Heavy-Duty Engine Manufacturers Now Permit Biodiesel Use Without Voiding Warranties

Most heavy-duty engine manufacturers have switched their warranty policies to authorize biodiesel mixtures of at least 5% in their engines—stating that correctly using industry-standard biodiesel blends they approve would not affect engine warranties. Caterpillar, Cummins, Volvo Trucks North America, Mack Trucks, and Detroit Diesel Corp. have all authorized some level of biodiesel. Volvo and Mack will authorize warranties for B5 blends and both companies say they have never rejected a warranty claim for an engine because it ran on biodiesel. DDC has allowed blends up to B20 since 2004. Both Caterpillar and Cummins recently announced an increase in the biodiesel percentages they approve. Caterpillar now permits blends of up to 30% biodiesel for use in its pre-2007 engines and Cummins is raising its approved biodiesel percentage to 20% for both older engines and 2007 models. Amber Thurlo Pearson of the National Biodiesel Board believes that the Cummins decision will encourage other engine manufacturers to raise their biodiesel standards to at least 20%. “We feel that B20 (20% biodiesel, 80% regular diesel) is viable in every diesel engine. B20 offers a seamless transition to biofuel and has an all-year-long weather capability when it is blended correctly,” Pearson said.

Source: Heavy-Duty Engine Manufacturers Allow Biodiesel Use Without Voiding Warranties—Transport Topics, April 23, 2007