dave2001auto

Was the truck side biodiesel higher or lower than the car biodiesel content?

drgeeforce

There is a standard, ASTM 975 and D7467. http://www.afdc.energy.gov/fuels/bio...tions.html#b20

a330captain is correct, biodiesel not conforming to ASTM standards MUST label as non-branded diesel. It is the station owners who purchase poorly controlled biodiesel. Look for another station.

JimBarnhart

Thought I'd give an update. We've been running 10% biodiesel in Minnesota since July 1st. I was up at my dealer for my 30K service yesterday. I talked to my salesman and my service advisor while I was waiting.

My salesman said that at their dealership they are no longer selling many diesels. They will order for a person, but once they hear about MB's position on >5% biodiesel and Minnesota's biodiesel laws, not many are interested in taking the chance.

When I talked to my SA, he said they haven't seen any issues so far, but of course it's only been a couple months. He was clearly concerned. I told him I've done a lot of research on the subject and that it doesn't appear that Illinois is seeing issues and they've been on 11% bio for quite awhile. He seemed relieved to hear that.

I still feel like I'm driving around a $90K car with a potential time bomb.

drgeeforce

As long as you are buying from a reputable commercial dealer you are driving a jet-fuel compatible road rocket.

[The landmark adoption by ASTM of revisions to the D7566-11 standard in July 2011 allowed for commercial flight applications without the need for special permissions. Just as a new flight test or series of flight tests seldom failed to make news in the aviation industry, so too are commercial flights now permitted under the ASTM biofuel standard. For example, United Airlines made news Nov. 7 with the first U.S. commercial flight using biofuels. San Francisco-based Solazyme supplied algae oil that was refined into jet fuel by Honeywell’s UOP division near Houston. The blend used for the Boeing 737-800 flight was 40% Solazyme’s Solajet and 60% petroleum-derived commercial jet fuel (Jet-A)] http://articles.sae.org/10540/

Dog hauler

No, it doesn't say that MB will honor the warranty if fuel is more than 5% and based on the many comments in this thread to the effect that MB explicitly says they won't honor the warranty if B6-20 is involved, that seems pretty clear. The MB pamphlet you linked to is disingenuous because it really implies that Illinois' B20 is all just fine and owners just need to take certain fairly simple and straightforward precautions.

It is a certainty that the pamphlet will be part of the plaintiff's evidence when a B20 warranty class action ends up being filed. MB needs to get spanked hard on this one.

What exception? I didn't see anything relevant to this thread in the link. Maybe I missed something.

daschicago

I live in Chicago. I just bought a 2015 GL350 Bluetec. No one at the dealership thought to mention this issue to me (which I find quite surprising). I discovered it when I went to fill up for the first time. So far, I have only been able to locate one gas station with B5...and that is a 7-11 out by O'Hare (Higgins Road)...not the most convenient location...but better than nothing. Does anyone know of other stations in Chicago or near north suburbs selling B5 or less?

kenobee

I knew about the Illinois concerns, but was not aware of the Minnesota mandate. Any more info on warranty coverage?

cadetdrivr

Nothing official, at least from Mercedes.

FWIW, I was checking the oil level on our GL350 weekly for noticeable increases in quantity which can be a direct indication of fuel contamination. Fuel can get into the oil in the current generation of common rail diesel engines that inject fuel in the DPF recharge cycle, and this is completely normal, but bio does not always evaporate like baseline #2 diesel which can then dilute the oil and cause other problems such as eventually sludging when the oil additives are diluted.

After nothing to report I started checking the oil monthly and now simply do oil changes every 5000 miles and don't think (or worry) about it.

Caveat: your GLK obviously has a different engine than the GL.

JimBarnhart

This thread also has some information on Minnesota.

https://mbworld.org/forums/gl-class-...sel-gl350.html

We are 5% biodiesel in the winter months, last summer was 10% biodiesel in the summer, they could go to 20% this year.

andedave

This link is the MB position as well as being very informative on biodiesel and reasons not to go to high on the mix but what to watch for if you have no choice but to routinely use up to B20.

http://www.mbusa.com/vcm/MB/DigitalA..._Brochure5.pdf

ovul82jazz

Guys... thank you very much for posting all of this information. I am just leaving on a trip through the US MidWest tomorrow and had no idea that this was an issue.

I'll be watching/checking for the ULSD label everywhere. Appreciate all of your dedication to informing us.

Zeyad Alkaisi

Is this still an issue?
I had my first tank refill for my new GL350. I live in central New Jersey, I called the dealer and was not able to get a clear answer. What I got was" do not warty, this is not an issue in our state".
I am still not not convinced��

cadetdrivr

Your dealer is correct.

Biodiesel blend is not mandated in NJ and the pump at any service station that sells a blend will have, by law, a label stating they are selling a bio blend. So you will know before you start pumping.

