Biodiesel..?

Question

any bad points on biodiesel?

Answer 1

NONE that I have found?

I put some in my car yesterday for the first time, and is goes a lot better and quieter.

Answer 2

Biodiesel is one of the better alternative fuels.  In the U.S. most biodiesel is made with soybeans which is not the highest yielding crop to make biodiesel from.  From a car standpoint you have to replace rubber hoses and gaskets as the biodiesel is a solvent that breaks these componenets down.  This is only the case for older engines pre-1994.  Many manufacturers only recommend 5 or 10% biodiesel blends (B5 or B10) be used in their car so it may affect warranties.  Finally, biodiesel may increase nitrous oxide emissions (NOx) which is an air pollutant.

Answer 3

I would be vary cautious about biodiesel.

Firstly it would promote monoculture and reduce arable land for food production or grazing.

One of the arguments heard saying that 70% of agriculture before petrol was for transport (can't remember the reference) forget to mention that there was more green open space, so more land to grow on.

I would also be concerned that biodiesel being used to promote genetically modified organisms under the banner "But its Good for the Environment".

Answer 4

Biodiesel..?

any bad points on biodiesel?

Yes, just think about if everyone wanted biodiesel. What are you going to do, grow corn literally everywhere, no, I don't think so.

What's wrong with regular Diesel? No matter what you do to a gasoline car, it's diesel counterpart will always get much better mpg no matter what.  No matter how much those greedy b******s jack up the Diesel prices, Diesel fuel will always cost twice as less $ to make as regular gasoline AND will get almost twice the MPG as regular gasoline!

Answer 5

no where to fill up your car, theres practically hardly any bio stations in the UK as yet.

growing bio-fuels uses up land that could be used to produce food, this will perhaps increase the price of food, oh wait i'm a farmer this is good, oh wait the supermarkets always cream off all the profits - bad.

Answer 6

It will gel at low temperatures. So it cannot be used in pure form in winter.

Answer 7

This is going to bang up food prices and people in the third world will suffer.

Answer 8

B100 biodiesel is a very good cleaner, so be very careful running it in an older engine, best used in a new engine.

Answer 9

i have no idea if this is true but i believe john stossel reported that if all the available farmland in US was used to produce crops for bio-diesel it would only be enough for 15% of what the US consumes... if so, does not seem very viable.

Answer 10

Bad points, just a few:

You may need to change fuel hoses on older cars.

It will gel at low temperatures if not mixed with regular diesel.  

When you first change over you'll plug a fuel filter as it cleans out your fuel tank.

If you use home made (fry oil) it could rust stuff if not made right.

I use virgin soy oil and have not had any problems other than fuel lines and filters.  I have used it about 4 years now and like it.

And you don't have to change the engine or fuel system at all.

Answer 11

No problem providing your vehicles manufacturer says its OK to run on bio..... One possible bad point, exhaust smells like chip shop..... Cheers, Gizz.

Answer 12

Several. 1. It is still using petroleum to make part of the mixture.   2.  Mpg not quite as good as regular diesel. 3.  You need a specially built engine and fuel system.  4.  If you mean to use pure vegetable oil as fuel, to be really "green", then you have to keep the fuel warm or it will congeal in cold weather.  5.  Diesel is internal combustion, which means incomplete combustion and pollution.  

On the other hand burning any fuel as an open flame produces very little pollution, which is why using a steam powered generator in a plug-in electric vehicle is much more efficient, cleaner, uses less fuel and has the convenience of a standard vehicle.