While motorhome shopping, the best thing that fits my needs so far is a Winnebago Fuse, which is a Ford Transit diesel rig. Since it is a diesel, it has a propane generator. This means I'll be hauling around my 3000 watt Yammy on a hitch mounted cargo rack when I'm boondocking, as well as a couple fuel cans.I know this sounds dumb, but what is a good way to ensure there is no chance of the gasoline cans' contents winding up in the Fuse's diesel tank by mistake? The biggest (JMHO) problem with a diesel is that if the wrong fuel gets accidentally added, at the minimum, it will be a $8656.11+labor mistake (this being the cost of an entire engine assembly.)The reason I ask this is that I've seen two instances of people who have Sprinter based motorhomes and portable gasoline generators destroy their rigs this year by adding the wrong fuel, and I just don't want to make this mistake.

Sell the Yamaha and get a portable diesel generator?

Driving diesel cars for years, whenever I went to a state with mandatory attendants, they always wanted to pour gasoline in them. First don't exaggerate some gasoline in diesel will destroy the engine. In the past, when fuel additives were not available, truckers during winter would add couple gallons of gasoline to their tanks to prevent fuel gelling. Than make it simple. Gas cans are red, diesel cans are blue or whatever.Small diesel generators don't exist and even if you find one in acceptable size, that will be $$$$$

I don't know how to stop it other than paying attention to what you're doing. I've driven diesel pick-up trucks since 1983 and never came close to putting gas in them. During a lot of that time I have gas jugs in the bed of the truck for four wheelers, snow machines, dirt bikes, and now side by sides.This seems a little strange to me "The reason I ask this is that I've seen two instances of people who have Sprinter based motorhomes and portable gasoline generators destroy their rigs this year by adding the wrong fuel". Did they also have jugs of diesel they were carrying and thought they were putting diesel into the Sprinter?If you're going to carry two types of fuel, use the correctly colored jugs. Blue is for water, yellow is for diesel and red is for gas. Don't use the red jugs for both gas and diesel.Bill

Just think green. Your diesel fuel cap is green and at the fuel station the diesel hose will be green. How would your generator gas get in your diesel?One gallon of gas mixed with 50 gallons of diesel is not going to kill your diesel engine.

Different color jugs for different fuel. Red gas, yellow/orange/ or green for diesel. Also tag fuel type on container fill spout and equipment tank fill cap.

Keeping from making a $8656.11 mistake with fuel

53 Replies

Trackrig
Explorer II
May 09, 2016
I don't know how to stop it other than paying attention to what you're doing. I've driven diesel pick-up trucks since 1983 and never came close to putting gas in them. During a lot of that time I have gas jugs in the bed of the truck for four wheelers, snow machines, dirt bikes, and now side by sides.

This seems a little strange to me "The reason I ask this is that I've seen two instances of people who have Sprinter based motorhomes and portable gasoline generators destroy their rigs this year by adding the wrong fuel". Did they also have jugs of diesel they were carrying and thought they were putting diesel into the Sprinter?

If you're going to carry two types of fuel, use the correctly colored jugs. Blue is for water, yellow is for diesel and red is for gas. Don't use the red jugs for both gas and diesel.

Bill
Kayteg1
Explorer II
May 09, 2016
Driving diesel cars for years, whenever I went to a state with mandatory attendants, they always wanted to pour gasoline in them.
First don't exaggerate some gasoline in diesel will destroy the engine.
In the past, when fuel additives were not available, truckers during winter would add couple gallons of gasoline to their tanks to prevent fuel gelling.
Than make it simple. Gas cans are red, diesel cans are blue or whatever.
Small diesel generators don't exist and even if you find one in acceptable size, that will be $$$$$
gbopp
Explorer
May 09, 2016
Sell the Yamaha and get a portable diesel generator?

Forum Discussion

Keeping from making a $8656.11 mistake with fuel

53 Replies

About Technical Issues

Related Content

Dumb mistake

stupid mistake

Dumb mistakes

rookie mistake

Dumb mistake