Archived Gasoline in Diesel Fuel in Friends Duramax???

[Buffalo]

A friend of mine has a fairly new Duramax and was heading up to Eastern Arizona to camp in the White Mtns. with his 35' fifth wheel. He keeps the fifth wheel trailer up in Springerville, AZ. so he doesn't have to tow it all the way from Phoenix. He stopped in Show Low, AZ. to top off the tank. He didn't notice that he was putting unleaded fuel in until he had about 5 gallons of gas loaded into the tank. He put a bunch of Stanadyne Lubricity Formula into the tank to counteract any lack of lubricity the gas may have introduced into the tank. Topped off the tank with diesel & took off for about a fifty mile trip to the trailer. Hooked up the trailer & headed up to the camp site which is about 15 miles from Springerville. The truck ran fine. He has gauges & noticed nothing unusual compared to undiluted diesel fuel. However, when he got to camp, he tried to start the truck, again &, it failed to start. It turns over but won't fire-up. He's called a number of people & some said that he needed to install a new fuel filter that, the stock ones won't let gasoline thru (?).

The closest dealership is about 50 miles away & they are wondering about siphoning off the tank, as much as they can & install more fresh diesel.

He was wondering if I knew anything about potential harm by running the engine with one fifth gasoline dilution in it?

If any of you guru's have any good ideas we would sure appreciate your help!!!! Thanks for any good responses!!!

Joe F.

 

[Hoefler]

Probably a totally new engine and fuel system. The filter doesn't know the difference between fuels.

 

[mwilson]

Well, two outcomes are possible. Either the fuel system at the least is trashed or the gasoline performed a douche of the fuel tank and all of the crud clogged the filter. I would get the filter off and try a new one before he starts drinking and holding his head wondering why me..

 

[mwilson]

Always try the simple things first.

 

[GCroyle]

Oh boy, what a kick my own but moment. Hopefully he gets REAL lucky, maybe like Mike says, try simple first.

OK,TDR:

What SHOULD you do if you make the same mistake? I've never done it, knock on head but my first idea is STOP, do nothing other than call for a tow, don't start it, for nobody. Pay the nasty price for the tank drain etc. and move forward.

Another reason to go to a dedicated #2 only island. I got to a local truck island, no issues but sure enough if I try to use the same station gas/diesel mixed pump, some gasser got $5 and went in to BS and hog the island. They put the dual pump closest to the end that has the #2 truck island and it also is closest to the door for the minimart.

Gary

 

[cerberusiam]

Five gallons of gasoline in a full tank of diesel should not cause problems with the fuel system, especially if more treatment and lube is added. Like Mr Wilson alluded to, it might clean all the crap out and put it in the filter though. I would have dumped several quarts of 2 stroke oil along the the diesel treatment help offset the lube loss.

No telling for sure until he changes the filter(s) and validates it will still run.

 

[mwilson]

Didnt I read somewhere that the CP3 pulls all of the fuel on a Duramax? So if there is no electric pump to push fuel I would think a plugged filter would result in a no start way sooner than a Ram.

 

[Buffalo]

Thank You, for the replies!!!! My friend DID put a load of Stanadyne Lubricity Formula in the tank, immediately, thinking that the extra lubricity might offset the damage that gasoline might produce. Anymore ideas??? I've got to call him later today to let him know what I learned from you guys. Thank You, again!!!
Joe F.

 

[SnoKing]

A looking at the fuel filter would be a good start. SNOKING

 

[SAndreasen]

Truckers use gas in there fuel tanks when it gets cold 30 or 40 below like we get around here i n the winter because it keeps diesel from gelling I've used it in the tractors but now I just stick to power service .

 

[GAmes]

I love the old trucker things, they make me laugh. Here is an oldy but goody.
https://www.turbodieselregister.com/mixing_gasoline_and_diesel.htm

 

[cerberusiam]

I love the old trucker things, they make me laugh. Here is an oldy but goody.
https://www.turbodieselregister.com/mixing_gasoline_and_diesel.htm

Another excellent definition of the problem and WHY additives can be so critical along with keeping the tank full. Still, that is describing long term degradation not something that will hapen immediately.

At 3000 psi or so the old engines ran the problems were not so obvious, that changes a bit when those pressures are 6-8 times higher constantly.

 

[mwilson]

Well, did it start and run???

 

[SnoKing]

If is a new truck with a CP4.2 injection pump, the pump is most likely toast along with the whole fuel system to the tune of 10-12K. Not likely that GM will cover it under warranty when they find gasoline in the system. Be glad RAM is still using the CP3 pump!

SNOKING

 

[cerberusiam]

If is a new truck with a CP4.2 injection pump, the pump is most likely toast along with the whole fuel system

Why??? Granted that pump is a bit different in its operation but it seems there are a LOT of other things on the fuel system that cause most of the problems.

 

[SnoKing]

Because the CP4-2 has had a very mixed rep! GM has been quietly fixing failed ones while Ford blames the user on fueling issues. Diesel sold in the US does not even meet the Bosch specs for this pump. SNOKNG

 

[cerberusiam]

Naturally th efuel is an issue, it doesn't meet spec for a CP-3 either but with additives it does work. The GM problems seem split between the pump failing and the rest of their sensors and fuel system failing. Many oumps replaced due to a sensor failure that indicated a pump failure. Leaks in the fuel lines causing low fuel delivery and entrained air which is bad all around. The Ford stuff with Piezo injectors, no way to tell whether it is design, bad fuel, or bad engineering.

Failures are almost always blamed on bad fuel, regardless. The pump CP is always the first point of failure and then the info gets diluted with supposition. There are opinions the pumps are not really the source of the problem, just the symptom. Its the OTHER brand and buying them is a bigger crap shoot than the new Dodges.

 

[SnoKing]

Naturally th efuel is an issue, it doesn't meet spec for a CP-3 either but with additives it does work.

But RAM does not require or endorse use of any additive, right?

When the CP4.2 pistons rotate in the bores and take out the roller follower, it sends metal bits through out the fuel system, so everything is replaced. Tank to injectors!

 

[cerberusiam]

But RAM does not require or endorse use of any additive, right?

Incorrect, RAM and Cummins both have effectively endorsed additives. Cummins has always recommended additives when needed to maintain fuel consistency, RAM never addressed it other than point to Cummins and say "their recs", or, Dodge (pun intended) the issue completely. Plausible deniability was the intent.

Cummins and RAM have NOW both adopted a fuel quality standard for the diesel engines. The responsibility for fuel quality has now expicitly been rolled back to the owner. If you cannot buy fuel that meets the standard (lubricity, cetane, water content) you have to filter and treat it to get it TO that standard. By extension, they have in fact endorsed and recommended additives by adopting a fuel standard.

When the CP4.2 pistons rotate in the bores and take out the roller follower, it sends metal bits through out the fuel system, so everything is replaced. Tank to injectors!

No different than the CP-3, same failure pattern same source. Some pumps are just bad from the factory, bad metallurgy, inadequate QC, etc. That has not changed. Others are failing due to bad fuel, no data on ow LONG it has to be run or if damage was already present, and other system failures like sucking air into the system between the CP and the tank which effectively reduces the fuel delivery which impacts lube and cooling. Yeah, they are going to grenade for a variety of reasons, not all of which are fuel quality or build related. Big can of worms but if GM replaces them then Ford had better step up or it shows on the sales bottom line.

 

[SnoKing]

. Big can of worms but if GM replaces them then Ford had better step up or it shows on the sales bottom line.

Blue Oval kool aid drinkers are in denial. They have had a lot of training with the 6.0, 6.4 and now the 6.7 powerjokes. Snoking