daschicago

I live in Chicago. I just bought a 2015 GL350 Bluetec. No one at the dealership thought to mention the fact that Mercedes doesn't warrant the motor if you use diesel fuel which contains more than 5% bio-diesel (which I find quite surprising). I discovered it when I went to fill up for the first time...and all the stations I have visited in the city have stickers on them saying that the diesel can contain up to 20% bio-diesel. 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 gas stations in Chicago or near north suburbs selling B5 or less? Thanks!

daschicago

After further investigation, I understand that Meijer gas stations sell "pure" diesel (no bio-diesel). There are not that many of these in the Chicago area...there is one in Rolling Meadows off of 90 and another in Aurora. Anyone else identify any Chicagoland locations for ULSD/B5?

Strafzettel

The BP in Highland Park sells D2. It has a Highway Diesel sticker on the pump and I've asked inside. However, my dealer/MBUSA thinks that the Diesel I bought at that gas station caused the bucking issue I had with my ML. I'm still waiting on them to come back with the lab results.
My dealer suggested to get Diesel instead at:
Ernie's Towing
909 S Milwaukee Ave
Vernon Hills, IL 60061
Which sells D2 as well. I was told that they sell D2 because they have towing trucks that need it.

According to the sticker on the pump and the guy that worked there the day I asked, they have D2 as well:
Marathon Gas
3321 W Algonquin Rd
Rolling Meadows, IL 60008

I'm not 100% sure but I think this gas station sells B5:
Mobil
1103 Waukegan Rd
Northbrook, IL 60062

My dealer also said that nobody controls the gas station to make sure that they actually sell what they advertise... as if it wasn't hard enough for us to find the right fuel. It was suggested to ask for the manifest to be sure.
Where do you live? Which dealer did you get your GL from?

daschicago

Thanks. I live in Chicago (northside), but I bought my GL350 at Knauz in Lake Bluff. As mentioned above, I understand that Meijer's sells D2...apparently so does Sam's Club (I called and was told this, but have not confirmed it yet). In addition, one of the service managers at Loeber Mercedes pointed me to the 7-11 on Higgins Road in Park Ridge by the airport. (This is where I did my first fill-up)

So far, I have not found a dealer in the city that sells D2/B5 and I don't relish driving to the suburbs every time I want to refuel. Especially if we can't trust the stickers on the pump! I have contacted the Customer Service for the major gas stations in Chicago (Shell, BP, Exxon/Mobil, Citgo) but so far none have responded. I am very disappointed that Mercedes has not been more helpful (how difficult would it be to ask an intern to compile a list and keep it up-to-date...or for the Chicagoland Mercedes dealers to negotiate with a few family owned stations in the area to provide a reliable source of D2/B5 for their customers.)

The "bucking issue" you mention is interesting. I have noticed since my first re-fueling that occasionally the engine will "hitch" when I am stopped and starting to go. I press the accelerator...the engine revs (the tach needle goes up) but the car doesn't really go forward...then it appears to engage and the car jerkily moves...is this what you mean by "bucking". Your dealer thinks this may be caused by biodiesel? In theory the recommended 7-11 station where I re-fueled was selling ULSD and not B20 according to the sticker on their pump...but if the bucking is caused by bio-diesel, that would support the dealer's theory that there aren't strong quality controls on what the stations are actually pumping.

Strafzettel

I think ULSD or Ultra Low Sulfur doesn't mean that there is no bio diesel mixed in, that's a different topic. And what your describing sounds more like a transmission issue to me. I would go with a speed of 35 and the rpm's would start to jump up and down a little and it mostly felt like driving on a bumpy road. On two or three occasions the car rocked back and forth as it does when someone doesn't know how to work the clutch with a manual stick shift. I've never read anything about bucking caused by biodiesel, so I'm having a hard believing what my dealer said. But I've read about some cases where the fuel system got clogged up with bio after 40K or 60k which can be an expensive repair.
Please let me know if you find more D2/B5 gas stations

daschicago

According to a brochure I saw from Mercedes USA for Illinois Bluetec drivers, ULSD fuel is generally no more than 5% biodiesel (B5) and therefore is ok in our Bluetec engines. The pumps with this type of diesel fuel should have a ULSD sticker on them (vs. a B20 sticker) but of course this relies on the trustworthiness of the station to adhere to this.