Just stick to large volume stations that sell "branded" fuel (Shell, Chevron, etc.) and avoid the "discount" diesel that is of a lower quality and usually found at discount truck stops and off-brand service stations.

FWIW, it's been nearly two years for our GL in MN and everything is dandy....so far.

yk0786

I live a few miles from the jersey border and travel to jersey often. I have had my GL350 for almost two years now and I haven't had any issues. I fill my tank up mostly at Wawa and if a Wawa is not around, I stick to the branded fuels (Sunoco, Hess (now speedway), etc). I also just changed my fuel filter at 50K. As Cadet said, fill your tank up at the branded fuel stations and you shouldnt have any issues.

dave2001auto

Any one use diesel at Edison Fuel Stop?
It very high volume by the amount of DEP fluid on hand.
Both gas and diesel are very low price but can't get any info on the diesel.

Recutler

Please help! Filled up with Biodiesel at a Walmart gas station. I have no idea the % of biodiesel in the fuel. Check engine light came on... Took it to the shop and had the codes read.... Common Rail System Failed... Oxygen sensor.....They reset it. Told me to add fuel cleaner and change the fuel filter and oil/filter. Then wait to see if it comes back on again. Any suggestion? Will this ruin the system with just one fill up? I just went from a CDI to a Bluetec. Help!!! I love my car!

cadetdrivr

Where did this occur?

If you filled with the typical 5-20% blend this is almost certainly a coincidence and not a major concern.

drgeeforce

Biodiesel in the common US retail market is typically 2% to 5% to 20%, anything higher is available in select fuel depots. This amt should not affect the CR if used regularly. Since this was your first time using biodiesel, it probably was the formulation of the fuel. Biodiesel is notorious for dislodging gunk in dirty fuel tanks, caused by long term use of unblended diesel. I'd go with the fuel filter swap, fuel cleaner recommended for DIESEL FUEL ONLY, and add Diesel 911.

kevin_grayson

I have owned the Bluetec diesel in both the 2012 ML and the 2014 GL model. The ML Bluetec after 2 months through an "add blue" code with 3,218 miles on the vehicle while my wife and I were in a long needed vacation for just us. The code then changed to "15 starts before engine shuts down for safety". Cutting our vacation short we returned the vehicle to the dealer who admitted they just bypassed the code per MB tech Dept. A few months later the turbo and oil cooler failed causing a 3 week service department visit.
We traded this POS in on the GL Bluetec after a friend said he was averaging 28mpg. The ML averaged only 20MPG. The GL had 55,004 miles on it when the #1 and #5 fuel injectors went out. Best part was I had it to the dealer the week prior complaining of a loss of power and fuel mileage. I was told everything was fine it was probably due to the Michelin Latitude tires that only had 15,000 miles on them. Best part my wife and I were on vacation yet AGAIN when this POS laid down. MB customer service towed the SUV an hour from us then told us to rent a car and return home and the "Re-unite" program would bring the SUV to our door. Lie! After talking to our dealer and the dealer it was towed to (5 hours from our home) the story changes to we could POSSIBLY be reimbursed $300/day or up to a max of $900 for trip interruption, rental car fees, and lodging. DO NOT BUY A BLUE TEC DIESEL!! Unless you want to buy ours it's for sale!

drgeeforce

Sorry to hear about your nightmare Kevin. The BlueTec is a great car for the driver familiar with diesel engines. I personally get 30-32 mpg as evidenced on my avatar. I have experienced the oil cooler replacement, CAC hose leak, the Fuel system contamination, and the every 4 years suspension bag replacement. Having said this the GL has taken me across the US and back with good trip preparation at the start. Diesels are not for everyone.

4everalone

Wow! what a saga. I think the VW/Audi Diesels were a lot more reliable in my family's experience. Too bad they turned out to do it at the environment's expense . BMW used to have many problems in the early 3.0 diesels, not sure how the new ones are doing.

kevin_grayson

I may have miss spoke. I've owned diesels for over 30 years. Everything from heavy equipment Cat powered diesel dozers and excavators, John Deere farm tractors with Yanmar engines, generators, Ford Power strokes, and my favorite the GMC Duramax. Point being for the absolute babying I've done with the MB bluetecs, servicing at the dealership only, and road driving only they're weak and unreliable. Comparably the diesel motors in MB have higher maintenance costs then any of my other Diesel engines. The Bluetec engines however are the first diesels I've owned with the new DEF additive. My 2006 Duramax has never left me stranded in 207,000 miles with routine maintenance. MB has an issue.

4everalone

I'm a big diesel proponent too. I'd owned one for 5 years before swapping it for the GL for more space. I got just about every member of my family to get into one. I should've probably started with that in my previous post .