Defender

[Defender Dunc Biofuels Forum Newbie Find all posts View Profile Close Defender Dunc]

Hi Robert
New member here after finding your site. I started looking quite a few years ago into BD and there was a handfull in Australia only doing homebrews nothing commercial at all! its come along way. Im in Epping Sydney and own a 1994 200 Tdi Defender. Can anyone give me feed back on specific problems if any running the defender 2.5 Tdi engine / fuel system on BD. Im also very interested in going into the buying group as im not in a situation to manufacture myself.
cheers
Duncan

[Blknight.aus Biofuels Forum Newbie Find all posts View Profile Close Blknight.aus]

Re: Defender

Mate your landrover will run fine on BD so long as you dont read the little bit in the manual that says "Your engine is not compatable with Bio diesel or alternative fules"

I dont know why the Australian Rover manuals say you cant use alternate fuels when the exact same engines are in the exact same Landrovers in Europe and the get to buy out of the pump BD in blend ratios all the way up to 100%.

Im gunna go ahead and guess here but so long as you dont have any excess water, particulate matter or other crud in your BD other than potentialy requiring more frequent filter changes and bleed outs of the primary sedimentor there shouldnt be any problems.

Dave

[Robert Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Robert]

Re: Defender

Hi Duncan,

Sorry, I completely missed your post last time around and I've only just noticed it now. Dave is completely correct, you will not have problems in your TD5, or in in any modern diesel engine, there are many in the forum here (including myself) to attest to that.
The only thing that you need to give any attention is the possibility that your fuel system will get a nice clean-out, as biodiesel is a great solvent. All that sludge that has been sitting on the bottom of your tank and lining your fuel lines will get washed down to your filter, so just be ready to change a filter or two when you start. Once this has happened, you do not need to worry about it again.
Don't ask Land Rover, they are not well informed on biodiesel here, nor have they done the extensive testing that we all have here in the forum. They (like most manufacturers in Australia) are too busy being scared that users may make bad home brew, then come asking for warranty. They do not seem aware that commercial biodiesel is available and it has an Australian Standard that it is made to which makes sure that it will meet (and in most cases exceed) the same as you would expect from the dirty old petroleum distillate that we are all used to.
Now as for commercial availability, there is some, but it is still mostly tied to large fleet purchases. There is presently limited retail availability at the time of this posting, but check the other threads in this forum on that.
There is a purchasing group, who sporadically buy biodiesel in 200L drums from a commercial supplier, but this is a stop-gap until (hopefully soon) we get some better retail availability happening.
I have a hard time keeping track of who lives where and who wants how much (I don't get paid for doing this, I just make this forum available in the hopes that it will offer a means for everyone to form their own communities by publicly enabling contact).

Cheers,

[darren leonadas Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close darren leonadas]

Re: Defender

There's no end to the disclaimers lawyers will throw onto labels and product documentation these days!!!DONT BELIEVE IT.
The Romans conquered the known world because they could feed their troops with pickled vegetables and preserved meats in clay pots. But today these same preserved foods always have "use by dates" and "refrigerate after opening" disclaimers. I'm quite sure the Romans didn't have the same shipping container size refrigerators and freezers that modern military catering core have today. Disclaimers are not about telling the truth but more about jobs for lawyers.
Has anyone noticed that GMH is promoting the hell out there new Holden Astra Diesel. "It goes further",I would love to know their policy on BD.

[Chris Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chris]

Re: Defender

Has anyone noticed that GMH is promoting the hell out there new Holden Astra Diesel. "It goes further",I would love to know their policy on BD.

Hi Darren
Yes mate it's got a bigger tank that is why it goes further

Their views on BD would most likely be like their views on the Holden that is exported to Brasil

It is made here in Dandenong for E 85 in Brasil E 10 here and that is only very recent

So, we figure out for ourselves just like we do with every other manufacturer as well as importer of motor cars in this country

It is baffling
Cheers
Chris

[Defender Dunc Biofuels Forum Newbie Find all posts View Profile Close Defender Dunc]

Re: Defender

Mate your landrover will run fine on BD so long as you dont read the little bit in the manual that says "Your engine is not compatable with Bio diesel or alternative fules"

I dont know why the Australian Rover manuals say you cant use alternate fuels when the exact same engines are in the exact same Landrovers in Europe and the get to buy out of the pump BD in blend ratios all the way up to 100%.

