Biodiessel and High pressure injection engines

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

Hello, can anyone adivse me on using biodiesel in the long term with an HPI engine? I know that it says there can be problems long term, but is this true? I drive an Iveco daily, any other drivers experienced this?

[Robert Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Robert]

Re: Biodiessel and High pressure injection engines

Hi Camila,

I can't speak for your exact engine, but I can say that if you use Australian Spec biodiesel, you will not have problems in a modern engine. In older engines, they used components made from nitrile rubber (hoses, gaskets etc). Most engine manufacturers since the mid 1990s have been using synthetic rubber components, as Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel that we use now can react with the nitrile rubber and cause it to shrink. Biodiesel also reacts with the nitrile rubber and causes it to swell. Either way, if it is a reasonably new vehicle (<10 years old), there should be no issues. If there were issues, you'd also be experiencing them from the normal petro-diesel you'd buy at the pump.
I'd be reasonably sure that Iveco have done no tests locally on Australian Spec biodiesel in their engines, so will simply err on the side of caution and warn you away from using it. Fortunately, you are slightly more educated and have actually bothered to investigate this properly