in a row. The result of my experience was that the savings from using biodiesel were offset by an increased fuel consumption of approximately 0.5 liters.

Best regards,

Steffi H.

Mileage: ASV, 66,000 km.

Hello,

My Golf IV automatic (AHF) has now been running for 35,000 km with RME filters, which were changed after 3 tankfuls. So far, I've had good experiences with RME - the Golf pulls only slightly worse, and I can't confirm any increased fuel consumption.
My wife's Passat automatic with the AFN engine shows absolutely no degradation in performance and also no increase in fuel consumption. Furthermore, both cars run very smoothly – the higher cetane number of RME is very pleasant.
However, I made sure to have a reliable supplier for rapeseed methyl ester (RME) who assured me that they do not source RME from the Benelux region, but only from a regional oil mill. When traveling, I occasionally refuel with diesel, but I don't see any particular advantage in doing so.

Regards,

Jürgen.

Hi,

I tried using biodiesel (RME) once last year.
The car (Golf III, AFN) ran just as quickly as with regular diesel, but it consumed more fuel than usual (0.5-1 liter).
With approximately 50%, the consumption was slightly better again.

The annoying thing was that the prices increased along with the price of diesel, but they always remained about 10 Pfennig lower.
Therefore, it wasn't worthwhile for me.

It probably also depends on the specific gas station.
I've already had to deal with an increased fuel consumption of 1.5 liters and a loss of power after a refueling with jet fuel.

I'm now only using diesel, and I'm also promoting it .

Regards,
Michael.

Hi everyone,

'I drove my Golf 3 TDI 90 hp with 18,000 km on diesel, and then I switched to biodiesel. At 55,000 km, the diesel filter became clogged. I cut it open, and it was a bit dark, similar to a dirty air filter. I didn't find any mold cultures.'
The diesel filter was then replaced regularly at 120,000 km. So, it was in use for 65,000 km without any problems. The first time, the biodiesel likely dissolved all the dirt that the diesel had left behind.
I then drove the Golf 3 without any problems until it reached 160,000 km using biodiesel. Then the lease agreement expired, and I'm now driving a Golf 4 TDI with 90 horsepower, which has also been running smoothly on biodiesel so far.

I wouldn't replace the diesel filter after just a few tanks of biodiesel. The cleaning process has only just begun, and the new, relatively expensive filter could still become clogged. I noticed the clogged filter because the car started to lose power when I tried to reach its top speed. It started happening at around 160 km/h, and then it happened sooner and sooner.

I cannot directly confirm increased fuel consumption or poorer performance. Due to its chemical composition, biodiesel has a lower calorific value than diesel, which would theoretically lead to increased fuel consumption if driven in the same way.
My old Golf 3 ran just as well on biodiesel as it did on regular diesel (195,000 km, un-tuned). However, it noticeably produced less soot when running on biodiesel. This was particularly visible when driving at full speed on the highway in the dark, when someone was driving behind me with their lights on.
The new one hardly produces any soot anymore, so I can't really comment on that.

Since I'm traveling in the flat, northwestern part of Germany, the biodiesel almost always comes from the Konnemann oil mill in Leer (www.biodiesel.de). They are affiliated with a quality assurance organization, so you can probably expect a reliable product from them.

I haven't experienced any engine oil dilution. This might be due to my driving style (average fuel consumption is 6.7 liters).

I will continue to use biodiesel as much as possible because I don't want to support the dirty methods of oil extraction, even though biodiesel isn't as 'bio' as it's claimed to be.
Biodiesel in Oldenburg costs about 12 cents less than regular diesel, so it's still worth it even with a slightly higher fuel consumption.

Has anyone actually used pure rapeseed oil (from Aldi) in a TDI engine? My wife's 1.9D Seat Cordoba ran quite well on , until it was unfortunately destroyed in an accident where someone failed to yield .
So far.
Regards,

Eike.

The "Pumpe Düse" system is working well. I've driven about 60,000 km with it without any issues, but mostly using a mixture with diesel. In winter, I use a smaller percentage of the mixture. However, there are also people who rarely do cold starts and have been running it purely for a long time. I think, though, that frequent cold starts in winter might not be good for it in the long run.
I would strongly advise against Common Rail diesels, as they tend to fail quickly, and the fuel injection system, including the pump, doesn't warm up quickly enough.
I can't say anything about the parts for common rail injection pumps (VP44 and similar models)!

