GM Announces B20 Capability for 2011 Duaramax 6.6L Turbo Diesel

In brief: General Motors has announced that its line of medium and heavy-duty trucks featuring the Duramax 6.6L V8 Turbo Diesel engine will be capable of utilizing B20 biodiesel starting in 2011.

Vehicle in the news

Make/Model: Duramax 6.6L V8
Manufacturer: General Motors

The word

The announcement included information on how the increased biofuel capability was achieved. B20, which is 20% biodiesel and 80% standard petroleum diesel, has a higher ester content than standard diesel and is also capable of attracting water, both problems to standard diesel engines.

To counteract this, GM engineers upgraded many of the seals and gaskets in the engine and upgraded the fuel filter to include a coalescing element to remove water. The addition of higher temperature heating elements was also added to the fuel circuit to combat fuel gelling (or waxing).

Announced at the 2010 National Biodiesel Conference in Grapevine, Texas, the B20 capability is also a measure to meet EPA standards for diesel engines.

And so ...

GM also produces the largest fleet of ethanol-fueled vehicles in the U.S.

Photo credits: GM