Bio fuel in Volvo engines

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sealine

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HI

With the cost of the fuel now set to rise, I like others, will be looking at the possibility of using bio fuel, but will it be ok in the volvo engines? I have KAD 32 engines and a friend has D6 engines. has anyone asked the question to volvo.

Funny thing is some say they will full up cans from supermarkets, I have been told that TESCO have been selling bio fuel for awhile now? dont know if that is true.
any comments on this?
 
The problem I see is filling and quantity.

Most marinas forbid fueling on the pontoons and we need such large quantities it would be a real pain carrying it to the boat and trying to get it in without spilling it.
 
Or vegetable oil kit...

Put them on diesel road cars with no discernable difference in performance and the cost is not too bad at all.
 
BioDiesel <> Vegetable Oil

Vegetable Oil + processing = 100%BioDiesel

Vegetable Oil + Volvo S60 without some sort of kit = some very strange and expensive noises.

What you get at the pumps as biofuel is something like 5% biodiesel, rest is mineral.
 
BD100 made from the right base oil should not need any additional kit in the UK climate.

Non processed veg oil, or BD100 made from palm oil or animal products will need pre heating in cold weather.

I have asked Volvo the question and the answer quite predictably was "we only recommend BD5 be used in marine diesel engines"

This is interesting as on the continent you can now buy some Volvo cars with a warrenty that includes running it on BD100.
 
I'm seriously considering converting the garage into a refinery.

Main hurdle I can see is how would I get 250L of the finished product actually into the boat? Fairly sure that marina regs forbid refuelling other than at the refuelling berth.

dv.
 
Bio diesel and veg oil are not the same thing. The veg oil conversion kits have a couple of valves and a heat exchanger and loom and electronic controller to control the system. The engine starts on diesel and switches to veg oil when up to operating temperature.

If my boat was a diesel I would have fitted by now without any doubt!
 
If I am reading the HMRC stuff correctly you can make 2500 litres of biofuel per year without any duty. The materials to make the stuff are about 20p per litre plus your veg oil, Kits cost from £2.8K.
Think we are going to give it a go before the tax come in.
 
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Kits cost from £2.8K.


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At risk of sounding like someone in the old "you can buy a lot of petrol for the extra cost of a diesel boat" argument the cost of home brew biodiesel gear does rather reignite that one, or is a cheaper variant possible? I know it's been done in dustbins and so forth but I'm uncertain that a quality product would ensue..
 
It is something I have been wondering as well. A neat all in one producer come pump costs around £2000. Each litre of proper bio derv costs about £0.70 depending on how much you pay for the oil (this price includes all the other chemicals and leccy but not your time).

So as I see it you are saving £0.50 per litre over the cost of red at the pumps next year. That means to get your £2000 back you have to use 4000 litres of diesel. I guess for those on here with big kit like Squaddies it may be viable, I reckon I will use around 1600 litres in an average season, so it will take me 2 and a half years to get my money back.

Of course, the kit may well be worth something after that time but it is probably safer to write it off. Of course, my car and SWMBOs car is diesel, so add that fuel into the mix and maybe justify it that way???
 
My thoughts as well, for the savings to be had, & the inconvenience of getting the stuff to the boat I don't think I will be going down that road, which is a shame environmentally speaking. We will just have to minimize the impact as best we can. IMHO. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
I would go the DIY way to save some dosh, do my imposed from above bit that may or may not save the planet that may or may not need saving and to stick two fingers up at the t0ssers in Whitehall and Brussels.

But if I go to the bank for a loan for £2K to make fuel they will probably giggle at me and call for a couple of doctors to sign the forms.
 
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