Gas/Diesel

[joe25DA]

Long story short. A dummy at work put 35 gallons of gas into a Diesel truck. he then drove it 20 or so miles, parked it and surprise! when he wen to move it it wouldnt re-start. Anyway, he lucked out and after we drained the tank, lines and new filters the truck started and runs. My question is this: We have a 50 gallon drum with 35gal od gasoline in it. I was told I could have it, but will it damage my saws or other ope? I know diesel has more oil in it, and if he drove it to the point where he stalled the truck he must have sucked the majority of the diesel from the tank? What would you do? One guy at work wont touch it. Another said it would be fine.

 

[parrisw]

Dont use it!!!!!! Espicially in your saws. Diesel will not burn in a regular gas engine, it will cause your car to run like crap, and a bunch of it will end up in your oil, diluting it.

 

[joe25DA]

My gut feeling was to avoid it. Was just gonna use it in the OPE but, its not worth it.

 

[parrisw]

My gut feeling was to avoid it. Was just gonna use it in the OPE but, its not worth it.

Ya, its just not worth it. I've done it, and will not do it again. I've even tried a bit at a time in my car, and it just doesn't run too great. Ive dealt with this many many times, I'm a mechanic and work at a service/gas station, and have had to drain many of a car/truck, and everyone who cheaps out and tries to run it says, well, I'll never do that again. The last mechanic at work that did it, once he stopped his car and it got cold, it would not restart.

 

[joe25DA]

Ya, its just not worth it. I've done it, and will not do it again. I've even tried a bit at a time in my car, and it just doesn't run too great. Ive dealt with this many many times, I'm a mechanic and work at a service/gas station, and have had to drain many of a car/truck, and everyone who cheaps out and tries to run it says, well, I'll never do that again. The last mechanic at work that did it, once he stopped his car and it got cold, it would not restart.

Thanks for the confirmation. Rep sent

 

[blsnelling]

No way.

 

[Brian_NC]

If you have a gas powered farm tractor it would not hurt a thing to run it in that. They aren't real picky like small engines are.

 

[fearofpavement]

You could use it in a diesel engine by adding small quantities at each fill up. ie, if you have a diesel truck or tractor maybe a half gallon of this per 20 gallons of diesel. You could eventually use it up that way and at the price of fuel it would be worth messing with in my opinion. I guess you could also do the same thing in a gas engine but would want to add even smaller amounts. Diesel and gasoline are both petroleum products and will completely blend when mixed. So if it were available to me I would utilize it but certainly not in a saw.

 

[MechanicMatt]

I think it depends on the ratio, if theres any doubt that there is more than a quart of diesel left in that 20 gallons I wouldn't run it. I had about thirty gallons of "mix" and ran it through my toyota pickup. It ran ok but not great, but that 22R couldn't be killed by anything.

 

[joe25DA]

I think it depends on the ratio, if theres any doubt that there is more than a quart of diesel left in that 20 gallons I wouldn't run it. I had about thirty gallons of "mix" and ran it through my toyota pickup. It ran ok but not great, but that 22R couldn't be killed by anything.

Thats the problem. I have no idea how much diesel is in this "mix". I wouldnt take a chance with any of my trimmers, mowers, saws, tractor or anything else for that matter. Its just too big of a chance.

 

[parrisw]

You could use it in a diesel engine by adding small quantities at each fill up. ie, if you have a diesel truck or tractor maybe a half gallon of this per 20 gallons of diesel. You could eventually use it up that way and at the price of fuel it would be worth messing with in my opinion. I guess you could also do the same thing in a gas engine but would want to add even smaller amounts. Diesel and gasoline are both petroleum products and will completely blend when mixed. So if it were available to me I would utilize it but certainly not in a saw.

I disagree. Just because they are both petro products doesn't mean it'll work. Diesel will not burn at all in a gas engine, use too much it'll foul the plugs, lots of it ends up going by the rings and gets into the oil. Running gas in a diesel is a even bigger no no, with as much compression as a diesel has, the thing will knock like crazy, gas ignites was earlier then diesel under compression. At a cost of $10,000 for a engine in my truck I would never even try to save $20-50 worth of fuel. Some people are just so dam cheap to try to save a buck they'll cost themselv's more in the end. We had a guy this summer that filled his almost new Dodge with Cummins, with gas, and he wanted us to save it for him so he could use a bit at a time, now your talking about a truck that's worth over $40,000, and he wanted to save $70 worth of fuel????????????????????????????? We had to talk him out of it.

 

[HUSKYMAN]

You could use it in a diesel engine by adding small quantities at each fill up. ie, if you have a diesel truck or tractor maybe a half gallon of this per 20 gallons of diesel. You could eventually use it up that way and at the price of fuel it would be worth messing with in my opinion. I guess you could also do the same thing in a gas engine but would want to add even smaller amounts. Diesel and gasoline are both petroleum products and will completely blend when mixed. So if it were available to me I would utilize it but certainly not in a saw.

Never run gasoline in a modern diesel, even in small amounts. Diesel is a much better lubricant than gasoline is, and diesel is the only thing that lubricates the fuel pump internals and injector internals. Diesel fuel pumps have very, very tight tolerances in order to build the many thousands of psi of fuel pressure required to spray the fuel into a mist for the engine to burn it. Gasoline in the fuel will kill your $1000-$2000 fuel pump and possibly injectors in short order.

