US Biodiesel questions

[MarkMorissette]

I've never seen any grade of Biodiesel available anywhere here in Canada so I've zero experience with it, but half of our vacation this summer is through the USA so I expect to see it on occasion.

Based on my searches of the 6.5TD forum it seems acceptable to use biodiesel in my 97 6.5TD, correct?

- Is there any "grades" or anything that I should watch for, and any to avoid, or is it all pretty much the same at the pump level?

- Should I run more lubricant, less, or the same when running Biodiesel?

- Is there any savings versus regular #2 diesel at the pump price level?

- Will it effect my MPG? Positive/Negative?

- Is it widely available, and if so, where am I more likely to find it - at truckstops or regular fuel stations? I often fuel up at truckstops instead of regular stations when possible as my trailer is >12' tall and I'm fairly long, but I would be willing to wedge myself into a regular gas station to fuel up if it's beneficial from a price/MPG standpoint.

Thanks

[javadog]

I have a 97 6.5 and have run a ton of biodiesel through it with no ill effects. In the hot summer months there will be B99 available which I have used with no problems. With the increased lubricity of biodiesel I have not used any sort of additives. Here is a website which has a ton of info and will even tell you where to get it: biodieselnow.com . The sad thing is that it runs higher in cost that petro diesel. I have challenged the local producer here and their explanation is that their selling price is tied to their feedstock cost. I do not believe this is the entire story.
Also, it is said that due to the higher detergency of bio, it is possible for your fuel filter to
clog up if your engine is old with a lot of sludge and deposits in your fuel system. An early
symptom of this is hesitation and struggling during hard acceleration. You might want to carry a
spare fuel filter with you just in case there is a problem. Some older fuel lines and
rubber seals can be degraded by bio. You can get all the details at that site and elsewhere on the internet.