clorox bleach in diesel

DRAIN IT OR YOU WILL BE SORRY

Ummm... I'd seriously like to know how that happened.... But I'd drop the tank & dump all. Wash out the tank and let dry, re-install.

Oh, man, that's a bad one. There's no way you can just drive it and not ruin some very expensive pieces. I agree with the others, you will have to drain the tank and clean it out. Do NOT start the engine, if it's got to go to the mechanic, it'll have to be towed.

Let's see.. oil and water don't mix. Water goes to the bottom. Now, before you panic, isn't there a fuel filter of some kind... a place that will catch the water? Try googling it.. I found a lot of hits.

Guys, that's 1 cup in how much fuel?

not knowing his fuel system but only thinking of my system on my Ford it has a water separator in the fuel line,. Now just thinking ahead since bleach is 95% water and only 5% hypoclorite would the water separator not filter out the "bleach" as water into the separator if his system has one? I am no diesel expert by any means just wondering what others thought of him running it and as the bleach passed into the separator if he has one drain it out. Would that work>>??

I found this info at ask.com which led me to a trucker's forum.

Bleach will harm any kind of engine, both gas and diesel. Not only the engine, but all the lines from the fuel tank, and the fuel tank itself will corrode upon contact with the bleach. The effect is almost immediate to the tank. When the engine is started, the effect is almost immediate to the lines. Basically, the carburetor, or the fuel injectors will become clogged up very quickly, and the lines as well. EVERYTHING from the tank to the carburetor/injectors will have to be replaced. It is a nightmare.

One cup of bleach is enough to cause a big problem.

Its funny, people always think putting sugar in the gas tank destroys the engine, when in fact it rarely has any effect at all. Sugar simply sits on the bottom of the tank, rarely flowing out, and rarely causing any damage. Bleach, on the other hand, is a sure fire catastrophic killer.

Mushroom wrote:
Guys, that's 1 cup in how much fuel?

True, but as I said, they don't mix and water goes to the bottom. However, I have no idea if it will enter the fuel lines intact.

Disclaimer: I'm not an expert on this and have no personal experience (thank goodness):

But, I read that this happened to someone else..Ford diesel.. and they had to replace the fuel pump, filters, injectors and all the fuel lines....ouch.

Good luck with it.

Gramps has it right, folks.

Yeah, one cup of bleach and possibly 90 gallons of fuel. BUT THE BLEACH WILL NOT MIX WITH AND BECOME DILUTED BY THE FUEL. And yeah, there is a water separator in the fuel filter. But there might be a metal fuel tank, and some of the fuel lines will be metal, and they will react rapidly with the bleach, throwing all kinds of******into the fuel stream, to be caught by the filter (maybe, maybe not). Any trace of that bleach gets to the injection pump, and there goes a $2,000 part right there. Any injector it gets to is toast, too. And if any trace of that junk gets into the fuel lines, you have to replace everything, injection pump, injectors, fuel lines, filter head, fuel tank, the works.