 

[Brian_NC]

I disagree. Just because they are both petro products doesn't mean it'll work. Diesel will not burn at all in a gas engine, use too much it'll foul the plugs, lots of it ends up going by the rings and gets into the oil. Running gas in a diesel is a even bigger no no, with as much compression as a diesel has, the thing will knock like crazy, gas ignites was earlier then diesel under compression. At a cost of $10,000 for a engine in my truck I would never even try to save $20-50 worth of fuel. Some people are just so dam cheap to try to save a buck they'll cost themselv's more in the end. We had a guy this summer that filled his almost new Dodge with Cummins, with gas, and he wanted us to save it for him so he could use a bit at a time, now your talking about a truck that's worth over $40,000, and he wanted to save $70 worth of fuel????????????????????????????? We had to talk him out of it.

It's pretty common practice, around here anyway to run a little gas in diesel during the winter in everything from construction to farm equipment. For 14 years we have added gas to the diesel on several Cat machines, all of which have over 9000 hours on them now with no problems. It makes them start much better when it is cold and the injectors stay cleaner. I started doing it to my diesel tractors as well several years ago and no problems as of yet. I am sure it is a different ballgame with vehicles though and I doubt I'd try it my car or truck.

 

[fearofpavement]

I disagree. Just because they are both petro products doesn't mean it'll work. Diesel will not burn at all in a gas engine, use too much it'll foul the plugs, lots of it ends up going by the rings and gets into the oil. Running gas in a diesel is a even bigger no no, with as much compression as a diesel has, the thing will knock like crazy, gas ignites was earlier then diesel under compression. At a cost of $10,000 for a engine in my truck I would never even try to save $20-50 worth of fuel. Some people are just so dam cheap to try to save a buck they'll cost themselv's more in the end. We had a guy this summer that filled his almost new Dodge with Cummins, with gas, and he wanted us to save it for him so he could use a bit at a time, now your talking about a truck that's worth over $40,000, and he wanted to save $70 worth of fuel????????????????????????????? We had to talk him out of it.

Well, when you say diesel won't burn in a gas engine, I agree with you. If it is pure diesel. But don't pretend that if you add a cup of diesel fuel to 100 gallons of gasoline the gas engine is going to lurch to a stop. We are talking about a mixture here with very minimal amounts of another hydrocarbon. Conversely, if you added a cup of gasoline to 100 gallons of diesel it isn't going to cause the diesel to blow a gasket. Most fuel additives for either gas or diesel engines are some mixture of lightweight petroleum product or alcohol. A gas engine won't run on pure alcohol either but we all know they will run on a mixture of mostly gasoline with some alcohol.

As far as diesel getting into the oil, is that a big deal? Almost all vehicles pass fuels into the motor oil to some extent. Airplanes are often equipped with an "oil dilution system" which puts avgas into the crankcase to thin the oil so the engine will crank in cold weather. As the engine heats up it evaporates the gasoline and returns the oil to its original viscosity.

I am not telling the OP to use the fuel as it sounds like he has already decided, I would use it myself though with no fear of damaging my equipment.

 

[parrisw]

Well, when you say diesel won't burn in a gas engine, I agree with you. If it is pure diesel. But don't pretend that if you add a cup of diesel fuel to 100 gallons of gasoline the gas engine is going to lurch to a stop. We are talking about a mixture here with very minimal amounts of another hydrocarbon. Conversely, if you added a cup of gasoline to 100 gallons of diesel it isn't going to cause the diesel to blow a gasket. Most fuel additives for either gas or diesel engines are some mixture of lightweight petroleum product or alcohol. A gas engine won't run on pure alcohol either but we all know they will run on a mixture of mostly gasoline with some alcohol.

As far as diesel getting into the oil, is that a big deal? Almost all vehicles pass fuels into the motor oil to some extent. Airplanes are often equipped with an "oil dilution system" which puts avgas into the crankcase to thin the oil so the engine will crank in cold weather. As the engine heats up it evaporates the gasoline and returns the oil to its original viscosity.

I am not telling the OP to use the fuel as it sounds like he has already decided, I would use it myself though with no fear of damaging my equipment.

Well, a cup of diesel in 100gallons of gas is a little different then what the OP is asking. Yes I would say that' wouldn't harm a thing.

 

[zogger]

multifuel

The old multifuel diesel engines can use it, with more oil (I forget the particulars now, someone will remember) added to the diesel contaminated gas.

 

[parrisw]

The old multifuel diesel engines can use it, with more oil (I forget the particulars now, someone will remember) added to the diesel contaminated gas.

Sure they can. But now this is getting way off from what the OP has asked about.

 

[dingeryote]

We used a Diesel transfer tank to haul 30Gal of Gas(Yeah..I know. Had to be done) out to a stranded truck in the uncles field one year.

Had maybe a quart of red diesel in the tank, and nobody thought it would be a problem.
That old Dodge wasn't consulted though. Ran like crap to the point of inspiring us to check for real problems with the ignition.
Ended up siphoning the crap out, and running 10 gallons of Av Gas to clean things up before the old 440 ran right again.

Unless it's an old distilate burner, pass on the stuff. It's not worth it.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[Justsaws]

Long story short. A dummy at work put 35 gallons of gas into a Diesel truck. he then drove it 20 or so miles, parked it and surprise! when he wen to move it it wouldnt re-start. Anyway, he lucked out and after we drained the tank, lines and new filters the truck started and runs. My question is this: We have a 50 gallon drum with 35gal od gasoline in it. I was told I could have it, but will it damage my saws or other ope? I know diesel has more oil in it, and if he drove it to the point where he stalled the truck he must have sucked the majority of the diesel from the tank? What would you do? One guy at work wont touch it. Another said it would be fine.

What you have now is 50 gallons of first dip degreaser and or fire starter. Hopefully not at the same time.

 

[parrisw]

What you have now is 50 gallons of first dip degreaser and or fire starter. Hopefully not at the same time.

LOL, that was my first though.