Oil & Fuel Put Regular Gasoline in Diesel Engine and Need Help Removing Fuel

[JakeBlues]

I appreciate any help folks can offer. I sent my brother who has special needs to get fuel for the JD 4300 and the 2 smaller mowers. Upon return I grabbed the same can I've grabbed for years -- the one that says diesel all over it -- and began cutting. Within about 15-25 minutes, it suddenly lost a bunch of power. So I limped off the field into the barn. I looked at the fuel and it was a far darker color and not the green I'm used to. He confirmed later that he put regular fuel in the diesel container.

So it seems that my first order of business is to get that gas out of there as soon as possible. And I'm looking for help. I've only posted here a few times, but often read forums for assistance. And now, if someone could point me in the right direction with some details on the best way to remove this and how to do it, I would be grateful. I'm not a mechanic, but I'm also not stupid. I can follow directions pretty good.

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[PILOON]

Has happened to me also.
Dump all, drain and crank 'til nice new fuel gets to the engine.
\Otherwise stated do all normal bleeding procedures.
It will cough, sputter and eventually catch and run as usual.
Just don't overheat the starter.

 

[Wagtail]

Don't forget to replace the fuel filter... maybe twice would be prudent, once after draining, before 'cranking' the new diesel fuel through the system, and then again after the system is running.

The second filter replacement ensures that there's no lingering petrol trapped in the fuel filter.

 

[4570Man]

I'd pull the line off the tank and drain it. The I'd dump the water separator and change the fuel filter. Then I'd put it back together and pull a line off right before the high pressure pump and run a gallon of diesel through it with the electric pump to clean it out. I wouldn't change the filter a second time because if you're using OEM filters they're probably $50.

 

[4570Man]

It wouldn't hurt to drain the injection lines, but I probably wouldn't unless they contain straight gas because it's a lot of work.

 

[Wagtail]

I'd pull the line off the tank and drain it. The I'd dump the water separator and change the fuel filter. Then I'd put it back together and pull a line off right before the high pressure pump and run a gallon of diesel through it with the electric pump to clean it out. I wouldn't change the filter a second time because if you're using OEM filters they're probably $50.

Nah, it's a YANMAR donk... the fuel filters are generic and cost $15. And that's in Aussie dollars.

Heck, even an OEM fuel filter was less than a dollar more. ath:

 

[JakeBlues]

Feeling pretty stupid here. And now just plain embarrassed: How do I bleed the lines and drain the tank?

 

[stuckmotor]

Nah, it's a YANMAR donk... the fuel filters are generic and cost $15. And that's in Aussie dollars.

Heck, even an OEM fuel filter was less than a dollar more. ath:

"Ya don't need a gun when you've got a Donk". I was thinking about that line just the other day. :laughing:

 

[Coyote machine]

Feeling pretty stupid here. And now just plain embarrassed: How do I bleed the lines and drain the tank?

Don't beat yourself up- it can happen to the best of us. I know a guy who's wife filled their BMW with DIESEL, and it's a gasser! Now that has GOT to hurt!
To drain the tank, look for a petcock at the bottom or side of the tank where the fuel line feeds the engine. If there is a petcock turn it to off position, then carefully disconnect the fuel line from where it attaches to the fuel bowl/filter connection.. Have a container ready to catch the fuel and allow it to drain down to zero fuel by opening the petcock. Then flush some diesel through the tank until there is zero gas in it.
As far as bleeding the lines, you could do this by turning the ignition key to cranking the engine and ONLY cranking it for 10 seconds at a time, so you don't smoke the starter. When you have the fuel line off the fuel bowl/filter, assuming you have one, there may be 3 position petcock which has an open, (flow) position, a 'bleed' air position, and a closed position. IF you have this, set it to 'closed' and remove the old fuel filter and detach the line going back to the fuel tank. Once you have diesel in the tank, replace the fuel filter while keeping the petcock at the bowl closed.

Now that the new filter and fresh diesel are in the tank, open the fuel bowl petcock and crank the engine a bunch of times until fuel is flowing through the new filter to the injectors. AGAIN, only crank for brief 10 second intervals and then rest the starter to allow it to cool off before attempting to get the engine to start up. This could take some time, and you could get an airlock in the lines or at the filter, depending on how the diesel flows to the new filter and pump.

Hope this helps.

Also, when you have the engine running as it should add an additive like Power Service to aid in lubrication that the gasoline would have removed from the internal engine parts, since gas would act like an etching agent and would not lubricate your engine like diesel fuel does to some extent when being used to run it.

Good luck, take your time and remember; you're not stupid, humans make mistakes. You're allowed several in a lifetime!

 

[fried1765]

Don't beat yourself up- it can happen to the best of us. I know a guy who's wife filled their BMW with DIESEL, and it's a gasser! Now that has GOT to hurt!
To drain the tank, look for a petcock at the bottom or side of the tank where the fuel line feeds the engine. If there is a petcock turn it to off position, then carefully disconnect the fuel line from where it attaches to the fuel bowl/filter connection.. Have a container ready to catch the fuel and allow it to drain down to zero fuel by opening the petcock. Then flush some diesel through the tank until there is zero gas in it.
As far as bleeding the lines, you could do this by turning the ignition key to cranking the engine and ONLY cranking it for 10 seconds at a time, so you don't smoke the starter. When you have the fuel line off the fuel bowl/filter, assuming you have one, there may be 3 position petcock which has an open, (flow) position, a 'bleed' air position, and a closed position. IF you have this, set it to 'closed' and then remove the fuel line going back to the fuel tank. Once you have diesel in the tank allow the line to fill while placing it on the input side of the fuel filter bowl and once you have secured the line to the inlet you can open the petcock at the fuel bowl to allow fuel to flow to the engine when you crank it to start.

Once you have the tank drained and fresh diesel in it, then install your new fuel filter, and again, if you have a 3 way petcock at the fuel filter keep it closed while draining the line to it AND while removing the old filter and installing the new one. Now that eh new filter and fresh diesel are in the tank, open the fuel bowl petcock and crank the engine a bunch of times until fuel is flowing through the new filter to the injectors. AGAIN, only crank for brief 10 second intervals and then rest the starter to allow it to cool off before attempting to get the engine to start up. This could take some time, and you could get an airlock in the lines or at the filter, depending on how the diesel flows to the new filter and pump.
Hope this helps. Also, when you have the engine running as it should add an additive like Power Service to aid in lubrication that the gasoline would have removed from the internal engine parts since gas would act like an etching agent and would not lubricate your engine like diesel fuel does to some extent when being use to run it.
Good luck, take your time and remember; you're not stupid, humans make mistakes. You're allowed several in a lifetime!

Putting diesel in a "gasser" is the better problem to have, rather than running a diesel engine on gas.
The much more volatile gasoline will greatly raise diesel engine internal combustion temperatures/pressures, and destroy the engine in relatively short order. The "gasser" will just quit running if on diesel.
Many years ago, gas engine cars were sometimes started on gasoline, and switched over to kerosene while running (similar to diesel, but more highly refined).