I'm at the gas pump. I'm filling up Diesel #2 from the green handle.

I see an ORANGE sticker that indicates 90% Biomass-Based Diesel.

I understand that BLUE label "Biodiesel" is garbage.

What about the ORANGE sticker Biomass-based Diesel? It doesn't say R99 (R99 is Renewable Diesel, which is chemically identical to Petro Diesel), but is this orange sticker biomass-based diesel OK to use?


Further note: the "small print" on the label says "contains more than 20% biomass-based diesel or biodiesel". That's an FTC requirement, which I take to understand to simply mean "contains less than 80% petro diesel" but can't actually say that because people are stupid and can't do math. Although the small print says may contain biodiesel, I believe if the biodiesel exceeds 5%, they'd need the blue label to disclose biodiesel.

It is also known as renewable diesel - not made from petroleum. Usually has a higher cetane level that the petro-diesel. I've been watching it over the last couple of years.

https://www.neste.us/neste-my-...sel/industries/other

What are the prices on each? Around here we have regular diesel. Around $4/gallon

The Orange sticker Diesel was $5.70 this morning. It's a Shell station.

The Costco around here which carried B5 Biodiesel blend no longer carries diesel, so I haven't really seen "regular" or "near-regular" diesel around.

Depending on what you are driving it may not like any sort of biodiesel. Recent ford diesels can run up to 20% biodiesel blend but I’m not sure of others. Check your owners manual.

I’ve burned untold thousands of gallons of the stuff. It’s what is sold here. The first couple weeks were disastrous, cleaned everything it touched and left the debris to clog filters.

No problems to speak of since. Ive only run modern engines designed for the stuff though I guess.

I had a good friend with an X5 BMW that was diesel. He bout it in St Louis and was told never to fill it in IL due to a different bio diesel blend in IL due to state regulations. He was close to the border so it didn't matter to him. I don't say this to impart any knowledge just to make you aware to continue to be cautious.

I had 2 audi q7 diesels and they were amazing, but yes I felt they were touchy on fuel

I've been researching diesel additives over the past few weeks, which also led me down the road to researching diesel fuels a bit too. Here's what I've learned:

a) *Biodiesel* sucks (distinct from *Bio-mass* Based Diesel). Less energy content. Less temperature stable. Might affect engine parts. So much so that Mercedes Benz basically warns Sprinter owners away from the stuff.

b) Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel, now required everywhere, also sucks. Refining out the sulfur to ultra-low levels reduces lubricity. Blending something like 5% biodiesel back into the ULSD improves lubricity enough to meet ASTM standards. Hence, up to 5% biodiesel can be blended back into "regular" diesel without disclosure--as its basically used as a fuel additive to improve lubricity.

c) *Renewable* Diesel is the good stuff. It is chemically identical to petro-diesel, but with higher quality control inherent to the production process. R99 is renewable diesel, not biodiesel.

So, that's what I know. Here's where my knowledge has gaps:

1) All Renewable Diesel (also known as green diesel, or 2nd gen diesel) must be marked as "Bio-mass Based Diesel". But, are all bio-mass based diesels (labeled as such) conversely a type of renewable diesel? Will I get the "good stuff" by looking for the orange sticker denoting Bio-mass Based Diesel?

2) Is R99 a trademark for renewable diesel, or is it an indicator of the grade of renewable diesel? I haven't seen any pumps here marked R99.

So frustrating that this stuff isn't clearly laid out for my google fu.

Is the #2 diesel for off road use only? Off road #2 has a dye in it that will not go away and you get fined big time if you run it. I had a diesel pickup for 12 years but never had anyone question or stick my tank over it.

quote:

Originally posted by rtquig:
Is the #2 diesel for off road use only? Off road #2 has a dye in it that will not go away and you get fined big time if you run it. I had a diesel pickup for 12 years but never had anyone question or stick my tank over it.

Nah, it's regular #2 diesel for highway use.

Because I was filling up a jerrycan for storage, I got a peek at the fuel and it's white and clear, looks very high quality. I'm reading that it being white and clear pretty much settles it as renewable diesel. Biodiesel or petro-diesel comes out looking more like a golden yellow or even sometimes green I'm told.

Annnnd finally found a straight answer:

From Chevron's website:

Q: I am at a dispenser that identifies the fuel as Diesel No. 2 and only has an orange label that says it contains a certain percentage of biomass-based diesel. What does this mean?



A: Since Renewable diesel meets ASTM D975 specification, it is Diesel No. 2. Renewable diesel is often referred to as “Biomass-based” diesel because of the renewable sources it is made from. The orange decal indicates that the fuel contains a percentage of renewable diesel which is typically 95% or 99%. Despite how the federally required language on the bottom of the decal may read, this fuel does NOT contain 95% or 99% biodiesel.

quote:

Originally posted by rtquig:
Is the #2 diesel for off road use only? Off road #2 has a dye in it that will not go away and you get fined big time if you run it. I had a diesel pickup for 12 years but never had anyone question or stick my tank over it.

#2 diesel is summer time fuel for us northerners. In the colder months some ratio of #1 and #2 are used to prevent gelling. More #1, the lower the temp can go without the fuel gelling up (and worse mileage).


Dyed #2 diesel is for off-road use only; no road tax included in the price - if one were to get caught with that in your tank on the road that will cost you $$$.

I've had my pickup for 14 years now and never once been checked, but I would not take the chance either.

I've had my pickup for 14 years now and never once been checked, but I would not take the chance either.

My truck driving days are over, but my tanks were checked on a number of occasions. sometimes at a scale house but usually they just pulled trucks over to the side of the road and stuck a giant Qtip in the tank. I never used red diesel but always heard it was quite expensive to get caught using it.