Dumb mistake

[M_R_E_]

I filled up my 5 gal can with diesei in back of pickup when towing and forgot to put cap on and drove for 3 hours in light rain. Will some water damage the fuel ? Is there something I could add to the fuel ?

[JUSTWORK]

It’s 5 gallons?? Don’t use it, not even worth wondering if it could hurt anything.

[C_Schomer]

Just use a midnight credit card and siphon the water out of the bottom. Craig

[laknox]

valhalla360 wrote:
For $15-20 worth of diesel, I wouldn't want to mess with it.

If you really feel the need, used to have a water separating funnel on the boat. If you know someone who has one, you could run it back and forth between a couple jugs (but to buy one would be more than the fuel is worth).

Friends that used to fly their plane to Mexico a =lot= in the late 40s and 50s used to use an old-fashioned goat skin chamois to filter their gas through as they filled their plane's tanks. Might work for diesel, too, just take a while.

Lyle

[Cummins12V98]

M.R.E. wrote:
Thanks for all the responses. Not worth the risk, but where do you dispose ?

Good luck on that. It’s so simple as I mentioned. Water will separate and be on the bottom of the tank. Ain’t rocket science.

[Veebyes]

nickthehunter wrote:
Pour it into a clean 5 gallon bucket. Let it set for a day. Siphon 4-1/2 gallons of fuel off the top.

I live in a place where diesel is about $9.00gal these days.

Carefully recover as much as possible. Save that last 1/2gal to use as fire starter instead of dumping a can of charcoal lighter on it. You like the smell of diesel anyway. Give the start of your campfire some flavour.

[dedmiston]

MFL wrote:

dedmiston wrote:

M.R.E. wrote:
Thanks for all the responses. Not worth the risk, but where do you dispose ?

Dispose of it 1-2 cups at a time every time you start a campfire, more if you're boondocking and less if you're in a fancy park.

Folks in my group used to start their fires with gas, but it's scary to light, and then it just kind of explodes and then all the gas is gone. I use diesel now. It's a little harder to light, but then it catches and rolls into a great fire.

True story...years ago, a young fellow in our small group of tenters, watched me tip a little premix for the dirt bikes on some logs in the pit. He decided to do the same, another night, waited for a few of us to gather round. He said not too close, before tossing the match, so I was back a bit, sitting in my nylon webbed chair, when it lit. As it lit, a trail of fire came back, between my feet, under my chair, melted the webbing as I jumped clear. No, he didn't realize he was losing gas from the full can, when he carried it back.

Yup, another dumb mistake!

Jerry

Yikes Jerry. That's terrifying.

Yeah, I always look for a trail. It's like a Bugs Bunny cartoon when the trail of TNT leads back to the powder keg.

I had a crazy monkey-see-monkey-do episode at camp years ago. One of the guys in camp watched me start the fire with gas and then the fire kind of burned out because nobody fed it more logs. Just as I was walking back to the pit, I saw the guy grab his gas jug to try to restart the fire (very bad idea). I just yelled "Oh no. KIDS, RUN!!!"

The gas immediately caught fire on the hot coals and followed the stream back to his fuel jug. I thought he was a goner for sure, but he had the presence of mind to jerk off the spout and throw it away from the crowd and the flame followed the spout. I can't believe he didn't self immolate, but the gods were on his side that night. We got to use that as a great lesson with the kids. They've never forgotten it.

That was the night I switched to diesel for starting fires.

[RAS43]

Krusty wrote:
Any auto repair shop will have a place where they safely dispose of used oil etc. I'm sure one of them could take care of it for you.

Best solution IMO or a parts store.

[MFL]

dedmiston wrote:

M.R.E. wrote:
Thanks for all the responses. Not worth the risk, but where do you dispose ?

Dispose of it 1-2 cups at a time every time you start a campfire, more if you're boondocking and less if you're in a fancy park.

Folks in my group used to start their fires with gas, but it's scary to light, and then it just kind of explodes and then all the gas is gone. I use diesel now. It's a little harder to light, but then it catches and rolls into a great fire.

True story...years ago, a young fellow in our small group of tenters, watched me tip a little premix for the dirt bikes on some logs in the pit. He decided to do the same, another night, waited for a few of us to gather round. He said not too close, before tossing the match, so I was back a bit, sitting in my nylon webbed chair, when it lit. As it lit, a trail of fire came back, between my feet, under my chair, melted the webbing as I jumped clear. No, he didn't realize he was losing gas from the full can, when he carried it back.

Yup, another dumb mistake!

Jerry

[dedmiston]

M.R.E. wrote:
Thanks for all the responses. Not worth the risk, but where do you dispose ?

Dispose of it 1-2 cups at a time every time you start a campfire, more if you're boondocking and less if you're in a fancy park.

Folks in my group used to start their fires with gas, but it's scary to light, and then it just kind of explodes and then all the gas is gone. I use diesel now. It's a little harder to light, but then it catches and rolls into a great fire.

[mhardin]

TXiceman wrote:

mhardin wrote:
I would never knowingly put contaminated fuel into a truck with a $10,000 engine. If water makes it to the injector pump and it eventually grenades you will be looking at a huge repair bill.

Better check the price for those diesel engines. Had a new crate 6.7L engine put in the truck in October 2014. Back then the engine was almost $16,000 and the installation at the Ford dealer was $23,800. Fellow here in the park had his 2015, 6.7L Ford take a dump. A remanufactured engine installed is $15,000.

No way would I take a chance on that contaminated fuel unless it was run through a proper oil/water separator.

Ken

Your are correct. I believe I was thinking of the premium paid for a 6.7 engine over the standard gasser engine.

[mhardin]

Lantley wrote:

SDcampowneroperator wrote:
A few raindrops will settle out and be separated in your water filter. At worst case you will get a 'Water in fuel ' check light.
If you do, stop as soon as it is safe, , open the drain on the bottom of the filter and let it drain until the droplets 'sheet off' no longer 'beading off ' as droplets. A few pumps on the primer pump will help.
Use of a diesel fuel conditioner like Howes, Sea Foam or Diesel Service will dissipate water , for dissipation, not ridding the water.
Even treated dissipated water is harmful to common rail HPS diesel pumps.
Avoid the issue, deal with it, do not try to 'treat'' it away.

Seems like a lot to go through for $20.00

I quoted wrong post.Message removed......

[Krusty]

Any auto repair shop will have a place where they safely dispose of used oil etc. I'm sure one of them could take care of it for you.

[MFL]

M.R.E. wrote:
Thanks for all the responses. Not worth the risk, but where do you dispose ?

Thanks OP, for letting us know YOUR decision.

While many of us have an idea, as to our personal disposal, the proper way is use a public/private disposal. I have a city landfill, not too far from me, that has large tanks, for used motor oil, antifreeze, paint disposal, and others. You can dump it yourself, or just leave container sit on platform. Call city or county offices and ask.

Jerry

[MarkTwain]

MFL wrote:
Three pages of response, but OP has not returned. With the mixture of solutions, I wonder what the OP plans to do? I am guessing he hates to waste the small amount of fuel, or he would not be asking. Is it safe to use, worth trying to separate, worth the stinky mess on your clothes, hands, and shoes? I think OP was asking, should I just dump it in the truck, or not?

Let us know OP, is it worth the risk to YOU?

Jerry

NO! NO!NO! NO! NO!