Accidently put gasoline in Kubota L3240

[crazyal]

I am on this one with you. I remeber that all trucks in CZ army would run on gas even though they were diesels. They would not start on gas but when they warmed up they woud run on gas just fine.

I've seen some old dozers, internationals I think, that you would use gas to start them and then switch to diesel.

The best trick I found for starting a diesel that's ran out of fuel is to bleed everything the best you can then get a squirt bottle filled with diesel. You give it a little squirt through the air cleaner and the engine will fire. As it starts to stall give it another little squirt. Keep doing this until it starts to run on it's own. I've known people that have used starting fluid to do this but I wouldn't recommend it.

 

[manganos]

I'm willing to bet your IP is gone. Also those engines that are multi fuel. Well most of them require you to put OIL in the gas so it will lubricate. This is the worst case scenario for these type engines and done as a last resort.

What I would do is drain everything again and start with fresh diesel. Change out the fuel filter again. Prime the pump and bleed each injector. Then try to start the engine.


I remember my wife put 5 gallons of ANIT-FREEZE in my Jeep Liberty Diesel. What a PITA but I got it working

 

[doall]

do you know how much fuel was left in it when the gas was added? I think if you get it bled it will run. loosen the lines on the top of each cylinder when cranking until fuel comes out there, then tighten and crank.

 

[Sumpter]

I've seen some old dozers, internationals I think, that you would use gas to start them and then switch to diesel.


Your correct. My Dad has an old International TD6. A friend of mine has a TD14. Both start with gasoline, switch to Diesel. Compared to turning a key, it is a pain in the a**

Never use starting fluid if you have glow plugs.

 

[ultrarunner]

Never use starting fluid if you have glow plugs.

Is it the amount or frequency of using starting fluid that causes the problem?

Most of the cans will say OK for diesel use and the Alaska Pipeline guy I knew said they would either keep the equipment running 24/7 or have a heck of a time getting it started... even with starting fluid and heating the oil pan with a torch.

 

[kevinj]

Is it the amount or frequency of using starting fluid that causes the problem?

Most of the cans will say OK for diesel use and the Alaska Pipeline guy I knew said they would either keep the equipment running 24/7 or have a heck of a time getting it started... even with starting fluid and heating the oil pan with a torch.

It is the explosion when ether hits a hot glow plug

 

[manganos]

Don't use ether to start a diesel. Ether has a low a flash point and when present in the intake can blow up the air filter housing and even the valve cover.......

 

[hawkeye08]

I've seen some old dozers, internationals I think, that you would use gas to start them and then switch to diesel.
.

Yes, and these engines have a lever to change the combustion chamber (so the compression is right) and also have a completely separate fuel system (carb, tank, etc) so the gas does NOT go through the diesel pump or injectors. It also has a distributor and spark plugs.

Not the same as "running" a diesel engine on gas.

 

[Ford tractor]

It is the explosion when ether hits a hot glow plug

Yeah, it's that. Glow plugs make ether go boom in the intake track.

Also few people actually know how to start an engine with ether and give it too much at the wrong time. The ether then ignites while the piston is on the wrong side of TDC. The extreme cylinder pressures will blow the piston ring lands off, crack the pistons, bend rods and generally send your mechanic and his whole family to Hawaii for 2 weeks.

 

[Gary Fowler]

There are engines designed to run on multiple fuels as in the case of most military vehicles. They are designed that way so that in emergency you can put just about anything flammable in them and they will operate. That is not the case with civilian equipment since we likely wouldnt like to pay for all the extra cost involved.
That said, I can hardly believe how many folks say they mistakenly put gasoline in diesel or diesel in gasoline tanks. Heck you can smell the difference from 50 feet away, Ray Charles could feel the difference if he was still alive so even if the tank is red and has diesel or yellow and has gasoline, a quick sniff of the contents prior to dumping would seem to take care of the problem. Even the gas / oil mix is readily identifed via the color if one takes the time to look prior to filling and with the mostly plastic tanks now days, even if it is filled, if you look at it you can tell the difference if you arent red/blue color blind. Now blaming the wife for the mistake, I can understand that if you have a wife that will do work like that, consider yourself lucky and dont chastise her too badly about the mistake. Just do some really friendly education on how the system works, show her how to identify the difference between water, antifreeze, gasoline and diesel and thank her for helping you do your outside work. I can barely get my wife to fill her car up at the service station, she usually has an excuse for us to go somewhere in her car when it needs gas so I have to fill and pay.