Gas In Diesel
 

OK guys
Help me out on this one < If I were filling up at the station and by mistake put gas in the tank is there anything short of draining the tank to fix the problem?
Like maybe adding ATF or some wonder drug? What would the max Gas be allowed in a 30 gallon tank and still be safe to drive? What does the gas do to ruin a diesel engine anyway?
Has not hapened yet but was just figuring out a "What If"

Thanks in advance
Norm in Arkansas

well gas has completely different properties...lower ignition temp etc. the truck wouldnt run for very long if this happened. i would have it towed and have the entire system flushed and hope for the best.

If you've ran it like that and it hasn't done anything major wrong yet, I'd drain the tank, change the fuel filter and maybe the fuel pump, and hope for the best. Make sure you clean the tank out good. Even after that, it's probably going to run horrible for a while.

The other way around is worse but it is not good for the injection pump and all around obviously runs like hell. Drain the system fill with freash and put in some fuel conditioner and dont do that ever again. :bat: :D

Not sure the practice is still recommended, but I knew a semi driver that added 5 gallon of gas to his fuel to prevent gelling in the winter.

i have made mistake before and put gas in my 91. i had cans on the back for the mowers and got messed up. i just bought several quarts of oil and run it. the old truckers put gas in all the time in the winter but we have winter fuel now so there is no need.

I did it :ouch:. Dark and early in the mornin I just grabbed the green nozzle and filled her up. In this case green wasn't diesel though is what I found out a mile down the road as it lurched to a stop and died.

Had it towed to a local big truck repair shop. They drained the fuel, every thing from the injector pump to the tank. Pulled every hose.re-filled it with diesel an about 3 times the normal amount of Howes conditioner and away I went.

The biggest risk to doing this is the fact that the gas deteriorates the seals in the pumps. It's actually better if you fill the truck with gas so that it dies completely before any real damage has time to happen. If the concentrate is low enough that it will still run, your in trouble. Very well could cost ya a new engine and fuel system.

A very small amount occasionally is no different then using an fuel system cleaner as long as you remember that the cleaner your using only takes ounces to a tank, so don't go dumping in gallons of gas to do this with.

I"ll bet the green pump handle was at a "BP" station. I know because I grabbed the green pump and filled up with gasoline. Before it was completely repaired it cost me around $3K. So be careful.:scare2:

Gas has no lubricating properties in it. Diesel fuel injection components use the diesel to lubricate there parts. Plungers, cams, anything that moves. If you are unfortunate to run the engine too long parts could seize, failing the component.

I don't know if you guys have ever seen this but every time i watch it it makes me cringe