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  • interested freelander buyer

    I have been interested in finding out about biodiesel for a while and after attending the recent meeting at the ecoliving centre i'm keen to find out more. I really wanted to boycott petro fuel as much as possible, because it rules the world and wrecks the world, hence my interest in biodiesel. My most recent plan is to get rid of my holden ute and buy a recent, efficient, diesel with dual air bags, (my wife's criteria), so i'm looking at a landrover freelander. I'm keen to here how yours goes Robert, they are well priced at the moment and i'd like to know what the fuel efficiency is like and what types of problems you have had with yours. I also remember you said you get it off 'someone' who makes it, is this to standard, have you had more problems because it is 'backyard'. Should i hold off on my purchase for a while until we know we can get Biodiesel at Rozelle?? or can we get some through other sources??

  • #2
    Hi Shaker,

    Yes, I drive a Freelander, as do a couple of other members here. I bought it because it was the smallest available passenger car on the Australian market that was available in diesel (shame on the Oz car market!). I didn’t really want a 4WD as such, but it was the only option (now VW has brought out a TD4 golf).

    Having said that, I’ve been very happy with the fuel economy. I previously drove a petrol Subaru Liberty 2.5L. My Freelander, although larger uses about 50% of the fuel! Sure, it cannot drag anyone off at the lights, but who wants to do that anyway?

    On a combined city/freeway cycle, I get about 7.5L per 100Kms in the Freelander, or roughly 750Ks per fill (Petro dieslel). I’ve yet to get some biodiesel to test in it, but I will post up full details of this when I do.

    I am in the same boat as you (and probably many others) in that I have actually not yet tried biodiesel, but I’ve been itching to do so for some time, which was the motivation to get this site going.

    Unfortunately, many of the “backyard producers” have gone underground since the ATO’s ruling that making your own biodiesel should be taxed. This means that it is quite unlikely that any of us will find anyone who is willing to admit to making it, so please don’t ask.

    The news of Rozelle having it available from the Bower (see thread in “buying Biodiesel” section) is certainly positive, but we have yet to see this happen. Hopefully Rick will soon give us an update on this. Rest assured, it will be posted here as soon as any news happens.

    The other alternative would be to get it from Rutherford, who are quite happy to supply in 200L min quantities. If enough of us organised ourselves, we could do a collection some time.

    Now, back to the Freelander – I’m very happy with it. It’s not really had any major problems that have really bugged me and has been very reliable. I’ll probably be getting rid of it next year for the new TDi Golf, though.

    I’ve got the workshop manual for it and I’ll be probably adding another fuel filter before I put in my first tank of biodiesel, as this is known to flush out the gunk that the petro diesel leaves in the tank. Apart from that I am sure that it will run on biodiesel quite happily (be it home brewed or commercially bought).
    Robert.
    Site Admin.

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    • #3
      Re: interested freelander buyer

      A couple of people at my work have bought those new diesel golfs and apparently the fuel flap and or book say's "Do not use Bio-Diesel"
      Maybe something to do with the common rail/electronic fuel injection
      HDJ80 (aka Kiwipete)
      Canberra

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      • #4
        Re: interested freelander buyer

        I'd heard from someone who bought the new TDi golf that they recommend the use of biodiesel in the manual

        I guess I'll find out in a couple of months when I go to buy one. My Freelander is common rail and electronic injection, but this should have no bearing on biodiesel. The only time that biodiesel will be a problem is if you have rubber components, or if you use biodiesel that is "out of spec" (too acidic/alkaline, too much crud in it etc. The fact that it is common rail (to the best of my knowledge) should have no bearing on this. I run my common rail Freelander on biodiesel.

        As for VW - I know that in Europe, they are one of the few manufacturers to actually recommend biodiesel as the preferred fuel for their engines. This is a little easier for them there as they have a well established standard and (at least in Germany) it is widely commercially available. It is not hard for them to test that they will perform on fuel that meets spec. In Australia, we do have a spec, but it is a little different to the European one. We have less of a market demand, so they will not want to invest in testing it here (possibly). Also, it is not widely commercially available, so VW would make the assumption that anyone using biodiesel in their Golf would probably be making themselves, therefore not to spec, therefore not tested by VW, therefore potentially dangerous. Of course most of us know that in reality Australian spec biodiesel, in fact any good homebrew would be better in the car than petro diesel, but VW are probably just covering their arse,

        I might approach VW before I buy and formally confirm this with them. Perhaps they might be willing to let me be a tester of some sort for them...
        Robert.
        Site Admin.

