Gas / Diesel contamination

"Friend" burned a truck down pouring fuel from can into the tank. The small amount of gas was enough for vapor. Of course, knowing what I know about him and his finances not sure it was not a overheated insurance policy. But I can see where you would assume you are handling gasoline when using a gasoline can.

rk911 wrote:

DarkSkySeeker wrote:
If I used a gas can with a small amount of remaining gasoline (less then a few ounces) and filled the can with diesel, would the small amount of gasoline damage my engine?

why not just empty the can?

Of course

I was conjuring up a scenario to understand more about the risks or non risks.

Guy with the VW is on dangerous ground/thinking.
Do not confuse a diesel engine with other diesel engines. Some military engines will run on anything, gas, diesel, kerosen, white gas and be happy.; not your truck Old tractors had to be started up with gasoline, then switched to diesel then run of gas before shutting down; not your truck. Do not confuse your diesel truck with these. Those engines were made to run on harsh fuels, your truck was meant for oily diesel.

The older CTD has an injector pump that will quickly be ruined with gas. Though in the OP case that was such a small amount that it is not significant given mixed with 35 gallons of diesel.

The fuel lines, injector pump, and pistons may all be vulnerable to gas.

Gas is a solvent, diesel is an oil. very different liquids.

To the original question, no, not an issue.

double post

rhagfo wrote:
Had a gas station attendant put a between 1/2 to a gallon of gas in our 2001 Ram CTD, just finished fill with diesel and all was good.

Been driving diesel since 2001, and this right here is why I never allow anyone else to fuel up my ride. Despite telling the gas jockey to add diesel, and the gas cap having "Diesel Only" printed in the biggest letters possible, and the restrictor plate in our newest diesel vehicle that is supposed to make it impossible to insert a gas nozzle, idiots abound, and the various diesel forums are full of gas jocks managing to fill up with gas and then the engine blew up.

Somebody always whines "but here in New Jersey/Oregon we're not allowed to fuel our own cars." True, if your car burns gas, but the laws in both states exempt diesel. If your ride burns diesel, you ARE allowed to fuel them yourself, although many gas jockeys do not know that and will give you an argument anyway.

So, yes, you CAN get away with a SMALL amount of gas in your tank, provided it contains a LOT of diesel. But it is not good practice, and there is a threshold gas concentration at which really expensive bad things happen very quickly.

Had a gas station attendant put a between 1/2 to a gallon of gas in our 2001 Ram CTD, just finished fill with diesel and all was good.

No

Depends on how much diesel you add it to. If you add a few ounces of gasoline to 15, 20, or more gallons of diesel, no problem. Add those few ounces of gas to only a few ounces of diesel, and yes indeed, you would damage the engine.

The information about a 1981 VW diesel PU is quite irrelevant, as modern diesels have very different fueling systems. Might as well tell about how you used to fuel your tractor with sawdust in Europe during WW II.

Just will clean the injectors a little