Biodiesel/Biofuel to Diesel

Wikikenkey

A diesel car I have bought at auction seems to use "alternative fuel" - maybe biofuel. I have just gleaned this from the 6 month tax disc on the windscreen priced at 137.50 (the price for alternative fuel) Group J.

If it is biofuel that has been used in a diesel car, can I just switch/refill with diesel? Would that cause any problems to the engine?

The V5 is on its way so I cannot check yet with the previous owner.

Thank you

forgotmyname

No. Top secret research cars must only be run on top secret research fuel.

These things happen when you buy £1,000,000 research vehicles.

Ultrasonic

What engine is it?

Wikikenkey

Its a 2003 220cdi engine

forgotmyname

Well that narrows it down... lol

SailorSam

A biofuel is one that comes from plants (grows on trees), so some of the petrol you buy now is biofuel' I knew someone who bought one of those things to put in his shed and made his own diesel. If that's what your car has been running on (chip fat) i suppose it's not going to do any harm going back to diesel.
I put petrol in my diesel Cab once and it never did any harm to the engine, just stopped and needed draining and start again.

Wikikenkey

Thanks, SailorSam and Ultrasonic

The tax disc on the car (Mercedes) has a price of 137.50 and when I checked online, that's the price for alternative fuel cars. I have no idea what sort of alternative fuel it has in it although the car is a diesel. Is there anyone else I can check with to see what's in it, apart from the owner when I receive the V5?

westwood68

If it is bio-diesel that the car has been running on then it is interchangeable with diesel with no issues.

Check the previous owner. It may have been a fleet car with a company that had a deal with HMRC that the car would only run on biodiesel that they produced.

GolfBravo

Wikikenkey wrote: »

Its a 2003 220cdi engine

Standard Mercedes diesel engine capable of using 1st generation biofuels: 5% biodiesel (i.e. around 5% of rapeseed/palm oil).

Yes you can use normal diesel.

cardinalbiggles

SailorSam wrote: »

A biofuel is one that comes from plants (grows on trees), so some of the petrol you buy now is biofuel'

First bit its true but not the entire story as biofuels are manufactured from organisms other than plants although I admit not, as of yet, on the same scale.

redux

Wikikenkey wrote: »

Thanks, SailorSam and Ultrasonic

The tax disc on the car (Mercedes) has a price of 137.50 and when I checked online, that's the price for alternative fuel cars. I have no idea what sort of alternative fuel it has in it although the car is a diesel. Is there anyone else I can check with to see what's in it, apart from the owner when I receive the V5?

Are you sure, or does it actually say alternative fuel?

Don't forget that the road tax increases slightly each year. Coincidentally the previous rate for an ordinary car was that amount. Did that disc start before this April?