Traction Incredible - No damage resulting from putting gas into my Kioti Diesel Engine

[Javabean215]

I'm assuming that starting the older diesel engines on gas was to pre-heat them? No glow plugs or other cylinder head heating on those types?

The mechanical injection systems are probably more tolerant of gas or other non-diesel fuel, but I think that will depend heavily on the type of pump. I know the Bosch pumps used on the older mechanically injected VW TDIs (not in any tractor that I know of, but wouldn't be surprised to see other flavors of Bosch pumps or their patents used in tractors) tend to have very tight tolerance, and even short operation with watery biodiesel or gas could cause pump failure from lack of lubrication.

Aside from pump and injector tolerances for modern emissions, a diesel engine will run on just about anything that will burn. Rudolph Diesel originally built his engines to use soybean and peanut oil.

 

[JDAOWNER]

MY OLD JD "A" WAS MADE TO START ON GAS AND THEN SWITCH TO KEROSENE. I THINK TO WARTM IT UP ON GAS FIRST. ALL THROUGH A CARB. I'VE RUN IN ON GAS ONLY FOR YEARS. OCCASIONALLY, A FRIEND THAT WORKED AT ELECTRIC CO. WOULD BRING ME A HALF A BARREL OF MIXED FUEL AND GAS FROM A TRUCK SOMEONE HAD MESSED UP ON. I COULD RUN THE OLD TRACTOR ALL WNTER ON THAT MIX. DIDN'T START VERY WELL, BUT IT WOULD RUN.

 

[Lockport]

Don't forget, Red Sharpie for Gas, Yellow Sharpie for Diesel, Blue Sharpie for Kerosene

I am one of those stupid people that puts gas only in red jugs. I have two yellow ones for diesel in case my little diesel fuel station runs out before I get it filled.

I use a Sharpie to mark my 50:1 mix containers...one in the pole barn...one in the garage.

Good to hear there was no damage to your tractor but a change in how you store fuel would be prudent.

 

[shovelmike]

rademamj...Welcome to the forum. I feel that some of the replies were too harsh, anyone could make the same mistake while tired or distracted.
The Mahindra is the first diesel machine on the place, I immediately ordered a yellow (diesel) can off Amazon to prevent such mistakes.
As mentioned, the lack of lubricating properties of gas is the issue at hand, evidently the residual film of diesel and your prompt response saved you from damage.
I would recommend that you get a yellow can strictly dedicated for diesel.

 

[RalphVa]

Years ago, Mercedes came out recommending up to 10% gasoline in diesel as a fix to winter diesel problems. Then they rescinded that when they found out that such a mix can cause a very explosive atmosphere in the fuel tank. Normally, diesel tank atmosphere is too lean for an explosion to happen, and gasoline tank vapor spaces are too rich.

Good to hear that nothing bad happened, which enhances my feeling about any needed "lubricity" for today's diesel fuel. You lost it with the gasoline. The fuel injectors are designed for low/no lubricity needed. Probably the lobes or whatever in the pumps don't actually touch.

I use red and blue "cans" for diesel but clearly mark them as DIESEL.

Ralph

 

[Javabean215]

Years ago, Mercedes came out recommending up to 10% gasoline in diesel as a fix to winter diesel problems. Then they rescinded that when they found out that such a mix can cause a very explosive atmosphere in the fuel tank. Normally, diesel tank atmosphere is too lean for an explosion to happen, and gasoline tank vapor spaces are too rich.

Good to hear that nothing bad happened, which enhances my feeling about any needed "lubricity" for today's diesel fuel. You lost it with the gasoline. The fuel injectors are designed for low/no lubricity needed. Probably the lobes or whatever in the pumps don't actually touch.

I use red and blue "cans" for diesel but clearly mark them as DIESEL.

Ralph

That one confuses me. VW uses the exact same tank and in-tank pump for their gassers and their diesels. Diesel doesn't emit much vapor at normal atmospheric pressure and temp, while gasoline emits vapor at around 77 degrees Fahrenheit. And it's the vapor that "rapidly combusts", or explodes. (Neither liquid gasoline or liquid diesel will ignite.) I can't see how putting both gasoline and diesel in the same tank would cause a problem. (Now, you are not supposed to fill a gasoline tank to the top because there needs to be room for vapor expansion, while this isn't necessary for diesel...)

 

[finn1]

That one confuses me. VW uses the exact same tank and in-tank pump for their gassers and their diesels. Diesel doesn't emit much vapor at normal atmospheric pressure and temp, while gasoline emits vapor at around 77 degrees Fahrenheit. And it's the vapor that "rapidly combusts", or explodes. (Neither liquid gasoline or liquid diesel will ignite.) I can't see how putting both gasoline and diesel in the same tank would cause a problem. (Now, you are not supposed to fill a gasoline tank to the top because there needs to be room for vapor expansion, while this isn't necessary for diesel...)

. The problem is that diesel fuel has low volatility and a high flash point, so it is too lean for the tank fumes to ignite.

Gas has a very low flash point but very high volatility, so the fumes in the tank are too rich to ignite.

Combine a little highly volatile gas with a volume of low volatility diesel, and you have the conditions for a tank explosion, ie the a/f ratio of the tank vapors are in the region that it could explode.

 

[Fuggley]

Also, some quality fuel containers use a different spout/cap gasket material for gasoline vs diesel. Eg. Scepter military red jerrycan containers need "Viton" material gaskets. Their yellow-diesel/blue-water can gaskets can't survive gasoline and will crack like crazy. I learned this the hard way.

 

[3930dave]

my wife accidentally topped off the dodge diesel with unleaded gas about 4 years ago. truck drove out of the gas station and promptly died. Truck was towed to Dodge where they determined what happened. $600 later after tank was dropped and drained and cleaned, truck was refulled and has run fine ever since. The dodge mechanic wasnt worried. said hes seen it before

Modern diesels are more finicky, but I suspect with just a bit of luck, OP's tractor will be fine.

Lubrication is one aspect that's been cited already.... along those lines, Ethanol content in the gasoline is a factor..... not recommended at all usually in modern diesels, but pure gasoline would be the least detrimental. It wasn't just my better sense of smell back when - high sulphur diesel fuel was pretty easy to distinguish from gasoline. (We need a tin-foil hat smiley..... maybe this low-sulphur diesel is just a plot to get more gasoline into diesels !).

A customer's RAM came into work, because a worker had filled the DEF tank with diesel. Not saying trying DEF in a diesel tank is good , but I can say that filling a DEF tank with diesel gets expensive.

Mistakes are wasted if not learned from (I've managed to learn from most of mine ), Fluid foul ups happen, but aside from no time to wait (under fire), that's one reason a lot of military equipment is designed to run on pretty much anything....

Rgds, D.

 

[BleedingOrange]

The older I get, the simpler I try to make things. It ticks me off when I make stupid mistakes, knowing full when that the mistake shouldn,t of happened. Hopefully adding gas to your diesel engine didn,t hurt it.