Im gunna go ahead and guess here but so long as you dont have any excess water, particulate matter or other crud in your BD other than potentialy requiring more frequent filter changes and bleed outs of the primary sedimentor there shouldnt be any problems.

Dave

Thanks for the reply Dave
Ive got a 94 tdi so im changing all the fuel wetted rubber parts to nitrile. Ive sourced already a 450 litres steel fuel tank and 20 gallon plastic drum. I came across a great site in relation to ready made BD mixing / manufacturing systems. Its got some great links that ive found really helpful http://biodieselcommunity.org/
. you probably have it but if not its well worth a look
cheers
Dunc

[Defender Dunc Biofuels Forum Newbie Find all posts View Profile Close Defender Dunc]

Re: Defender

Hi Duncan,

Sorry, I completely missed your post last time around and I've only just noticed it now. Dave is completely correct, you will not have problems in your TD5, or in in any modern diesel engine, there are many in the forum here (including myself) to attest to that.
The only thing that you need to give any attention is the possibility that your fuel system will get a nice clean-out, as biodiesel is a great solvent. All that sludge that has been sitting on the bottom of your tank and lining your fuel lines will get washed down to your filter, so just be ready to change a filter or two when you start. Once this has happened, you do not need to worry about it again.
Don't ask Land Rover, they are not well informed on biodiesel here, nor have they done the extensive testing that we all have here in the forum. They (like most manufacturers in Australia) are too busy being scared that users may make bad home brew, then come asking for warranty. They do not seem aware that commercial biodiesel is available and it has an Australian Standard that it is made to which makes sure that it will meet (and in most cases exceed) the same as you would expect from the dirty old petroleum distillate that we are all used to.
Now as for commercial availability, there is some, but it is still mostly tied to large fleet purchases. There is presently limited retail availability at the time of this posting, but check the other threads in this forum on that.
There is a purchasing group, who sporadically buy biodiesel in 200L drums from a commercial supplier, but this is a stop-gap until (hopefully soon) we get some better retail availability happening.
I have a hard time keeping track of who lives where and who wants how much (I don't get paid for doing this, I just make this forum available in the hopes that it will offer a means for everyone to form their own communities by publicly enabling contact).

Cheers,

Thanks for the reply
Ive got some gear already and a 450 litre holding tank with gravity fed bowser handle, so im off and ready for the first batch....
cheers
Dunc

[tin_scratcher Biofuels Forum Newbie Find all posts View Profile Close tin_scratcher]

Re: Defender

i have a '93 defender with the same engine. would love to start using bio-diesel. is there any special changes you have to make to accept bio-diesel to the tdi engine? i guess it is there already discussed in the forum. i'm quite new here, but i'd love to get a tank of bio diesel when i can.

cheers

[Cameron Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Cameron]

Re: Defender

Hi tin scratcher,
I am in your local area - very local it would seem.

We can catch up if you like. Send me a private mail. I am running a 300tdi defnder - you can check out my story if you search the very early posts of the forum.

I wonder how many other biodiesel users are close to us? I can see it now - Cremorne Biofuel Users Group ....

Regards,
Cameron

[Peter Donating Member Find all posts View Profile Close Peter]

Re: Defender

Hi tin scratcher and Cameron,

I wonder how many other biodiesel users are close to us?

Is Northbridge close enough?

I hope to make it to the picnic on Sunday, hope to meet you there. I'll most probably be the only person with a non-diesel vehicle. The boat doesn't quite lend itself to picnics in parks, but Bantry Bay on a summers day is another matter!

[Cameron Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Cameron]

Re: Defender

Hi Peter,
Close enough for me!

OK so the name Cremorne Biofuel Users Group won't be relevant ...

See you at the BBQ and we can chat more then. I will most likely be either driving a defender or the BBQ but probably not both at the same time.

Cheers,
cameron