Strafzettel

I have that brochure too, you are right. I've read something different in another car forum I believe. I googled for TDI hoping that some VW or Audi forums may have a list of gas stations and found this: https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=U...1f5&dg=feature
I don't think it's up to date but worth checking if there is anything on that list near you.

daschicago

Thanks...I found the same link...I think it is from 2009 or 2010...but I am following up with the stations listed to see if any still carry ULSD/B5

daschicago

Progress! The BP on Fullerton and Ashland has BP-branded Diesel (marked at the pump as ULSD) and the Shell at Ashland and Addison has Shell-branded Diesel (also marked at the pump as ULSD). I did not talk to anyone at either station to try to verify if this information is correct....but I have been to a couple of other BPs selling diesel where the pump indicated that the diesel was provided by a 3rd party (not BP) and there was a B20 sticker on it...so the fact that this station was advertising BP-branded Diesel was probably a good sign. At the BP, the diesel was slightly less expensive than Premium gasoline. At the Shell it was 20 cents a gallon more than Premium! Is anyone else in Chicago aware of other gas stations in the city selling D2/B5?

Strafzettel

That's great, thanks for sharing!

larrypmyers

By EPA mandate all diesel sold for highway use is ULSD. ULSD indicates there is no more than 3 per cent sulfur contained in the fuel. It has noting to do with the percentage of bio in the fuel.

daschicago

Thanks for the clarification...the Mercedes Biodiesel brochure is not very clear on this (see attached)

larrypmyers

Your right daschicago. The brochure is very misleading.

My original intent was to buy a Blutec thus my interest in diesel fuel.

Based on my experience with diesel in commercial vehicles allow me to make a couple of suggestions/observations.

First, buy fuel at a station that sells a lot of diesel, i.e., a truck stop. Diesel goes stale very quickly. Further, don't buy the my brand is better that yours. Diesel is a generic product.

If possible, don't buy biodiesel. While most engine manufactures now allow use of 5% biodiesel, I'm not aware of any that permit use of b20%. As outside air temperature falls diesel has a tendency to jell. This characteristic is exacerbated when using biodiesel clogging the fuel filter, rendering the vehicle inoperable.

Lastly, don't skimp on the fuel filter, replace it as specified iaw the manual. And carry a spare. It should be noted most modern gasoline powered automobiles don't have a fuel filter replacement schedule. One could surmise this might have something to do with fuel quality.

jruerph

Foods 4 Less stores, Sam's Clubs, Meijers (as mentioned), Mobil Stations on toll road oasis, Shell stations that sell Shell branded diesel (doesn't have label -"This is not a Shell Product") have less than 5% biodiesel per my email exchange with Shell Customer Care. A small percentage of biodiesel is good in that it increase lubricity while also increasing mileage per a Consumer's Report comparison and Edmunds long term test of a Passat TDI

http://www.edmunds.com/volkswagen/pa...n-results.html

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2...-oil/index.htm

007_e350

that is incorrect, I've been using meijers and oasis for years and it is indeed biodiesel.. I finally found one with d5, spoke to the owner and he confirmed, it's shell on 294 and ogden, here's a nice website ... the car will actually tell you if the diesel is right or not, right away starts averaging about 100 more miles to the tank.. this is prob the first time this car has seen d5.. app much more lower end torque and gear shifts happening at 1800 rpm at normal cruising.. before was 2200 .. God bless d5

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1d9cfKbe5JQJPtr-h_4BL41fUjx0&hl=en_US&ll=41.96328519134472%2C-88.86189000000002&z=6

Strafzettel

Citgo, 2477 S Archer Ave, Chicago, IL 60616

Has D2 diesel, I used to go there with my bluetec

rgcasey

I do know this an MB forum but my VW Touareg TDI encounters the same issues. I live in the western suburbs and have been filling up only at the Shell on York and Ogden in Hinsdale because I was told by the manager that they do not put bio-diesel in their tanks (and there is no sticker to indicate otherwise). Could there be 2% bio and still qualify as "pure" petroleum diesel...I don't know. VW will stand by their warranty using bio-diesel but warns us to check the oil level regularly claiming that bio will produce water in the oil and if the level is rising the oil should be changed.
I have also had this bucking problem and VW is unable to come up with an answer. Their best suggestion is that it might be fuel related and to try a different station. This bucking doesn't happen when we travel to California for the winter and buy #2 Diesel on our transit west. Given the scarcity of pure diesel in my area, I'm going to try a couple of tanks of bio (not to exceed 5%) and see if it resolves the bucking issue and causes no other problems.