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"We suggest changing out those parts with synthetic products instead," says Pearson. "You would not need to take those precautions with a B5 blend, however."

Equipment fuel and storage tanks can also present a challenge. "Blends of biodiesel can act as a cleansing agent on sediment in the fuel system from previous regular diesel use," says Pearson. "The higher percentage of biodiesel in the blend, the higher the cleansing agent to the fuel. We recommend keeping an eye on fuel filters for the first six months of use with biodiesel blends."

The biodiesel will eventually clean up the entire fuel system. "It will dissolve anything that has been deposited, whether it is in the fuel storage tank or the fuel tank itself," says Stearns. Unfortunately, until the system is completely cleaned, the filters protecting the fuel injection pumps and injectors may plug prematurely.

"It is going to lead to having larger capacity filters or shorter service intervals, because there is definitely a relationship there," says Hall.

Again, both of these issues are mitigated at the lower blend levels.

Proper handling
As the percentage of biodiesel increases in the fuel, so do the necessary precautions for storage and maintenance.