Filling up with gas instead of diesel

[markz]

There was a guy in the States that filled up a Cheyenne Porch SUV with gas instead of diesel.

The only time I ever ran into this myself personally was on a PD rig in NE BC, I thought that the trucks nameplate 2500HD, meant diesel, so I go ahead and try to put a diesel nossle into a gas tank, it didnt work. I would assume the nationalized inudustry with most likely an ISO has standardized nossles, one for gas and another one for diesel, one does not fit in the other. So I ask myself this, how did this genius fill-err up with gas if the nossle did not fit into the little filler neck hole? And wouldnt a high priced SUZV like that have a little yellow diesel sticker, even a yellow cap indicating its a diesel rig. I guess this is the top news priority of Yahoo news today, nothing else going on in the world of any importance once so ever.

 

[Caliban]

My wife once managed to fill our diesel car with petrol so it must be possible (for the mechanically challenged). I remember that losing a tank of gas was expensive but the environmental surcharge for disposing of 10 gallons of contaminated fuel was extortionate! On the other hand I used to ride an old British Ariel 350cc motorcycle that was quite happy on a 50% mix of petrol and diesel. It could be a pig to start but once hot ran fine.

 

[dnmun]

you could have just siphoned the gas out of the tank, or drained it and reused it in a regular gas motor.

the diesel mixed into the gas would burn in the gas motor if it was only a portion of the fuel and you could spread it out over several tanks too in order to reduce the impact.

or did you have to hire someone else to fix the problem?

i would have just siphoned the fuel out of the tank on the spot into some 5 gallon gas jugs and then refilled with diesel and driven away.

 

[Dauntless]

So did he START this engine and drive away before he realized what he'd done? I assume he broke his crankshaft if he did. Though it's not automatic, or immediate. If you try to start a diesel engine with PURE gasoline and the engine is cold, I guess you'll have your best luck as it struggles. Although there's cases of someone running out of diesel and immediately filling up and priming the pump with some gas instead of diesel thinking they're clever, as the engine is hot at that point there goes the crank.

Diesel oil and gas will separate much the same as water and gas. This gas he added will wind up floating on top. As he drives and the level gets lower, eventually you might have such oddities occur as a connecting rod coming through the block.

Oh, but maybe your diesel engine just doesn't run hot enough to motivate the gas to burn in the cylinder. Since there's so little air in the air/fuel mixture, that's a strong possibility. Perhaps it'll wait until it's in the exhaust to burn, or won't wait quite that long. Oh, the diesel oil lubricates the injector pump, so the more nonlubricating gas that goes through the pump the more quickly the pump will need replacing. And it doesn't take long. I bought my truck used, the injector went out. One thought was they were caught up in one of the fairy tales of gas in diesel making higher performance, or acting as fuel line cleaner, or ?

Oh, and the gas burns hotter, not a good thing.

Meanwhile, if you have CAREFULLY drained all this mixed fuel from the tank, cleaned or even replaced the fuel lines, etc., is there ANYTHING this mess is good for? DON'T PUT IT IN A 4 CYCLE GAS ENGINE!

Ever have a kid on the block with a moped or 2 cycle dirtbike who got a 4 cycle and FORGOT he didn't need the oil? The neoprene fuel line is toast, you'll be sorry if you don't immediately replace it. The carburetors I've been known to save, but I've also resorted to replacing them, that stuff just doesn't clean out well and it struggles after that. Diesel isn't as heavy as 2 cycle oil, but the result is much the same. If just the 4% mix of 2 cycle oil does such damage, think of what 50:50 gas and diesel might do. If the engine does run, you'll be down on power to the point the engine might not run, running below operating temperature, blowing smoke out your exhaust, getting your fuel line chunking into your carburetor, etc. There are also fairy tales of diesel in gas giving 2mpg improvement, cleaning the fuel system, etc. Do you believe in magic?

I've wondered how well a 2 cycle engine would do with diesel instead of 2 cycle oil. A very important part of using 2 cycle oil is cooling the chamber, the diesel would definitely do that, plus it'll have some lubricating qualities. Probably would need up to 10%, but diesel is cheaper than 2 cycle oil, right? I still have an old Cagliri pocketbike in the garage, I find myself considering the experiment from time to time. If it worked, anything that worked as diesel fuel would work in place of 2 cycle oil. But it's possible you couldn't use this junk gas/diesel for that, either.

