Jetta + Biodiesel

We have a 2002 Jetta TDI. It just passed the 50,000 mile warranty.

From what I'm reading, it is possible to put Biodiesel in the car. It's better for the environment, and it may even be better for the car. However, it may also eat through the hoses, and it may void the manufacturer's warranty.

There's a biodiesel station just northeast of Boston.

Looking a bit more, it seems like the "eating through hoses" has not happened in practice in recent model cars.

It seems also like the nearby biodiesel retailer only sells B20 mix biodiesel. Not as good as something like B100 would be, but a start at least, and I wouldn't want B100 until it's warmer anyway, since it gels at temps of around 30°F.

"One thing to remember if you're running biodiesel on an older car: the strong solvent properties of biodiesel will clean out the fuel system and can clog your fuel filter with old gunk. It's often a good idea to replace the fuel filter after your first few tanks of biodiesel." -- makes sense.

It does seems like VW of America can void a warranty based on using biodiesel. However, I'm not sure that the engine is still *under* a warranty, and even if it was, is there any way they could tell that you were running biodiesel (especially only B20, which is still 80% petroleum)? Just go through a tank, and load the next one up with good ole foreign oil diesel, and nobody the wiser?

Anyway, depending on cost (which I'll have to call and try and find out about) it seems like we may start filling up the Jetta with biodiesel in the near future. That'll be nice -- I'm all for things which are less shitty to the environment, I just never realized it was that easy until today for whatever reason.

that poor cat.

moose got outside. moose had a tussle with the local dog (in-law apartment owns said dog). moose escaped up tree. yay moose.

moose could not get down from tree. fire department said "You think we're doing *what* with a pissed off cat?" and apologized as they went away.

i climb tree. 35ish feet up. (I was roof level of our house.) i attempt to retrieve moose. I suffer one scratch/bite fest. I survive, and resolve to get moose if it kills me.

It did. after a second round, i decide that being in a tree, 35 feet up, with a hand that has 3 puncture wounds through the wrist and is rapidly becoming numb, it's time to give up. The cat is scared to death and I just can't do anything anymore. I made it down -- barely. I was feeling nausea and almost puked when rinsing the blood off my hand. It hurt. a lot.

I go to the ER to get it looked at. (Antibiotics and antiseptic wash.) Kristan, emmy, jenn stay home. Moose eventually falls out of tree. the poor guy hit a tree branch, and a fence, before hitting the ground. I can't imagine how much that must have scared everyone watching.

I'm so sorry he's hurt. He's at angell: overnight stay. radiology in the morning: too hyper for it tonight, they'll have to sedate him. He was in shock when they brought him in. He's stable, but not in good shape.

That poor cat.

I really want to kill the dog. I know that moose was not supposed to be outside, but that dog... sigh.

Had I been 15 seconds faster, i could have gotten the dog away from moose. (Who did a kickass job defending his turf.)

Had I been thinking enough to bring the cat carrier with me, I might have been able to get him out.

So many things i might hahve done.

my right hand is mostly unusable -- or at least, its slightly usable, with pain.

I'm behind on work and have a 2pm job interview with OASIS tomorrow.

That poor cat. That poor fucking cat.