Any Real Facts About Biodiesel and Mercedes?

[GeoDoc]

Does anyone know of a MB Sprinter actually being damaged by biodiesel?

Does anyone know of MB denying or resisting a warranty claim because of biodiesel?

These are important questions that were raised but not answered in a previous discussion here...http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...el-164371.html

I don't think that I am unnecessarily using bandwidth or ink by pushing these questions as stand alones.

[RockeyD]

I've owned an OM642 MB diesel powered vehicle for over 10 years. I ran B20 in it for many years except in the winter months without any issues. However, I used 5w40 oil and did oil changes every 5k because of potential issues the biodiesel can cause with oil.

If you use B20 I would not exceed 5k mile oil change intervals and try to use the thickest MB spec oil you can find.

My Ford 6.7L engine allows B20 use but requires 5w40 oil if it is used.

My previous Cummins allowed B20 but required shortened oil change intervals above B5 use.

Bottom line, I don't think B5-B20 is going to hurt anything other then the life of your oil but I don't believe in 20k mile oil change intervals anyway.

[GeoDoc]

I agree with what you are doing. I will do the same but I still wonder if there is any real life evidence to support the claims of actual harm to the engine.

Can anyone provide a link to proof of this?

[RockeyD]

There is only harm to the engine if biodiesel blowby polymerizes the oil.

My last 7 vehicles have been diesel powered. I was once a member of a bio diesel co-op and ran my VW TDI's on B100 for years without any engine issues.

[raptor]

I'm agreeing with RockeyD. Services dept told me to use any diesel on the road just make sure my first choice is low sulfur diesel.

[DDC]

I got into this with VW and it’s not so much engine damage as it is the emission system, it causes premature failure was what they told me.

[OREddie]

On our most recent trip we stopped at our nearest Safeway station and found they had switched to B20. Staff, and I, were reluctant to fill because our 2017 MBS has a label for B5 only.

We found several stations on our trip from central Oregon to Half Moon Bay, including Arco, that only had B20 so we made more stops searching for straight up low sulfur diesel than usual for this route.

I hope we can get more guidance, ie mixing half a tank of low sulfur with B20 makes it B10 or B20 is ok with more frequent oil changes.

Ed

[RockeyD]

Originally Posted by DDC

I got into this with VW and it’s not so much engine damage as it is the emission system, it causes premature failure was what they told me.

B20 and higher blends do not burn as hot during a regeneration as straight diesel. This may lead to incomplete DPF regenerations which over time can be bad for the DPF. In my Ford with the 6.7L diesel, I did not find that B20 affected my DPF's regeneration...still took it down to 20% after driving 30 minutes on the highway at 70mph. However, I did gain about 50 miles extra before a regen occured with B20 because it doesn't produce as much soot as straight diesel.