 

[markz]

The article explained, from what I read, was it cost the guy $25K in repairs, from a stealership! More money then brains.

 

[dnmun]

kinda sad really. this does happen often enuff that i did try to give an overview of how people can cope with it in case others run across similar situations.

of course you have to ignore the interloper who has to interject his idiotic opinions in anything i post up. the guy has to argue about anything and everything as though he knows it all and has the right to just make up stuff out of clear blue sky.

but if anyone finds someone in a similar situation, it can be resolved without too much hassle. even if the diesel fuel pump has pumped some of the gas to the engine, and it will not break the crankshaft.

the fuel pump has a bleed port too so that any gas in the fuel line can be pumped out too so the entire fuel system can be cleared of gas.

 

[The fingers]

Once I inadvertently filled an F350 with gas instead of diesel. Fortunately, I realized what I did and had it towed before I drove it. Most of the several hundred dollar cost was for hazardous materials disposal. :x

 

[dnmun]

it does happen often, so that is why i was trying to clue people in. no need to tow the truck even. just siphon and drain the gas out right there into some gas cans and pour it into another gas powered car or truck and refill with diesel right there at the pump.

 

[marty]

I once poured some questionable gas into a rental car. Few days later engine would not start then it ran really bad for a few minutes. Then it seemed to fix it self :| No tow truck needed.

 

[dnmun]

at the auction yard where i go they siphon the gas out of the cars they know are going to the junkyard after the auction, and store it in 55 gallon drums inside the building and use it in their equipment there in the yard. they don't even have the courtesy to put the gas cap back on but it matters not.

 

[Dauntless]

(Aww, the stalker is active again.)

The article explained, from what I read, was it cost the guy $25K in repairs, from a stealership! More money then brains.

Sounds like it needed a new engine. If I'd bought my truck new it would have been $7k more for diesel. It does pay for itself with close to twice the fuel mileage at about the same performance.

Wasn't my first diesel, but I spent so much for this one I went to read up in the diesel forums, where some people aren't shy about telling how they destroyed theirs. A lot of talk of myths such as using gas in the diesel as a cleaner and the damage done. You CAN mix your old oil in your diesel oil, but you'll be needing a good diesel cleaner if you do.

My first diesel was a really worn out old VW Rabbit. The car wore out all around the engine, which kept going like an energizer bunny at over 200,000 miles. Then one day I drove out of a gas station thinking I must have gotten junk diesel. I decided to drive it off some before trying to put more in. It never ran the same again. The owner of that station and several others went to prison for mixing chemical wastes into his tanks.

When my injector went out at about 150,000 miles , the guy at the shop I've known since was a kid, so he told me all about just HOW WORN OUT it was. And he asked "Do you put gas in the diesel to clean it?" I can only assume the previous owner did.

So I was comparing online stalkers with Jeremy Harris, who used to post here. He just put his on 'Ignore,' but that just creates oddity on the board . We were in agreement on one thing: We just kept posting knowledge and wisdom that everyone could see. Stalkers then continue to post ignorance and malice, again for all to see. Tying their own rope.

 

[markz]

Hey man, I do not know what is going on here, or even if you are implying I am a stalker, or someone else is a stalker, or whatever the issue at hand is.
I could care less either way to be quite honest with you.
Was just bored, as I am now, figured I'd post some breaking news on Yahoo News.

To keep on topic, as I am wasting time anyway, I wonder if A) Insurance would cover the loss, or B) perhaps it does go to auction, I wonder how much it would sell for.
I often wonder about the auction around here (that you need a MVIC license for, and its a process to obtain) how much these totalled vehicles sell for. Of course I would hardly touch a lot of body damage, or frame damage, but blown engine vehicles I would buy, not fire damage though. I often love the looks of certain vehicles, like the new Suburbans, the Range Rovers, and Toyota Tundras. However the tehcnology for me is a turn off, as a simple repair can run thousands, when I could just hit up the junk yard and grab a carb, or brake pad/drum/disc or whatever for real cheap. I bet ya that is a common mistake, filling gas into diesel, but wouldnt these diesel engines have the familiar noise and smoke related to diesel engines. I know in europe diesel cars are popular for there fuel efficiency.

