2010 VW Golf TDI: Clean Diesel FTW!

Biodiesel that is certified to ATSM standard performs equal to or better than petroleum in any application.

The US Navy is currently conducting extensive field testing of biodiesel, and gearing up to convert the entire fleet, ground vehicles, and aircraft to biodiesel and jet fuel in conjunction with Solazyme. The fuels have received federal testing certifications, and are now being supplied for field testing to identify any problems and make changes in procedure and maintainence policy where needed.

Solazyme is currently building the first production facility to produce 20 million gallons of biodiesel per year in Pennsylvania. Plans are to expand the facility to 100 million g/yr and establish other production facilities once full integration is implemented. Implementation will take place by increasing the % mix of bio to petroleum over time.

Diesels can run on biodiesel with no engine modifications. If they have been running on petroleum diesel only, they need an initial break in period running on low % biodiesel to clean the fuel lines. Biodiesel has better solvent properties than petroleum, and cleans out sludge and varnishes left behind by petroleum. Introducing bio slowly over a few tank fulls removes the petroleum deposits gradually so they don't clog up the lines.

The new ULSD(ultra low sulphur diesel) now required by EPA since last October is actually 2% biodiesel. if you remove sulphur from petroleum diesel, it does not have enough lubrication quality and would quickly destroy the fuel injectors and engine. So, a new car that has only used ULSD diesel may not even need the break in period.

Otherwise, diesels can use biodiesel with no modification---it is what they were originally designed to use. Rudolf Diesel's first engine ran on peanut oil.

Manufacturer spec for the % of biodiesel is limited in the 2010 diesels that meet the Tier 2 Bin 5 emission standards.

VW recommends B5 max for the Golf. The new Ford 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8, on the other hand, is designed to run up to a B20 blend. If you run a higher blend and have problems with the new emissions equipment, you run the risk of not being covered by warranty.

I know about Bio/svo/wvo... I drive an 500D benz that I converted. It works for me. this car would be to nice to convert.

VW also makes a gasoline/compressed natural gas bi-fuel version that is on sale in Europe and has been for some time now, two years I think.

Natural gas has a comparative octane rating of ~120 which would make it a perfect match for the diesel's high compression ratio(which is what gives diesel's their high efficiency)---and since methane is already a gas it would avoid the cold start up problems that diesels have always had, just start up and drive till the engine warms up on CNG, then switch to liquid fuel if necessary. The factory installed system avoids the problem of where to put the CNG tanks with after market conversions. And running on CNG is ultra low emission. And it costs about 1/2 to drive the same distance using CNG than it does using petroleum.

Seems like a perfect match to me for an environmentally friendly vehicle. Powerful, economical, efficient, clean, renewable(compressed natural gas is both a fossil fuel and a biofuel). And no batteries needed.

MPGomatic----yes, the problem with biodiesel is not that we can't make it superior to petroleum fuel, the problem is catching up production and distribution to demand, and standardizing what is being offered for sale. The manufacturers don't want to guarantee vehicles that use fuels that haven't been tested to meet ATSM standards. I can't say I blame them there.

Thats nice and all but I can get grease in any town.. and diners are happy to give it away...