Gas in a Diesel engine

[chrisdvorak]

I just purchased a trojan 164a wheel loader. It's an old machine with a 2 cycle Detroit Diesel engine in it. Anyway after I got it home and unloaded it I opened the fuel cap and smelled gas? The machine ran fine the whole time I got it off the trailer and parked it until I shut it off! My question is would I be causing any damage to the engine by just running the rest of the gas out and refilling with diesel?

- thanks

 

[Gary Fowler]

Unless it is a military multi-fuel engine it could be permanently damaged by running gasoline in it. You could have been running on fuel from the filters to the pump and some one could have filled the tank with gasoline by mistake. I would not run it anymore until I drained the entire fuel system and purged the lines all the way to the pump with fresh diesel.

 

[PoorMansCat]

yeah I would drain it and add some fresh #2... Might even throw a couple bottles of 2 cycle engine oil in it.

 

[chrisdvorak]

Should the 2 cycle engine oil replace my regular fuel additive or just add to it? Should I always add it to the fuel of this loader or just the first tank after I get the gas out? I appreciate the info as this is the first 2 stroke diesel I have owned.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Those old engines were not built for the low sulfur diesel we are forced to buy now. They need a lot of lubricant added to keep the fuel systems components from seizing up or leaking seals.

Ron

 

[Mikeeemo]

Drain the tank! I poured gas in my diesel tractor by mistake, it would barely run. I would change the engine oil once it was running on the correct fuel.

 

[diesel lover]

BIG reminder here ----- when changing oil in a two stroke Detroit ONLY use the required engine oil. This is always a straight weight diesel 30 weight or 40 weight.

If 15w40 is used, you could run the risk of engine damage upon start up in minutes!! At start up with the cold oil thickness is 15 weight, upon running for a few minutes or longer it warms up to 40 weight. At this point the engine can be damaged very fast. Please remember and please pass along the info!

 

[Diamondpilot]

Drain it ASAP and put fresh diesel and filters on it.

Chris

 

[GManBart]

BIG reminder here ----- when changing oil in a two stroke Detroit ONLY use the required engine oil. This is always a straight weight diesel 30 weight or 40 weight.

If 15w40 is used, you could run the risk of engine damage upon start up in minutes!! At start up with the cold oil thickness is 15 weight, upon running for a few minutes or longer it warms up to 40 weight. At this point the engine can be damaged very fast. Please remember and please pass along the info!

That isn't how oil viscosity works.

 

[Norm W]

I agree with PoorMansCat. Drain the fuel tank and replace with clean Diesel and some Diesel fuel conditioner. Detroit recommends SAE40 year round. That means, where you are, a block heater would help with the starting. I doubt you hurt the engine by running it. Those "Driptroits" would put up with about anything but lugging. Wind it right out and run it like you just hit your hand with a hammer, it will be a much happier engine that way.