Diesel in gas engine? A tip.

[Kloubek]

So I was talking to my neighbor last night. (And yes, this really was my neighbor) He was telling me how his daughter managed to put diesel in their Toyota Highlander. She started driving, and the engine lost all power so she pulled over and called her father to save the day.

He called around to a few shops, and the work required to rectify the issue varied - although they all told him they'd have to drop the gas tank to remove the diesel.

He found out (and I did not know this) that some vehicles, and supposedly many imports, have a drain nut at the bottom of the tank. So all he did is drain out the fuel, refill with the proper gas, and run the engine until the lines cleared out and it was back to normal. So all he paid was the price of new gas, and avoided the $1300 bill that at least one shop wanted him to pay.

This isn't really that entertaining of a story, I know. But I figure that eventually somebody on here will have this happen in their household and that they shouldn't necessarily freak out; sometimes it is a pretty cheap and easy fix. Diesel fuel may not run a gas engine, but apparently it shouldn't have any particularly ill effects on the engine besides that. It's just a matter of getting the diesel out, and the proper fuel back in.

That is all.

/publicserviceaanouncement

[StreetRacerX]

Thanks for the tip! Hopefully people who research the issue should it happen to them stumble across this thread.

[ercchry]

should at least replace the fuel filter though. diesel in gas isnt nearly as bad as gas in a diesel... that is an expensive bill :rofl:

[CapnCrunch]

Yeah I knew diesel in gas engines isn't that bad. I had no idea they had drain nuts on some gas tanks though.

[quick_scar]

Originally posted by Kloubek
He found out (and I did not know this) that some vehicles, and supposedly many imports, have a drain nut at the bottom of the tank.

If this is true... stealing gas just got a whole lot easier.

Criminals no longer need to worry about locking gas caps, or vehicles with gas cap doors that only open with a button or leaver inside. Simply know what makes and models have a drain like this. Fab up a tray to catch it (or use an oil pan) and away you go.

[mr2mike]

Worst case, you pull the fuel line, figure out how to get the fuel pump to run with the motor off (there's usually a ODB trouble shoot mode) route it into a hose and start filling up tanks. A whole tank of gas is going to be a lot of jerry cans.

[Kloubek]

Originally posted by quick_scar
If this is true... stealing gas just got a whole lot easier.


Indeed. Of course, the information about the drain is third-hand, so while his Highlander certainly did have the drain, I would be surprised to find it is all that common. Still, worth a try for anyone who runs into this issue and had no idea it was even possible their tank might have one.

Or, simply find a way to siphon it out. Tried and tested.

[HiTempguy1]

Originally posted by mr2mike
Worst case, you pull the fuel line, figure out how to get the fuel pump to run with the motor off (there's usually a ODB trouble shoot mode) route it into a hose and start filling up tanks. A whole tank of gas is going to be a lot of jerry cans.

Just find the relay and run 12 volts to the pins that bypass it.

Buuuttttt... for you average everyday joe schmoe, this isn't really feasible. Anyone that tries to charge you more than a couple hours of shop time is screwing you over though.

[01RedDX]

.

[ExtraSlow]

Isn't the diesel pump spout larger diameter? I know on my pickup, there is a palte that doesn't allow a diesel spout to fit.

I drive all gas cars though, so no expert.

[lilmira]

Originally posted by 01RedDX
In both cases, they said they didn't even know what diesel was (obviously.)

I think he was the guy with a shaved head driving cars really fast.

[BokCh0y]

Originally posted by ExtraSlow
Isn't the diesel pump spout larger diameter? I know on my pickup, there is a palte that doesn't allow a diesel spout to fit.

I drive all gas cars though, so no expert.

:werd:

How can you not notice that? Or even the fact the pump is oily?

Also...common factor here, all women doing this haha.

[Kloubek]

My understanding (but I'm also not sure) is that the nozzle may or may not fit, but it doesn't fully go into the opening regardless. That in itself should be an indication something is wrong for most people. Apparently not all.

[firebane]

The smell alone should give it away. You can't tell me in this day and age a person does not know the smell of gasoline.

[Kloubek]

Come on now - that's painting with an awfully wide brush.

We don't all live on a reserve.

[firebane]

Originally posted by Kloubek
Come on now - that's painting with an awfully wide brush.

We don't all live on a reserve.

:eek: :rofl:

[faiz999]

Originally posted by 01RedDX
This happens a lot more often than people think. My niece once filled up her little Yaris with diesel, and another girl I know just filled up her dad's Porsche Cayenne with diesel last week. That one's gonna was a bitch because she kept cranking it for a while. In both cases, they said they didn't even know what diesel was (obviously.)

so...from the 3 stories of ppl filling in the wrong type of gas...all of them are women...

i think the moral of the story is....

[CanmoreOrLess]

Annnnddddd my wife insists on a diesel for her next vehicle. This is going to turn out real well for me.

[CapnCrunch]

Originally posted by firebane
The smell alone should give it away. You can't tell me in this day and age a person does not know the smell of gasoline.

It might surprise you how many people don't even know there are more than one type of fuel for vehicles.

[HiTempguy1]

Originally posted by CapnCrunch


It might surprise you how many people don't even know there are more than one type of fuel for vehicles.

Or if the front or rear wheels are driven on their vehicle.

