Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) tank full of gas

[dsldoug]

my truck did the unthinkable thing today



it just quit running, i was minding my own business wasn't doing anything punishing or abusive to it and the back stabbing sucker(or so i thought) just died.



I was lucky enough to be pulling it in my shop to see why it was running rough when it happened. i pushed it inside and decided to check it out before i called a tow truck to take my baby to the stealers(I was the diesel guy at a few of them for years).



Decided to take a fuel sample first to see how much water i bought from my local station, you'll never guess what I found, smelled ,and felt-Gasoline.



my first fear was that I pumped the wrong fuel, then I rembered last thing I did last friday was stand at the same pump I always stand at and pumped 30 gal. of fuel. Still thinking that I might have been smoking something I checked my fuel ticket, and there it was 30 gal. of DIESEL.



So I must be wrong.



I pull out the tester and check, the api gravity was off the scale,if i had to guess I would say around 48 or so at 95 deg. f.



Way too high. yep it was gas



I now have a diesel truck(my baby) full of gas with 4700 miles on it and waiting for the station manager to call me back in the morning



-doug:{

 

[jerrethomas]

that sucks, hope it didn't destroy the injection pump. the pump relies on the diesel fuel for some lubercation. as we both know gas has none of that. hope you make out ok.

 

[dsldoug]

thanks



-doug

 

[illflem]

I wouldn't worry too much. More damage is often done by a lower percentage of gas than you pumped because the engine can continue to run. Your biggest problem is going to be finding a home for your mixed fuel, if the station blew it make them take it back.

 

[dsldoug]

I have a '79 ford f-350 4x4 that loves mixed gas doing this for a living I come up with a tank or two from time to time



I just want them to buy me a DD pump and injectors and we will call it even



-doug

 

[mediccummin]

new engine

My Uncle lives in Oregon and up there you are not allowed to pump your own gas/fuel, so one day some knucklehead at the pumps fills his truck with gas without him knowing, obviously. So he heads down the road, next thing ya know his engine quits running. The gas station bought him a brand new CTD replacement for this kids stupid mistake. Kind of makes ya wonder how many times this has happened... ... Gas station owner's jaw when he found out :--) :--) :--)

 

[A. Brown]

I'm impressed that you pushed the truck into the shop by yourself

 

[rspinks]

Could someone expain how gasoline affects diesel engines? Why do they quit running so quickly, does the gasoline burn so fast in the cylinder that it pushes the piston back down before TDC, stalling the motor? Obviously it's not seizing the injection pump right away because lots of people have the engine stall and then the injection pump is OK afterwards.

 

[illflem]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but gas doesn't have enough btus to ignite with just compression, it needs a spark. People often think that gas is "more powerful" because it's more explosive/flamable but that isn't the case. Diesel has more power(btus)

 

[dsldoug]

Frist to A Brown:



I am a big boy, but that did not help as much as a brand F 4x4



Gasoline reacts diffrently both hydraulicly(is that a word?) and combustivley(now that is a good word, I don't care what my wife says).



It pumps alot easier than diesel and takes your govrener out of spec. (mechanical or electrical) input-rpm=output making it hard for the govrener to controll fuel delivery.



Gasoline also likes to burn up quickley, and is more flamable than combustable so it takes a lot of its energy to ingnite itself not leaving much for the pushing of the pistons.



Now i hope you are at least confused as i am about what i just wrote, this may or may not be the truth but I think it is a real good guess.



Now back to my story.

I called the dristrict manager for the chain station where i bought the diesel(gas) and was told they would investagate and get back to me. INVESTGATE that is what the corp. commision does so i called them, the were very interested and said they would get back with me in 48 hours.



meanwhile i called a friend who also uses this station, he has a '97 brand F he said that his ran poorley all week after fueling there(how could he tell?) but is running fine now that he has fueled up at a diffrent station



so I will wait

-doug

 

[jboehm]

Yeah, gas does really affect! Several years ago, I "topped off" the fuel of my dump truck with about 15 gallons in a 40 gallon system. Truck ran like a raped ape! No smoke either? until it got warmed up real good and started stalling everytime I stopped to get out and latch the tailgate... Needless to say, I got an ass chewing from the mechanics, (never hurt the engine, just cleaned it up REALLY good<G>), and alot of guff from my co-workers, all who made that mistake at least once in their career!!!! No wonder I didn't see any smoke. . it was all "hot". .



Learned a lesson the hard way. . but heck, that's the only way, right?

 

[WadePatton]

First thing I would have done is gone back to the station and pumped a few gallons out of that pump into a container-with witnesses.



Sounds like they are at fault, but more evidence helps.



My dad pumped an airplane full of the wrong stuff once--in the AF!:--)



Forgot what the did to him.



