Biodiesel (or bio-diesel) is a diesel that is produced from vegetable oils rather than petroleum oil. To create the biodiesel, it must be processed using methanol. The biodiesel can then be used in virtually any diesel engine without any modifications.
Common sources of vegetable oil include canola, corn and waste vegetable oil.
Biodiesel is usually sold as a blend with regular diesel. For example B5 is 5% biodiesel, 95% conventional diesel.
Reference information on biodiesel
Most diesel engines can run on biodiesel without any significant problems.
Biodiesel is a mild solvent, and therefore it could release some of the build up inside your engine which may cause some clogging of filters.
However, many car manufacturers have been slow to approve the use of any biodiesel blends over B5. There have been reports of car manufacturers denying warranty claims for failures of the fuel system (such as fuel pumps) where biodiesel has been used.
Volkswagen is the only maker currently making diesel passenger cars for the Canadian market. Therefore, if you are looking for a new car to burn your biodiesel in, VW is the only manufacturer available.
VW only approves of the use of B5 Biodiesel in the TDI vehicles.
For more information see:
http://www.vw.com/vwcom/content/objects/pdf/service_maint/BIODIESEL_ENG.pdf
Dodge has produced some vehicles with Cummins diesel engines for the Canadian market.
Cummins and DaimlerChrysler have recommended that diesel concentrations of up to 5% (B5) should not cause any problems.
For the 2007 model Dodge has approved diesel of up to 20% (B20) for government customers. It is not yet clear if this warranty approval will extend to the general public.
Some background:
http://www.cummins.com/na/pages/en/customerassistance/faq/answers.cfm?uuid=000947AD-64AE-1B8D-BCF080C4A8F00000
http://www.biodiesel.org/resources/pressreleases/fle/20060123_DCXapprovesB20inDodgeRam.pdf
Jeep has been making a diesel Jeep Liberty since __.
DaimlerChrysler approves of Biodiesel of up to B5 in the Jeep Liberty and the vehicles are factory filled with B5 Biodiesel.
4Refuel supplies biodiesel fuel to municipal and commercial fleets across Canada.