A little gasoline in the diesel

[Wildcat_Dallas]

I had this problem a few years ago when a fuel dock boy handed me the gas hose instead of the diesel hose (old hoses both looked the same) Here is what I found after running the engine for 10 minutes to put the boat into the slip. Gas does not mix with the diesel, it is HEAVER and goes to the bottom of the tank where the fuel pickup pumps it into the Raycor glass filter where the clear gas sits on the bottom and the diesel floats on top. I was scheduled to go offshore the next day, the gas would have ruined my diesel engine. DO NOT run gas through your diesel engine! It will ruin it! We took the access port off of the tank, ran a hose to the bottom and sucked the gas out using a power drill driven pump. If you get gas in your diesel raycor, change the filter afterwards.
And always sniff your hose!

[capn_billl]

If they do settle out the diesel is more dense, and will settle to the bottom where the pickup tube is.

[Ballsnall]

Should be fine, as others have said adding gas to diesel vehicles is normal in winter temperatures, it is actually in the Toyota manual. Your ratio is a little bit higher than ideal but the gas and diesel will mix just fine. Add a quart of 2 stroke oil for additional upper cylinder lubricant and keep the tank topped up. Should be a nice performance boost so don't go YOT.

[Carl-T705]

I'm always amazed by commenting posters who haven't a clue but still chose to join in. With comments like gas is lighter , so it will float to the top... Add some octane booster to stop pinging . Here's is a comment you can bank on. At your small ratio of gas to diesel simply run it out by motoring at a moderate mid rpm engine speed. If you would be more comfortable with adding some lubrication add about two pints of Marvel mystery oil, that will add lubricant and clean the fuel system as well. That's advice from someone with 42 years of diesel engine experience, me.

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by Aguabago

5 gallons of petrol (gasoline) were added to my almost full 90 gallon diesel tank. So now there is a mixture with roughly 6% gasoline (petrol) and 94% diesel, and its full.

The engine is an older (2002) Ford 75 HP; no turbo charge and nothing fancy; just a basic diesel engine.

What to do ....

I've done some research. Conservative approaches are stop everything and pump everything out. Risks of lower lubrication; improper combustion timing, stuffing up the fuel pump, etc. But there is some info that if the mixture is a low enough percent of petrol that they were able to burn it off.

I am interested to hear if anyone has been in this situation and has successfully simply run through the fuel, perhaps frequently topping up the diesel to get the diesel percentage higher. And to hear if there were any longer term issues that came up from running the fuel through the engine.

It might run through the engine but you risk a vapor explosion in the crank case. Not worth the risk of damage compared to the repairs. Pump it out.

[Carl-T705]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

It might run through the engine but you risk a vapor explosion in the crank case. Not worth the risk of damage compared to the repairs. Pump it out.

A valor explosion in the crankcase really, what would cause that in a diesel crankcase . What keeps a gas engine from having a "vapor explosion". This is getting weird ......

[Scubaseas]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

It might run through the engine but you risk a vapor explosion in the crank case. Not worth the risk of damage compared to the repairs. Pump it out.

That may depend on whatever frequency your crystals are in relation to any lunar radiation.

[Scubaseas]

Originally Posted by Carl-T705

I'm always amazed by commenting posters who haven't a clue but still chose to join in. With comments like gas is lighter , so it will float to the top... Add some octane booster to stop pinging . Here's is a comment you can bank on. At your small ratio of gas to diesel simply run it out by motoring at a moderate mid rpm engine speed. If you would be more comfortable with adding some lubrication add about two pints of Marvel mystery oil, that will add lubricant and clean the fuel system as well. That's advice from someone with 42 years of diesel engine experience, me.

This. Exactly. If you can't get Marvel Mystery use 2 stroke oil which is pretty much all synthetic these days. 52 years master mechanic here.

[Ballsnall]

Any JASCO spec 2 stroke motorcycle/mower oil is fine.
Much better lubrication than outboard oils.

[Capt Gill]

Originally Posted by Scubaseas

This. Exactly. If you can't get Marvel Mystery use 2 stroke oil which is pretty much all synthetic these days. 52 years master mechanic here.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Carl-T705 View Post
"I'm always amazed by commenting posters who haven't a clue but still chose to join in. With comments like gas is lighter , so it will float to the top... Add some octane booster to stop pinging . Here's is a comment you can bank on. At your small ratio of gas to diesel simply run it out by motoring at a moderate mid rpm engine speed. If you would be more comfortable with adding some lubrication add about two pints of Marvel mystery oil, that will add lubricant and clean the fuel system as well. That's advice from someone with 42 years of diesel engine experience, me."

+ 1 for your sensible opinions.
Vapor explosion, really? I better get rid of my car. It has a gasoline engine!
Gotta go now, I just heard that the sky is falling.

[Compass790]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

It might run through the engine but you risk a vapor explosion in the crank case. Not worth the risk of damage compared to the repairs. Pump it out.

WTF?
Hey I drink rum too. Hope it was a good night.

[laird]

Truckers of old would put gasoline into their tanks in winter to help the engine start ,in modern trucks I've been told this is not a good idea
I've run my Mitsubishi shogun on a mix of vegetable oil and diesel 40/60 it smelled like a deep fat fryer

The risk is your pump seals , the gasoline mix may attack your pump seals and the thinner diesel can get past the piston rings ,some engines can handle it and some can't

I'd drain the tank if it's a less than 15 year old engine

[Tellie]

What's the cost of a fuel pump out and the cost of a new 75hp diesel. It's easy to say what to do when it's not your check book on the line.

[longjonsilver]

Originally Posted by Carl-T705

I'm always amazed by commenting posters who haven't a clue but still chose to join in. With comments like gas is lighter , so it will float to the top...

Yup, thats what you get online, but no different from asking you dockmates.

[Finestkind]

Made that mistake once... about 20% gas before I stopped it! Ran Minimally and purchased a 5 gal outboard tank & used it to feed Diesel to the Racor bypassing the tank. Later we filled up the tank with diesel. Thought all was well!
The ‘good news’ was that the gas loosened up a TON of crap in the 25 year old tank!
The ‘bad news’ was learning how to change Yanmar Injectors while bobbing at a mooring. (See ‘good news!). A thorough tank cleaning followed.
Got Lemons... make Lemonade!