Regards,

Olaf.

Hello.
I don't have a good opinion of biodiesel, perhaps it's due to the quality.
That stuff is so corrosive, it'll damage the hoses, let alone the pump itself.
I've already disassembled a pump before, and it didn't look good at all.
Deposits were visible throughout the pump.
I've been using Aldi diesel fuel since last year!
Of course, not pure, but a mixture of 50% Aldi diesel and 50% regular diesel. I only use diesel when it's too cold, as the oil becomes thicker in cold temperatures.
I've only had good experiences with the Aldi diesel fuel; the car simply has more torque, although this is most noticeable at the top speed.
I drive approximately 4000 km per month, and it pays off to use Aldi's diesel.

Regards, SchwarzerGolf.

regular sunflower oil or other type of oil.

Hi,

At our store, the 'Brölio' oil is the cheapest. It is made from rapeseed oil.

@ black Golf: What kind of deposits does biodiesel cause? Does mold grow in the pump, or are the pump components made of such inferior material that they start to rust? My Golf 3 ran for 142,000 km on biodiesel without any problems.

Regards,

Eike.
[/quote]

I don't know exactly what's in the pumps, but it's almost like a kind of sludge. And that's the problem: If the pump breaks, the whole thing goes to Bosch in warranty cases, and they, unlike VW, offer no biodiesel warranty whatsoever, and they don't even approve the pumps for biodiesel. Ultimately, the customer is the one who's at a disadvantage because they relied on the VW approval .

Hello.
'Inside the pump, there were deposits visible throughout the entire interior, appearing black-yellowish. While VW had approved the use of biodiesel, they also issued warnings about it. In older models, it was possible to have the car converted, but the biodiesel could damage the hoses and seals. The pump was, of course, defective, and there was nothing more that could be done under warranty.'
Since the Golf was already four years old and had 103,000 kilometers on the odometer.
However, I also wrote that it could be due to the quality.
The ADAC (German Automobile Club) had also reported on it, and as far as I remember, they even showed a picture of a pump.
Regarding the Aldi diesel fuel, just to clarify, it's actually vegetable oil.
It doesn't make sense to use biodiesel at all; here in southern Hesse, it costs 75 to 79 cents per liter, while diesel costs 80 to 85 cents.



Regards, SchwarzerGolf.

I have a Golf 4 ALH with 90 hp, manufactured in 1998. Does it already have Common Rail? I've been driving on biodiesel for 20,000 km. Everything seems to be fine now. The filter was changed as standard during the inspection. I don't feel any loss of power when I fill up with biodiesel.

Hello Tortsch...

Common rail??

Your Golf 4 has a turbocharged direct injection diesel engine without a pump-injector system.

Greetings from Lake Constance.

Regarding biodiesel:

The main problem is that there is no standard. There is only a pre-standard that is not legally binding. I believe that the ADAC (German automobile club) has tested various gas stations, and out of approximately 30 stations, only 2 offered biodiesel that met the standard. I see this as the main cause of the problems mentioned.

Because PME has demonstrably better lubricating properties than diesel. Therefore, the lifespan of the pumps is even higher. Furthermore, there are also occasional pump problems when using diesel. However, no one writes about that. It is true that PME has approximately 9% less calorific value than diesel (35/32 MJ/l) due to the 10% oxygen content. However, PME has a 4% higher combustion efficiency (higher cetane number) and enables less friction losses due to better lubrication. This compensates for the lower heating value to some extent, so that, overall, a maximum of 5% more consumption can be expected.

Summer tires are generally suitable for temperatures down to -13°C.

If you don't happen to have a parking heater, you can safely use PME fuel that meets the standard (have proof of supplier), in your TDIs. Unfortunately, this is a bit cumbersome, and the fuel suppliers are now looking to make a lot of money, because a liter of PME fuel normally costs €0.60 including profit .

Since it doesn't offer any ecological benefit either, it essentially achieves nothing. But you do contribute to the beautiful rapeseed fields. And those were a spring highlight again this year!

Hello Varianti,

What do you mean by PME?
Pflanzenölmethylester? Sicherlich ist nicht jder Methylester eines beliebigen Pflanzenöls gleich in seinen Verbrennungs/Schmiereigenschaften. ODo you mean RME?

Best regards, Georg.