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        • #5
          Re: interested freelander buyer

          Hi everyone,
          This is my first post - I've been lurking around for a little while - but the issue of biodiesel, and in this case VW TDI engines and biodiesel is of interest to me. I have had a VW Touareg R5 TDI for about 6 months, and am interested in using Biodiesel. I also live about 40km from the Rutherford plant, but haven't yet been brave enough to front up for 200l.
          VW TDI engines aren't common rail, they use a high-pressure pump at each injector. This (as Robert says) shouldn't be an isue with biodiesel; but there are some limitations shown in my owners manual about using it.
          (The manual is about as big as a street directory, so I haven't looked it up again, but I can find out the details if anyone wants them)
          For example, use of biodiesel is shown as permitted in my engine, but not in the 5.0 litre V10 that is also sold in the Touareg. The issue appears to be a problem with a "particulate filter" that is incorporated in the V10 but not the R5 (2.5 litre, 5 cyl in-line). Having said that, there are V10 users in the USA using bio.
          There are two different TDI engines available for the Golf, so a bit of pre-research is called for.

          Sorry this is a bit of a ramble,
          ..Neil

          VW Touareg R5 TDI

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          • #6
            Re: interested freelander buyer

            Thanks Neil - good info. I'm sure we'd all be interested to know more about exactly what VW say in their manual re biodiesel.
            The particulate filter sounds like it makes sense. If one were hand pumping one's own fuel from a drum, it is far more likely to have particlate matter in it. Perhaps this particular filter on the V10 is harder to change? As you said, this would not stop people using it, probably just a bit of arse covering from VW.
            If you do get any more info on this, please post it in a new thread and I might move this VW part of this thread out of the Freelander thread so people can find it better.
            Re Rutherford - lucky you to live so close. Maybe next time we do a run, you should come along with a jerry can. If you don't want to get 200L, then perhaps one of our users could share with you. Maybe also if we are already buying over 200L (we bought around 2000 last time), they'd be happy to fill a smaller container as part of the same batch. Keep an eye on the Sydney users/buying biodiesel forum and if you see us post up a notification of a run, then "put your hand up".

            Cheers,
            Robert
            Administrator
            Last edited by Robert; 9 January 2006, 10:25 AM.
            Robert.
            Site Admin.

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            • #7
              Re: interested freelander buyer

              There you go! Maybe the owner that told me that little bit of info got it wrong and didn't read the manual properly, instead of don't use BD it said Biodiesel could be used.
              BTW the feed back on those VW's is nothing but spectactular - something like 5litres/100km and go like the clappers.
              HDJ80 (aka Kiwipete)
              Canberra

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              • #8
                Re: interested freelander buyer

                I know it's not as efficient as the Golf, but my R5 Touareg (weighing in at 2500kg!) is typically giving me 8 - 9 l/100km when I get out of town (typical Newcastle - Muswellbrook & rtn = 8.2), and 10 in really bad city driving (short trips, hilly streets).
                ..Neil

                VW Touareg R5 TDI

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: interested freelander buyer

                  If the problem with the toureg's was only the particulate filters, What an easy fix! Bolt in a good filter like a delphi and your sweet!

                  Those V10 touregs are awsome. Unbelievable amounts of tourque and the only 4wd faster is the twin turbo Porche Cayenne. The toureg will still blow 90% of cars off the road and while drag racing may not be your thing, Your sure to have a big smile on your face as you cruise past everyone up the big hills on the freeway with a decent size caravan or boat on the back!

                  I think the greatest thing to get bio going here would be the importation of some of the European hot Oilers like the Vw's, Audis and mercs. A lot of people think that Diesels only come in the S l o w versions and something with a bit of get up and go would bring diesels into a new light and also further the cause of Bio. I can see the street racers brewing up special Hot blends of Bio with methanol added AFTER the bio was washed and Dried.

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