Gas in a diesel

[century3045]

My son poured about 30 dollars worth of high octane racing fuel for a racing 4 wheeler into my Century 3045 (Yanmar Diesel) today and ran it a little while. He said he didn't run it long but how can I tell if it damaged the engine?
Thanks

 

[ultrarunner]

My local Kubota Dealer had a new (less than 10 hours) tractor in his shop with the engine completely torn down. Being curious, I asked the mechanic what happened and he motioned me over to take a look.

Thew mechanic said the new tractor owner loaned the tractor to his Brother-in-law over the weekend and the BIL filled the the tank with gasoline. The BIL knew something was wrong when the motor lost power and the tractor started to shake.

The mechanic had found two of the three pistons had holes burned through and the head was warped and cracked. Because of the damage, the dealer was going to advise installing a new long block.

How does your motor run? Is it smooth with normal power? Was the tank only topped-off? If so, you might be OK.

On a similar not, years ago, my brother called and said he blew the engine on his 68 Mustang. Turns out he had filled the tank with diesel by mistake. I drained the tank, refilled it with fresh gas and 10 years later the engine still runs strong.

 

[davemhughes]

My son poured about 30 dollars worth of high octane racing fuel for a racing 4 wheeler into my Century 3045 (Yanmar Diesel) today and ran it a little while. He said he didn't run it long but how can I tell if it damaged the engine?
Thanks

1. Drain tank
2.replace filters and let fuel drain out of filter send line
3. put some diesel in it and see if it starts and run it a while
4. $30 worth of racing fuel is about 4 gal mixed in with how much diesel?

 

[century3045]

It was exactly 4 gallons and it topped the tank off full. It must have been half full or close to half. He drove the tractor down in the pasture and dug up a very small stump with the back-hoe. He says about 15 minutes, I'd say 30. However he never knew anything was wrong, It ran as good when he parked it as when he started it up and he said the temperature guage was normal because he does at least check that. I rode to work with a friend and he left his 4-wheeler in my shop and set the jug of fuel in the back-hoe bucket. The fuel was blue , don't know how it could be confused with diesel but it did.

 

[dirtworksequip]

What color can was the racing gas in? That's one lesson learned. Always store gas,fuel and kerosene or any other product in the properly colored container. Hopefully it did not do any damage to your engine. What you just ran into is one reason I am very hesitant to loan anything out. It seems people just don't think any more. After draining everything and changing filters I would flush out the fuel tank and lines with fuel. Blow thru any fuel lines with air that you can. Then run it under light load for awhile and hope for the best.Good luck.

 

[DieselPower]

Like the others have said the best thing you can do is drain the tank, change the filters and purge the mixed fuel out. Keep your fingers crossed no damage was caused. I have worked on alot of trucks that have had their tanks filled with gas over the years and the majority of the time a simple drain/refill and filters was all they needed.

For the first tank full you might also consider adding a little 2 cycle engine oil to your fuel to add to the lubricity untill all the gas is worked out of the system. That's the main problem with gas in a diesel, it's lowered lubricity.

 

[century3045]

So far, So good!! I loosened the injector lines and after clening bowl and filter I hooked a jug of fresh diesel up to the fuel pump and spun the motor repeatedly until fresh diesel was coming out the injector lines. Then I drained the tanks and blew air through the lines and left the cap off and lines disconnected over night so the vapors, if any would evaporate. I put everything back and fired her up. I can't tell any changes in the running of the motor but I'm gonna try to keep it at low rpm's for a while just in case! Thanks for all the input!!

 

[Soundguy]

I think you got real lucky that there was enough diesel in there to keep things from getting explosive.

I'd run some 2cyc oil.. or tranny fluid.. or even engine oil in the fuel tank for this run just to be onthe safe side. Even some power service as it addas lubricity.. etc..

Soundguy

 

[redlevel]

The mechanic had found two of the three pistons had holes burned through

The same thing happened to a Super Dexta I owned about 20 years ago. I loaned it to a friend whose property I was renting, and he cranked it by holding a gasoline-soaked rag over the air intake. Blew holes in two pistons. The tractor cranked and ran, but I noticed it was pumping oil out through the dipstick. The compression was going back into the crankcase and forcing the oil out. I hope you have better luck.

Mark

 

[TrippleT]

I would go along with Soundguy there, put some lube in the fuel. Injection pumps are expensive. Evidently you got lucky, if the engine is running that well. If there is no blowby you must have.
I saw a guy run a chainsaw without oil in the gas and it froze up and one of the guys stuck a punch down the sparkplug hole and broke the piston loose. They put fuel in it and it ran. They took it back out on the job. LOL
I sure wouldn't suggest that.