Why does this gas look green?

[beardedmonkey]

As much as I'm a fan of riding to clear one's head, I really should have taken a walk last weekend...

So the gf and I just had a fight and I took off for some air. Tank was low, pulled into a station near Fenway Park on a Saturday evening around midnight. Was in a fog, not thinking, started filling the tank and wondered, "Wow, that gas really looks green! Must be these weird florescent lights." Then I go to put the nozzle back and BY THE GRACE OF GOD I realized what I'd done: just filled the entire tank up with diesel.

First off, I've never been so glad for a vacum petcock before -- at least none of it got into my carbs. Anyway, so there I am, just one kick away from disaster. I do have my tools though, so I just take the tank off and bring it into the station. The guy must have thought I was nuts, but I think he was so shocked, he just let me dump it into his waste oil tank. I wanted it out of there so badly I didn't even think to open the petcock at first, just sloshed it all into the drain (and the ground, and my boots, and my jeans)... Once most of it was out I realized I should have just opened the petcock so I set it to prime, and that's how I got the rest out.

Meanwhile, just as I'm turning the petcock, I see this Suburban full of sketchballs milling around my bike. I can't figure out what they're eying... and then I realize my Vanson jacket is draped over my seat. I go over and pick it up, and the guy says to me, "Hey brotha, I know ya' in a jam right now, but my friends and I really need some gas to get to Reveyah" (that's "Revere" in a thick Boston accent). "Think you can spot us some money?" "Um, I kinda got a lot to deal with right now, man. Talk to me when I'm done, ok?"

Jacket in hand, I go back to emptying the tank. When I turn back around, they're gone, evidently without needing to get any gas.

Anyhow, I shake the tank and it really does sound empty. I go back to the pump, fill it with about 1/4 tank of 87, shake it around, then dump that, then remount the tank on my bike. I fill it up, and again, THANK GOD I REMEMBERED THE EXACT FUEL CAPACITY OF MY BIKE! I check the meter, and it's right at 4.708. Perfect. Moment of truth, I kick it over and it purrs to life. Get home, no smoke. Tool around for another 30 minutes, still no smoke. Do a 200 mile ride the next day and that clinches it: disaster averted.

Moral of the story: don't be an idiot and go off riding when you've got **** on your mind, and if you do make a mistake, take your time and think before you go making it much, much worse. Just to scare myself a little more I spent some time googling what running the engine with a tankful of diesel would have done to it, and that kept me grateful for a good week. Even now I think back on it and smile a "wow I just dodged a bullet" smile. Feels good knowing that for once I actually caught a bonehead move before it cost me my bike for the season (no way I could have saved that money before it's time to winterize it, and even then, who knows how extensive the damage would have been).

 

[beardedmonkey]

Good for you to have realised it in time.

I followed what you did and I approve but I don't thing you needed to rinse. The diesel coating would be so little in the gas that it would'nt make a difference. IMO.

DP

Yeah, prolly not. Actually I've heard diesel can be used on seized engines for its cleaning properties so maybe it actually gave my tank a nice mini-wash? Who knows. I was just so freaked I figured it wouldn't hurt to be extra cautious. Truth be told, I'm usually such a moron with these things that being so uncharacteristically smart made me want to go the extra mile

 

[tkent02]

Here's a funny true story. My room mate had no gas for his car, went out to syphon some out of someone's truck. His car quit working. He pulled the head to see what's wrong, couldn't find anything. Fires up the girlfriend's car, when it runs low he syphons more gas from the same truck. Her car died too. He still didn't figure it out. Only when his lawnmower died did he discover that he had stolen from a diesel truck.

 

[beardedmonkey]

Here's a funny true story. My room mate had no gas for his car, went out to syphon some out of someone's truck. His car quit working. He pulled the head to see what's wrong, couldn't find anything. Fires up the girlfriend's car, when it runs low he syphons more gas from the same truck. Her car died too. He still didn't figure it out. Only when his lawnmower died did he discover that he had stolen from a diesel truck.

Bwhahahahahaha!!! I guess that's what you get for being a cheap ******!

 

[Steve]

Yet another wonderful illustration of a saying I have heard in the past:


"You should not go for a ride 'to clear your head'.

You should clear your head, then go for a ride."

.

 

[Steveb64]

Yep - a little diesel in the gas won't hurt - it's basically just a low viscosity oil - so will act like a 'top end' lube. A lot will just stop it - but not do any real damage. You'll just be faced with having to drain all the carb float bowls, and getting most of it out of the tank. Your engine may run a little 'smokey' for the next tank full, but it'll be fine. A bit like sticking some two-stroke pre-mix in the tank.

