Re: Bio Diesel
Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 103779
We just finished an 11 state 5 month trip, that took us thru Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota - the first tank of fuel in Kansas, was 20% ethanol. Same in Nebraska and in Sioux Falls area of South Dakota. Topped off in Rapid City, about 1/2 a tank, with 5% ethanol. Then dropping into Cody, we filled up with 20% ethanol again. This was over a period of about three weeks.
We had combinations of hot humid days in Sioux Falls, and then periods of moderately warm days and cold nights when we go to Cody - with variations in between.
Our HydroHot was acting up, and as I was working my way thru this, some asked if I had made recent dramatic changes to fuel. When I mentioned all of the tanks with ethanol in the mix, over such a short period, their first thought was that the ethanol had 'cleaned the tanks/fuel lines'. Which probably partially clogged the small fuel filter on the HydroHot. When I mentioned the moderately warm (mid 70's in the day), and cold (low 30's overnight), as well as a tank only half full - the high probability of condensation build up too.
An inspection of the fuel drained from the primary fuel filter, indicated what looked to me as the start of algae. (Certainly was different looking then anything I had seen before. Not the heavy signs of full blown algae, the black little globs that I'd read about form others.)
Went into town, bought a Power Services Diesel Kleen product to handle both moisture and algae. I shocked/spiked (believe that was the buzzword) the tank, which was still half full. Waited 24 hours, started the engine, the generator and the HydroHot and let them run for 20 minutes. Stopped the engine, changed the primary and secondary fuel filters. Drove 20 miles into town, now outside of Jackson Hole, and topped off the tank, again shocking/spiking the tank. No notification of ethanol at the pump, and the attendant said that they did not know if the diesel included ethanol or not. Back to the campground, and I changed the generator and HrdoHot fuel filters. And, I still had two primary and one secondary fuel filters in my bays for the engine. Just in case they were needed.
I feel I dodged the bullet on a possible fuel starvation shutdown while traveling, while on the mountain roads of this region.
And, I now know to watch and try to avoid and certainly minimize the ethanol while buying fuel.
I hear that a benefit of biodiesel is extra lubricity. But I run Optilube Summer Blend in each tank as it is.
Understand the lobbying by the farmers made this a mandatory part of our lives. And sad, especially in the drought regions of the US, including California, that I believe I read 19 gallons of water was required to process 1 gallon of ethanol. And of course, feed for livestock has gone up as well, due to supply and demand.
But sure not surprised, after the billions of dollars of impact to the US economy of doing a 'hard cutover' to ULSD, vs the recommended 15 year cutover of offering both ULSD and Type 2 diesel to support the hundreds of millions diesel engines on the road. Less MPG, so more money out of pocket, and less available to spend elsewhere in the economy. And, loss of lives when fuel lines to generators and or Aqua/Hydro Hots started to leak due to the ULSD not being compatible with the hose compounds. So who would care about ethanol additive impacting us once again, and yep, less MPG again.
Change is not something to be feared. Reasonably applied changes should be embraced. But arbitrary and mandatory abrupt change - should be a last resort.
Long winded response, to say that I did have problems with my first known exposure to multiple tanks of ethonol added to diesel.
Best to all,
Smitty
04 Allure 31017
Topic: Bio Diesel (Read 1106 times)
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