 

[The fingers]

The new clean burning diesels run on ultra low-sulfer fuel, are quiet, and suprisingly smoke and stink free; compared to the black-belching rattletraps of the past. Bio-diesel may be a viable option for those.

 

[Dauntless]

No no, read the thread and you see exactly what I'm talking about. He gets tiresome from time to time.

To keep on topic, as I am wasting time anyway, I wonder if A) Insurance would cover the loss, or B) perhaps it does go to auction, I wonder how much it would sell for.

I have some recollection of someone in a forum saying his insurance did cover it, including the tow when it broke down. Always going to depend on your insurance. I don't think the putting gas into the diesel should be so common as I don't believe the nozzle fits, at least not in California. If it's from the same pump it still has its' own nozzle. We have nozzles that don't pump gas if the vapor trap isn't engaged, I think you'd have to work at getting gas into the diesel here.

I should think if insurance is paying for a new engine people would want to keep the car. I don't see those as a total loss over the engine until it's getting old. I guy I see at the gas station has a 40 year old truck he's still driving after buying it more than 30 years ago. Some people just don't want to give them up.

Mine is fairly quiet yet distinctive in diesel sound, better than the Rabbit, also less vibration but the Rabbit was old. It can still blow some smoke, but again not like the Rabbit did.

Because of the rust problem I wonder how long the injector would last. They replace fuel line parts that could rust to run on biodiesel, I don't believe the injector is replaced.

 

[Tench]

I had to replace the injectors in my diesel at 110,000 miles, they were leaking into the spill pipes so the rail would not hold pressure resulting in limp mode if I booted it. I saw a bulletin notice from Delphi who makes the injectors which said the reduction in sulphur content in the fuel has shortened injector lifespan to 65,000 miles due to lack of lubrication. I suppose this only applies to injectors designed for the older fuel specs. So I have been putting cheap mineral 2stroke oil into every tank of fuel at 200:1 ever since, 1/4L in 50L of fuel. The car smokes less, runs much nicer and returns better mpg! And my pump and injectors wont be suffering as much wear!
There is loads of info on 2stroke oil in diesel in tinterweb, I have been doing this now for 60,000 miles and am convinced it gives a big benefit.

My car insurance does cover misfueling upto a cost of £250, not that I have ever done it!

 

[cal3thousand]

at the auction yard where i go they siphon the gas out of the cars they know are going to the junkyard after the auction, and store it in 55 gallon drums inside the building and use it in their equipment there in the yard. they don't even have the courtesy to put the gas cap back on but it matters not.

Also, if a hose is not readily available, you could pull the line going into the fuel filter from the fuel pump (usually behind the right rear tire) and put that into a can (optional), then put a jumper on the fuel pump relay. Tank will be empty in a minute and you just have to be ready to pull the jumper out as soon as the fuel runs dry to avoid burning out the pump.

 

[cal3thousand]

I had to replace the injectors in my diesel at 110,000 miles, they were leaking into the spill pipes so the rail would not hold pressure resulting in limp mode if I booted it. I saw a bulletin notice from Delphi who makes the injectors which said the reduction in sulphur content in the fuel has shortened injector lifespan to 65,000 miles due to lack of lubrication. I suppose this only applies to injectors designed for the older fuel specs. So I have been putting cheap mineral 2stroke oil into every tank of fuel at 200:1 ever since, 1/4L in 50L of fuel. The car smokes less, runs much nicer and returns better mpg! And my pump and injectors wont be suffering as much wear!
There is loads of info on 2stroke oil in diesel in tinterweb, I have been doing this now for 60,000 miles and am convinced it gives a big benefit.

My car insurance does cover misfueling upto a cost of £250, not that I have ever done it!

lubricity is EASILY increased in petro-diesel with the addition of a SMALL amount of biodiesel. It also has a higher cetane number.... I'm still not sure why it is not a standardized practice to add at least 5% bio diesel to conventional.