Biodiesel fuel is a much a lot more environmentally friendly choice to the "petrodiesel" most diesel cars run on. Some forms of biodiesel are already manufactured and sold commercially in the United States, while others are do-it-yourself specials. Is biodiesel a real option to petrodiesel, or should you keep the vegetable oil out of your gas tank?

Article Resource: Biodiesel Basics - From B10 to B100 By Car Deal Expert

The main difference between biodiesel fuels

Instead of oil based materials, biodiesel is made from biological materials. Vegetable oil is one of the most commonly used raw material for biodiesel. B10 or B20 are biodiesel blends that are 10 or 20 percent biodiesel mixed with petrodiesel. There is also B100, or the "biodiesel" most often discussed in environmental circles, is made of 100 percent vegetable or biological sources. B10 and B20 are very different from B100 and must be treated differently.

Biodiesel blends of B10 and B20

A blended biodiesel fuel could be used in most standard diesel engines. B20 and B10 are federally regulated fuels. There are about 1,000 filling stations, mostly within the Midwest, that offer this blended fuel. Biodiesel blends can also be specially ordered if you live in an area that doesn't have a B10 or B20 filling station. Blended biodiesel fuel has the benefit of being able to run in any kind of diesel engine with no modifications necessary.

Pure biodiesel fuel -- B100

B100, or pure biodiesel, is different from blends. A standard diesel engine can run on pure biodiesel, but only with modifications. Biodiesel will coagulate at cold temperatures and might eat away at the seals in old diesel vehicles. Converting a diesel automobile to run on biodiesel involves adding an extra tank, altered fuel lines and injectors and replacing any natural rubber in the engine. Converting a diesel engine to run on biodiesel is a project that can be done on your own, with time and money. Pure biodiesel will gel at freezing temperatures. This means any kind of B100 engine must never be exposed to temperatures lower than 32 degrees unless it has a separate petrodiesel tank to get the engine and biodiesel warmed up. Biodiesel tends to be like ethanol blended fuels; at low concentrations, a standard engine designed to run on that fuel can run a blend. At higher concentrations, though, you need a specialty engine.