The Diesel Stop banner

Dumb Move, Gasoline in Diesel.

2K views 12 replies 12 participants last post by  dreamachinef250 
#1 ·
Hey Men;

I have been filling up my wife's car, so today I was getting some fuel in my F250 6.9 and I put in 3 gallons of regular gasoline in my front tank before I woke up, do you think it will be OK to fill the rest of the way with diesel and use it up or should I try to syphon it out, it was right down to empty when I put the gas in it.

Thanks, Bill Miller.
 
#2 ·
Oooops! Bill don't think that filling it on up would be safe. Even if the tank was completly empty before the gas, you would still have over 25% gas in there. Try to get as much out as you can, can't say for sure, but if you got it down to 1/2 gallon or less and then filled it with fuel you may be safe.....Hang loose before you do anything, someone who has been there done that will fill us in. good to hear from the Memphis flash! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif
 
#3 ·
I did the same thing on my old 1987 Ford diesel. I filled the other tank with diesel and drove to a shop where someone syphoned (by mouth /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/vomit.gif ) the gas out. I simply refilled it with diesel and had no problems. I would definitely drain as much as possible.
 
#4 ·
Get it out, that much is likley to harm your injection pump!
Rick H...
 
#5 ·
Bill,

3 gallons - no worries. Just fill with diesel and throw some lube at her (Stanadyne or something to that effect) heck if ya got a quart of motor oil hanging out throw that in as well then enjoy. She'll do just fine. Diana that showed up at the 04 IDI Weekend in Michigan did the same thing as you and she was fine. You might notice some complaining out of that tank but she'll do just fine. These diesels will burn about anything and once you dilute the gas down enough it will burn just fine - might be down on power but you got your other rig for that /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
#6 ·
bill-
the official MBZ owner's manual back in '79 encouraged the use of gasoline of no more than 12% of total volume to keep the diesel from gelling in the colder climates. 3gal in a 15gal tank is borderline ok.
 
#7 ·
Somebody check my math, but if there is 3 gallons in there and you have a 19 gallon tank, if you were to fill with diesel, you would only be at 16% or so. You could run it down some and continue to fill with diesel, then run it down some and fill with diesel. In actuality, if you filled it on up, added some additive, then ran out 5 gallons and refilled with diesel, you would be in right in there.
 
#9 ·
Bill........I scored this info a while back. Your choice of course as to what you do.........

Mixing Gasoline with Diesel Fuel
At one time information was released suggesting that a small amount of gasoline mixed with diesel fuel for use in cold weather was an acceptable practice. This information was eventually retracted due to conditions that may result from such a mixture.

First and foremost is a safety factor. The gasoline fumes from gasoline are very rich and there is not enough oxygen available for a spark generated at the filler neck to ignite these fumes. The diesel fumes are too lean and will not ignite. A mixture in the right proportion could create fumes volatile enough to ignite from a spark generated at the filler neck.

Second, all injection pumps and injectors utilize the lubrication in diesel fuel to keep internal parts lubricated. Gasoline cuts down on this lubrication and can lead to premature injector and pump wear or even failure.

Although accidentally mixing a small percentage of gasoline with a tank of diesel fuel may not result in an immediate problem, it could still result in shorter pump and/or injector life. The only safe action would be to drain the mixture and start from scratch. While this may seem costly, it could save you from more costly repairs in the long run.

Pete
 
#10 ·
Go ahead and fill it up with diesel. Three gallons isn't going to make a difference. I'd pour in a gallon of veggie oil or two cycle motor oil. I have seen this mistake made a lot of times, just most of the time people don't wake up and go to start their vehicle and it ends up dieing. A lot of people pour a little gas in with their diesel to winterize it. I have ran gas contaminated diesel before without any problems (guys put gas in diesel cans etc etc...)
 
#11 ·
I work with a dude that ran his 7.3 IDI home on mixed 2 cycle oil for the boat. Got low on fuel, late one evening, said "crap on it" and siphoned the boat dry.

hard to start cold the next morning, and smoked a little, but other than that... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug.gif

This same dude towed a house trailer with this truck, and another house trailer with D15 Allis Chalmers tractor. (like 42 hp) Had to steer the tractor with the rear brakes. That is to say, he ain't easy on stuff.

Never any problems out of his pump on this truck.

get you 3 bottles of 2 cycle oil, filler up w/ diesel, and let 'er rip.
 
#12 ·
IMHO, Is it worth the risk to fill with diesel and hope for the best? Seems like a mouth full of gas to siphon it out is alot better than having to replace fuel system parts or worse an engine.
 
#13 ·
HI Dave,

I think when I get around to doing it I will syphon out what I can. then fill with diesel and put in some Stanadyne treatment and drive off, I am operating on the other tank right now. Dave I was on Guam back in 1951-52 for two years, I was in the USAF and attached to Anderson Air Force Base there, I was out in the Boonies at a radio receiver sight, this was durung the Korean War.
I want to thank everyone for the comments and good info.
See'ya, Bill.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top