Just had a look around the web - if you have less than 10% diesel (of your tank capacity), top up with petrol, and you're good to go.

On the other hand - if you put petrol into a diesel - THEN you're gonna have some REAL problems. I've heard of that causing diesel engines to go into a 'run-away' - and rev themselves until they explode. Sometimes even cutting the fuel feed won't stop them - they get going so fast, they suck oil up past the rings, and keep running on that! Note: I think that was from/for older engines - newer ones have other problems, see below...

Also just checked on the web - same as above - if less than 10% of your tank capacity, just top up with diesel, and you'll be OK. If more - then you're likely to be in for some BIG repair bills - fuel pump, injectors, filters, even cracked pistons!
Apparently, modern diesel engine designers rely on the diesel acting as a lubricant source - and petrol doesn't do that - so you start getting metal-to-metal contact in the pump and injectors, plus the petrol 'detonates', firing much sooner than the diesel would have, which can cause the cracked pistons (and possibly other damage).

 

[Guest]

Yep - a little diesel in the gas won't hurt - it's basically just a low viscosity oil - so will act like a 'top end' lube. A lot will just stop it - but not do any real damage. You'll just be faced with having to drain all the carb float bowls, and getting most of it out of the tank. Your engine may run a little 'smokey' for the next tank full, but it'll be fine. A bit like sticking some two-stroke pre-mix in the tank.

Just had a look around the web - if you have less than 10% diesel (of your tank capacity), top up with petrol, and you're good to go.

On the other hand - if you put petrol into a diesel - THEN you're gonna have some REAL problems. I've heard of that causing diesel engines to go into a 'run-away' - and rev themselves until they explode. Sometimes even cutting the fuel feed won't stop them - they get going so fast, they suck oil up past the rings, and keep running on that! Note: I think that was from/for older engines - newer ones have other problems, see below...

Also just checked on the web - same as above - if less than 10% of your tank capacity, just top up with diesel, and you'll be OK. If more - then you're likely to be in for some BIG repair bills - fuel pump, injectors, filters, even cracked pistons!
Apparently, modern diesel engine designers rely on the diesel acting as a lubricant source - and petrol doesn't do that - so you start getting metal-to-metal contact in the pump and injectors, plus the petrol 'detonates', firing much sooner than the diesel would have, which can cause the cracked pistons (and possibly other damage).

I have seen diesel engines "run- away" when the seals in the turbo go bad, they have a direct oil line from the oil pump and will rev until they run out of oil. I had to rebuild a 350 Cummins that ran away, the motor is governed to only turn 2250 RPM and the driver said he see the tach hit 3800, wiped out the crank, pistons ,sleeves and cam.

 

[beardedmonkey]

On the other hand - if you put petrol into a diesel - THEN you're gonna have some REAL problems. I've heard of that causing diesel engines to go into a 'run-away' - and rev themselves until they explode. Sometimes even cutting the fuel feed won't stop them - they get going so fast, they suck oil up past the rings, and keep running on that! Note: I think that was from/for older engines - newer ones have other problems, see below...

Ok *that's* why when my old Jeep would keep turning over even after I'd cut the ignition the mechanic called it "dieseling"! Learn something new every day...

 

[beardedmonkey]

Nope, that's not what is known as dieseling, it's from a poor maintained vehicle with a lot of carbon deposit build up, the carbon glows red even after the engine is shut off and continues to ignite the fuel. Kinda like a chimney fire.

Makes sense. That old YJ looked pretty sweet but mechanically it was all kinds of messed up. Still, a jeep with the top down and doors off is just about as close to a motorcycle as you're gonna get on four wheels... but why would you want to be in a Jeep when you could be on a bike?!

So why is it called dieseling then? What's it got to do with a diesel engine?

 

[Guest]

Makes sense. That old YJ looked pretty sweet but mechanically it was all kinds of messed up. Still, a jeep with the top down and doors off is just about as close to a motorcycle as you're gonna get on four wheels... but why would you want to be in a Jeep when you could be on a bike?!

So why is it called dieseling then? What's it got to do with a diesel engine?

The carbon build up on top of the pistons is still red hot when you shut the engine off, the hot carbon will act as an igniter so when the intake valve opens a bit you have fresh fuel hit the hot carbon therefore "dieseling" in a sense. It is firing from the carbon. Like mentioned before here not a very well maintained motor. diesel is a true internal combustion engine, doesn't need an outside electronical source to ignite the fuel.