Biofuel suspected in probe into diesel breakdowns

[neisel]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25321913

 11 December 2013 Last updated at 11:08

Biofuel suspected in probe into diesel breakdowns

A measure intended to make diesel cleaner is being investigated as a possible cause of car breakdowns.

Fuel suppliers have to add biofuel to road fuels under the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO).

Radio 4's You and Yours found that this mix is being investigated after an increase in clogged diesel filters.

The Department for Transport said Transport Minister Baroness Kramer had asked the industry to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

Diesel cars which have been affected suffer a sudden loss of power. Mechanics report the fuel filter has been clogged by a "waxing" of the fuel, similar to the effect of olive oil clouding in a bottle.

The RAC said a small number of incidents happened last winter and the problem disappeared over summer, but in November it attended 600 incidents of blocked fuel filters.

Their data suggested the breakdowns were more prevalent in eastern parts of England and Scotland, with the greatest concentration in the North East, but other parts of the country are affected.

Oxfordshire-based Jon Harvey lost power in his Citroen C3 VTR while overtaking on a dual carriageway.

He said: "I put my foot on the accelerator and it suddenly cut out.

"The mechanic said it looks like your fuel filter has got clogged and we're going to have to replace it - it cost me £160 to fix."

Major industry bodies - the UK Petroleum Industry Association (UKPIA), the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) and the Downstream Fuel Association - have all been involved in an investigation with the British Standards Institution.

David Bizley, technical director of the RAC, said the area receiving the closest scrutiny was the biofuel content of diesel, simply because the minimum amount included in diesel had been rising, and it was the newest element in a product which had worked well for so long.

He added: "Specifications have been further tightened since the problem was first reported, but it's clear that we still don't fully understand all aspects of the underlying cause."

The UKPIA represents nine oil refining and marketing companies operating in the UK.

It said it was aware of the reported problems and that the investigation being carried out with other industry bodies was all-encompassing and would continue until the cause was determined.

[Tony]

This comes as no surprise to us regulars 

But wow, £160 for a fuel filter...

In some ways biodiesel bad press is good for us, less have-a-go-ers after oil.

I wonder how many clogged filters were due to oil and diesel blends rather than biodiesel?

[greasemonkey]

Something doesn't quite add up. It should only be a few % bio in the mix, no where near enough to cause a filter to block through gelling. I wonder how many thought they'd stick some veg in on the sly, and didn't want to admit it?
Either that, or the fuel cos have cut back on the winteriser, and pushed things a bit to far. Who knows?

And why change the fuel filter if it's gelling, either it's got warmer and the gell has melted by the time the mechanic takes it off, or it's just going to gell straight after. It sounds more like there is sludge coming from somewhere.

[Rotary-Motion]

I don't change fuel filters no more

not since i found my sausage filter, I still say it there in many cars and both mine, the ol 406 has done 1000's and 1000's of miles now

  not heard a problem till this day

and im on thicker veg not thin bio

doesn't methanol strip fuel systems of crap when first introduced and I guess it all ends up in the filter,

[nathanrobo]

The wax (often referred to on here as HMPE's) has been well discussed on here... my guess is that we may well have a better understanding of it than some of the commercial co's. 

The waxes form below certain temperatures (feedstock related) and can sit in finely distributed suspension or just settle out to the bottom of the tank.  In their concentrated form they don't melt as room temperature. 

High Compression on the other side mentioned some time back that in the winter he plant settle fuel for some time in the cold before filtering again.  I guess if the bio is made at mild temps then takes a while to go through the supply chain, gets blended with derv and finds it's way to customers cars when the temperature has dropped - it could explain what is going on.  I don't think derv or necessarily winteriser prevents it forming although Keith did identify a winteriser that stopped HMPE's forming - whether that's all HMPE's or those specific to the fuel samples he had (feedstock related), I'm not sure.

It's also possible that qualities and processes vary greatly by bioD producer unlike derv producers.

[whatarascal]

Hooray
lets hope they ban the addition of biodiesel into petro chemical stuff

[K.H]

I don't change fuel filters no more

not since i found my sausage filter, I still say it there in many cars and both mine, the ol 406 has done 1000's and 1000's of miles now

Would a less filtered fuel have anything to do with your high turnover of glow plugs?

[Julian]

It certainly sounds like the substance formally known as HMPEs.  If it is, just changing the filter isn't the complete solution, you still have the stuff floating about in the tank.

Our big advantage is that we have complete control over our fuel.  Buying from the dreaded pump, you have no idea of the %age of bio in the fuel, nor its quality, although I suspect it will be well tested if sold by one of the major seller.  Tht said I wonder if they do any cold weather testing ... would be interesting to find out.

I'm starting to worry now.   Last winter and this, we've run the Golf on dino exactly because of the HPME problem.  I'm wondering now if I shouldn't employ our redundant freezer to build a cold filtering set up or stick a heated filter on the car.

 

[Jamesrl]

I've seen some of the so called bio sent for blending and what it was made out of, l'm surprised this hasn't happened before.

Not shocked at all.

[nigelb]

Hooray
lets hope they ban the addition of biodiesel into petro chemical stuff

I can't see any sort of ban or restriction on the use of biodiesel in forecourt fuel coming anytime soon. Not only is there the RTFO to consider but also the biodiesel is the replacement lubricant in DERV now that the sulphur has all but been removed.

[Jamesrl]

I cant see any sort of ban or restriction on the use of biodiesel in foercourt fuel coming anytime soon. Not only is there the RTFO to conssider but also the biodisel is the replacement lubricant in diesel now that sulphur has all but been removed.

So true, but most peeps don't know that, the lub bit that is.

[Head Womble]

I'd like to bet that the commercial suppliers use the cheapest feedstock ie. palm / solids / semi solids for the fuel that is mixed with dino, on the assumption that the dino will keep it liquid.
They can then keep the good liquid stuff for themselves.

[Jamesrl]

I'd like to bet that the commercial suppliers use the cheapest feedstock ie. palm / solids / semi solids for the fuel that is mixed with dino, on the assumption that the dino will keep it liquid.
They can then keep the good liquid stuff for themselves.

You just don't know how right you are,  made from all the crap, whites, palm, wet sludge anything.

The stuff I tested was only 65-70% bio.

[Julian]

The stuff I tested was only 65-70% bio.

Oooo ... my bio's up to commercial standards then.

[Head Womble]

The stuff I tested was only 65-70% bio.

Oooo ... my bio's up to commercial standards then.

No it's not, Jim hasn't told the whole story, it may only have 65 to 70% conversion but it has no soap.