[Kloubek]

Originally posted by HiTempguy1


Or if the front or rear wheels are driven on their vehicle.

I think all wheels are driven.

[GTS4tw]

This is tough to do, had a coworker do it once, but that was on a V10 ford, so slightly understandable that he thought it was diesel. The nozzle doesn't fit though...that's the crazy part, it is easy to do gas into a diesel, but the other way around? You have to be full retard. He said the gas was super slow to go in and he had to pump super slow for a long time before it filled....

This can be much much worse in the aviation world, I know Shell has some good videos regarding putting Avgas in a jet fuel plane.... and the only safety preventing that is a Red sticker..... :eek:

[sidewaysD]

Best one yet at the gas station:

"My car says flex fuel, I filled it with diesel"

:eek:

[G]

If this truly is a
Originally posted by Kloubek
/publicserviceaanouncement please post pic of daughter.

[FraserB]

Originally posted by HiTempguy1


Or if the front or rear wheels are driven on their vehicle.

All 4 wheels on my vehicle move:dunno:

[Kloubek]

Originally posted by Kloubek


I think all wheels are driven.


Originally posted by FraserB


All 4 wheels on my vehicle move:dunno:

Little late on that statement. Kinda the reverse of when I suggested that torque converter might not have enough fluid in it. ;)


Originally posted by G
If this truly is a please post pic of daughter.

That might arouse some suspicion. Though I imagine if I did manage to get a picture of her it might arouse some guys on here too... she's a fairly attractive Flip girl....

[Transp0rt3r]

I always thought that diesel nozzle is larger than a gasoline one so you won't be able to put diesel into gasser :dunno:

I guess I am wrong. I know that VW had similar issues with 2009+ CR TDI cars whereby people were putting gas into diesel engine, ending up with $8K repair bill not covered by warranty :banghead: But that's another story....

[GTS4tw]

Originally posted by Transp0rt3r
I always thought that diesel nozzle is larger than a gasoline one so you won't be able to put diesel into gasser :dunno:

I guess I am wrong. I know that VW had similar issues with 2009+ CR TDI cars whereby people were putting gas into diesel engine, ending up with $8K repair bill not covered by warranty :banghead: But that's another story....

You are correct, the nozzle doesn't fully fit, you have to let it flow through the flapper... which makes this 10x more retarded.

[16hypen3sp]

Originally posted by ercchry
should at least replace the fuel filter though. diesel in gas isnt nearly as bad as gas in a diesel... that is an expensive bill :rofl:

We had a JLG AWP (Diesel) that somehow got filled with some weird type of solvent. No one knew what the hell it was. No label/MSDS.

It drove for like 2 mins then died right in the middle of the road, blocking both lanes of traffic. Tech came out, ran a diagnostic scan, and came back with a fuel issue. Opened up the fuel cap and it didn't smell like diesel! Didn't look like it either. Had to do the old syphon method to get it out.

We fully expected it to be hooped but we filled it with diesel and after a fussy turnover, she ran smooth. No damage to the engine.

Still don't know who filled it with solvent.

[Cos]

.

[cream]

Anyone know the effects of LNG in Diesel and Gas tanks? Damage? Irreparable?

[ExtraSlow]

LNG? It'd just gasify and disperse over time. Natural gas is only a liquid inside pressurized vessels.

[sidewaysD]

Propane in Diesel is a power enchancer,

Wouldn't LNG be as well ?

[ArjayAquino]

Just got an engine light last night and it's showing symptoms of having bad gas. I filled up with prem. at the country hills Shell on Sunday, Monday morning it was fine then after work it happened.

I'll be taking it to the shop to make sure that's what it is, but I don't want to drive the car like this in the meantime so I was thinking of adding either seafoam, octane booster or water remover to see if that helps.

[HiTempguy1]

Originally posted by Kloubek


I think all wheels are driven.

Not by the engine. Your joke would be funny if it didn't highlight a miserable failure of the english language on your part. *insert waaa waaa waaaaaaaa* here

:clap:


operated, moved, or controlled by a specified person or source of power

[se7en]

Some diesel pumps are the same size as the gas ones.

[Stewjoe]

At work one of the guys filled up the hydraulic reservoir with diesel on the forklift. :nut:

[Kloubek]

Originally posted by HiTempguy1


Not by the engine. Your joke would be funny if it didn't highlight a miserable failure of the english language on your part. *insert waaa waaa waaaaaaaa* here


Uh... he never said driven by the engine. He just said driven. Which I read as simply "driven". As it was written.

I'm not the only one who noticed it, so.... blow me?

[vtec]

not all gas tanks have drains though. So be careful regardless as you may not be as lucky as the OP.

[lasimmon]

I found out my corolla had a drain on it after my friend pissed in my gas tank and i had to drain it due to power issues..... :banghead: :banghead:

[tehwegz]

Originally posted by lasimmon
I found out my corolla had a drain on it after my friend pissed in my gas tank and i had to drain it due to power issues..... :banghead: :banghead:

strong friend...

[firebane]

Funny thing about this thread.

I was putting gas in the car the other day and not only is the pump for diesel bright yellow but so was the button which also read DIESEL.

So I mean for a person to do this would mean they were and are totally retarded.

Now I have heard tanks getting field with diesel which was supposed to be gas before and causing catastrophic failures across the board...