Okay, now I'll always sniff my fuel at the pump.



Good luck.

 

[dsldoug]

wade:

the corp. commision took a fuel sample for me the next morning, but my truck sat for five days after i fueled it without me knowing that it was full of gas.

i am supposed to hear something on monday.

 

[Motorhead]

The other way around

In about 1968, my Dad took His cherry '63 porsche up Calif hwy 1 to San Francisco. He had run all the way from L. A. to Carmel until He needed gas. He pulled into this Signal station and filled up his car. It wasn't until He walked in to pay that the attendant said to him"Did you know that you just filled your car up with Diesel" Needles to say, my Dad cr@pped! So this joker helped him drain the tank the best that they could and He filled it up with Gas. He said that it smoked and ran poorly for a few hundred miles.



MOBIL gas stations use GREEN pump nozzle covers on their un-leaded regular pumps. After mistaking them for Diesel nozzles a few times I complained to them that practically all other stations use green nozzle covers for Diesel. They of course have never changed this practice.

 

[Bob Cochran]

Then there are those of us that look pretty dumb I guess smelling the end of the nozzle before fillup!!! But it beats being sorry!!!:{

 

[DieselDoghouse]

Man. that S*cks!. Been there, done that when a drunk was threatening the attendant and he grabbed the wrong hose. But enough of my stories.
Take a deep breath and remember: Even though it was self serve, you attempted to get and in fact purchased diesel - you just didn't get diesel (selling mislabeled fuel is a violation of state [in OK I think] and federal [I'm sure] laws). As far as the comments about disposing of the fuel - not your problem! Just think of the disposal issue for the bulk tank that in fact must be contaminated! By the way, the station selling fouled fuel should be closed right now until the cleanup. YOU didn't put the gas in the diesel drop at the station - not your problem!
1. you need to hear from the manager ASAP or its his butt - I'm sure he has more than just your truck affected so he better be moving REAL fast.
2. you should be hearing from the corporate office if this is a major chain station - this is a BIG problem and real bad PR and legal issue for them.
3. if the truck ran you probably need a new set of injectors, fuel filter, turbocharger (the carbon unbalances the blades) and lines flushed. You need a visit to your dealership by the local Cummins rep (they're nice folks). ANY parts that are questionable need to be replaced. It's probably about $2500 dolars - and its NOT your money!!!!
4. if you meet resistance you should notify your own insurance company (if fact I called mine to let them know and clearly explained I was not filing a claim, the garage-keepers insurance was paying for it), they can go after the station's insurance (they HAVE to have insurance for this).
5. ANY subsequent engine damage that cannot clearly be shown NOT connected to this (I have 80K trouble-free miles since) will be ASSUMED concealed damage from this event - still covered (burden of proof on them).
You should get a complete engine refit for free!!
6. You need a rental truck in the interim - guess what? - should be included!!
Best of luck - but there could be a good side to this!!!

 

[Sregorb]

Just curious

Out of curiousity, once you brought this to the station's attention did they close the pump(s) and keep others from doing the same thing???



Brian

 

[Motorhead]

I agree with DieselDog!!! I hate to say this BUT you have to make alot of STINK these days to corporate America to be heard and made WHOLE again. Keep a log of all time and calls made and get names of who you talk to. They should shoulder all responsibilities and in-conviences that you incur. Get a rental car, If the truck needs to be taken somewhere,have it taken on a flat-bed tow vehicle. Sure sorry that that happened to you. I would be LIT! I feel better now! Chris

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

Yeah, I smell the nozzle too! If any reason for suspicion, I also pump a little and look at it closely.



Gasoline ignites IMMEDIATELY, instead of giving a smooth burning curve. The compressed air puts it way above its flash and auto-ignition points. The piston is still almost or at TDC, so you don't get work done on the piston, that is, unless it pushes the crank onto the street or lifts the head. Hence, the engine doesn't run, or if some diesel is present, runs very poorly.

 

[dsldoug]

dieseldoghouse this in indeed big corporate but they are also local

that will help some i hope.

they shut the pump down as soon as i called them, i noticed today that it was open again and all the filler lids on there tanks were now painted fresh and newly labeled.



i will not take this truck to anyone or any dealer that has not had the tech. to cummins school on both the mechanical and electronic aspects of this engine also one more requirement is that they be ASE L1 and ASE L2 certified.

if they can't find me anyone like that then i will insist that it is done in my shop because we are all that and then some(if you don't mind me bagging, if you do than we are just OK)



and Joe thanks for the advice I just might start tasting it from now on



-Doug



P. S. spell check is awesome i can use really big words now,if i knew any, and my name now starts with a capitol letter