! ! HELP my wife topped off the diesel tank with gasoline!! What can I do?!?!?!?

[RickB]

I did the same thing to my New Holland and at about the same ratio of gas to fuel. It would start and run, but then lose so much power I could barely keep it running. When I figured it out I drained the tank into a gas can and re-filled with diesel. Then bled the fuel system until it was getting pure diesel to the injection pump. No filter change needed, and no oil change needed. At that point I cracked the injector lines and let out some more contaminated fuel by cranking it at full throttle. Then tightened the injector lines, started it up and went back to work. No damage and it runs fine.

Adding an additive, after the fact, won't do much. Changing the oil does nothing for the problem as you won't find any gas in the crankcase. Forget the oil change idea, it's the fuel side that needs attention.

You can use the contaminated fuel to start your burn pile, or re-cycle it with your used engine oil, or add small amounts to your tank in the winter months to prevent gelling and recover some of your expense.

Best response yet.

 

[257NH]

I hope all turns out well for you.I'm pretty sure there isnt any major damage done save maybe a little extra wear on you're rings.Now,about that restraining order on you're wife ;-)

 

[aczlan]

Been there, seen that done on our B7500 which had an empty tank at the time (fortunately they realized what they had done before starting it). I drained the tank, replaced the filter and used the ~10% diesel mix in the gas mowers (mixed 50/50 with new gas) for the next mowing.

Aaron Z

 

[KennK]

I did that once. Sheeesh. It made me feel stupid. It was because the pump had a green handle - unlike any of the other pump handles ... and I was stupid.

Anyway, the same thing happened to me. It ran for 20-30 minutes, started sputtering & loosing power. Then at some point it wouldn't start.

I had the Deere dealer haul it away. They drained the tank, replaced the fuel filter, and filled it with fresh diesel fuel. It ran after that and seemed pretty good.

A few months later (maybe a few week??) it started loosing power. I had it brought back and they ended up replacing one of the fuel injectors. After that its run like new. I suspect the gasoline damaged the fuel injector - they said that could happen.

I've read that the biggest damage is related to the risk of a larger BANG with gasoline ... and blowing out some seals or cracking heads and such.

My advice is to get it hauled to your dealer and start praying.

Ken

 

[Texan4Life]

Gasoline in a diesel: less specific energy in the fuel, compared with diesel, so less power available ...and, anti-knock additives prevent it from "dieseling" ...but, I would wager no harm done because (in an earlier era) the answer to winter diesel fuel gelling was to add some gasoline ...exactly what my 1968 MB diesel owners manual recommended if "engine kerosene" wasn't available as an additive (#1). There was a max dilution ratio stated ...can't remember what, but would have been the point at which no-knock, no dieseling (i.e., no compression ignition, so no run-ee)

+1

"multifuel" diesel engines say in the owners manual if your gonna run straight gasoline to add new motor oil to bring up the lubricity.
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In this situation, the best thing would be to drain the tank and re fill with new diesel.

but if it were mine, I would add a big dose of TC-W3 outboard 2 cycle oil and then top off with diesel.

Like other have said its at least diluted with diesel, and not a complete fill. So your better off in that sense

my .02

 

[super55]

Too bad it is not an old military deuce and a half you would have no issues. The -10 operators manual on those things said you could run a mogas/motor oil blend in them with no issues.

 

[pycoed]

Raspy is spot on with the reply here.
Lots of people in UK running cars on straight vegetable oil have to add a percentage of petrol to thin the fuel in winter. Depending on the injection pump & temperatures below say -5C you may need as much as 20%. Mine needs only 10% (Merc. OM662LA engine) & several owners have reported that 20% petrol mixes cause vapour locks in the system between lift pump & injection pump (because the petrol element evaporates from the mix when the engine/pump is hot). I bet this is what has happened to yours.