Here are the pros and cons of using regular diesel in a biodiesel truck. It is also known as B100, the pure biodiesel. The “B” represents the name of biodiesel. The numbers show how much percent of biodiesel used in the fuel mixture.
Can You Use Regular Diesel in a Biodiesel Truck? Yes, you can use regular diesel in a biodiesel truck. Every diesel truck can use regular diesel and biodiesel mutually. Regular diesel is also present in combination form with biodiesel sold in B20 (20% biodiesel-80% diesel) and B5(5% biodiesel-95%diesel) forms.
Can You Use Regular Diesel in a Biodiesel Truck?
There are distinct kinds of petroleum fuels used in every truck. The biodiesels are the most advanced and preferred fuel type.
Biodiesel is the modified form of diesel oil. It is the most advanced fuel type that can easily recycle from plant sources, animal sources, cooking oils, and soya bean oils. It must meet the legal standards of fuels used in trucks.
Specifications of biodiesel
- It is biodegradable and burns cleaner than any other petroleum fuel.
- It can increase the cetane number and fuel will be better. It helps the truck engine to starts immediately without any delay and increases its lubricity.
- You can use this for all engines without doing any modification to it.
- You can use the pure form of biodiesel is making lower blends with regular diesel but not in the transportation of vehicles.
- There are hundreds of benefits i-e due to its lubricating ability. It increases the life of engines by protecting the parts of the engine from wearing out.
- Biodiesel disposes of the waste deposits that accumulate in the fuel tank because it acts as a solvent. Initially, it causes clogging of fuel filters, injectors, and other fuel tank parts after sometimes you do not need to change your fuel filters regularly.
- All truck engines can use both fuels considerably. There is no negative impact on efficacy by using any of it i-e regular diesel or biodiesel.
What is a biodiesel truck?
All new models of trucks can easily use biodiesel without changing their engines. All trucks running on roads can use B5.
The newly made truck can use up to B20, i-e 20% biodiesel with 80% other petroleum fuel change. This percentage of biodiesel increases with time.
Things to consider before changing the fuel
You need to carefully analyze varied factors before changing the fuel of the truck.
Compatibility with materials
Fuel system designers perform different laboratory tests to check the compatibility of fuel with the material used in the making of the fuel tank system.
The fuel composition change in the vehicle fuel system without testing results in many problems. In metallic components of the fuel system, gaskets, the oil filters, O-rings, and the seals.
Effect of fuel with the metals of tank
You need to analyze diesel and its effect on the metallic interior of fuel tank copper, brass, aluminum, steel, etc.
The fuel tank made of copper and copper-like material like brass, bronze shows extreme corrosion when the fuel changes in them without testing. Copper shows gum formation with biodiesel.
Zinc and its alloys are highly inappropriate with biodiesels. Steel and aluminum represent a high of acid formations that wear out distinct parts of the fuel system.
Dilution of oil
The term dilution of oil uses to describe the increasing amount of it in the engines. The dilution occurs due to the entry of fuel into the oil engine.
Most of this problem happens in diesel vehicles during post-injection of it. To clean out the filters and other chambers of the fuel system.
Some diesel particles perform the function of cleaning and emit out in the form of gases. The small amount of diesel sticks to the walls of chambers and enters the engine, where it dilutes the oil, lubricates it, and affects the capacity and functionality.
Deterioration of equipment of fuel injectors
Any problem associated with fuel injectors and fuel filters affects the engine activity. Clogged fuel injectors are shown through ignition coil sparking and plugs sparking.
The probable reason is the running of old fuel in the engine that sticks with the filter and injector basket. The fully clogged fuel injectors need to remove and cleaned efficiently.
Effects of emission control system
Emission after treatment systems installed in some vehicles is negatively affected due to changing of fuel in the fuel system results in increase engine emission.
Drawbacks of using regular diesel over biodiesel
There are some drawbacks of regular diesel in vehicles, why biodiesel is the most preferred fuel.
The first crucial factor is that regular diesel emits more gases and wastes during combustion than biodiesels. The biodiesel emits approximately 10-12% less carbon monoxide and 9-11% fewer wastes than regular diesel.
Regular diesel emits sulfur and carcinogenic benzene, nitrogenous compounds during combustion. But biodiesel is bio-friendly does not have any sulfur in it. The no sulfur production during combustion helps in preserving the environment from pollution. Therefore, biodiesel is also known as eco-friendly.
The emission of harmful chemicals in biodiesel is less than regular diesel. The new models of vehicles have engines that can use both fuels preferably.
Biodiesel can provide more lubricity or slipperiness to the engine than regular petroleum oil.
Regular diesel contains less oxygen content. Biodiesel comprises more oxygen content 11-14% than other diesel fuels.
Biodiesel can act as chemically active solvents, react readily with other compounds than any other fuel. Biodiesel saves to blend with petroleum fuels as compared to regular diesel.
Need to change the engine of the vehicle or not?
There is no need to change your engine for using regular diesel in a biodiesel tank because the biodiesel adds with regular diesel in blended form.
But trucks before 1993 needs to replace the rubber fuel line before using their fuel. In new trucks, a diesel particulate filter is present in which both petroleum fuel can use. But this filter creates oil/fuel dilution. So, if you are using regular diesel, you need to change it daily.
If you are using biodiesel, you need to change it after every 2700 miles and check your fuel level conventionally.
Some disadvantages of biodiesels over regular diesel
Regular diesel is available in excellent and reliable quality. The quality can change from source to source and from place to place.
Variation of quality is exceptionally low. Biodiesel production on a small level is not of excellent quality.
The quality of biodiesel increases a lot of performance problems in the engines of the trucks.
Bio-diesel tends to thick easily due to lower temperatures. This thickening is a concern in many colder areas, the reason why it is present in blended form.
Related Articles:
Can you use Kerosene in your diesel truck?
How to jump-start a diesel truck with 2 batteries?