Adding gasoline to diesel?

[AFChap]

I had an interesting conversation with a trucker a few days ago while refueling. He grew up in Germany ...obvious from his accent though he told me so ...and said the diesel there is much "cleaner" than in the US. He said our diesel fuel is very dirty, and that he adds up to 10% gasoline to each fillup. He said the result is better mileage and much cleaner fuel filters. And he did indeed pump gasoline into his diesel tanks as he was filling.

Has anyone heard of adding a limited amount of gasoline to diesel to make it burn better?

[hogdriver]

In 1976 Victor Bilenko defected to Japan in his MIG-25 and in debriefings stated that it was common for the enlisted maintenance troops to siphon the highly distilled alcohol from the planes and drink it.

Just because someone has done it, does not mean it is intelligent. Adding gasoline to diesel was once common to prevent freezing in northern climates but looks foolish on $50,000 engines with computer controlled combustion and sensitive emissions controls.

[Pelledan]

You do not want to add gasoline to diesel fuel. Less than 1 gallon of gas in 90 gallons of diesel will make the entire mixture as volatile as if was all gasoline. Think about that while your intake air heater glows red during a cold weather start up. Gasoline has little to no lubricating qualities which is required for the diesel fuel delivery system to function properly. If you're in a pinch and want to clean up the system a bit, aid cold weather starting or help prevent gelling in very cold weather, add a gallon or two of Kerosene to a near full tank of diesel, but NEVER add gasoline. There are many diesel fuel additives from Power Service Products that are readily available at truck stops that will perform those services and are, per dose, significantly less expensive than Kerosene and are made for the job.

Dan

[sc3283]

Pellendan....adding gasoline was VERY common in the 70s and early 80s to avoid gelling during winter...If memory serves correctly VW stated up to 25%. VW had glow plugs and NEVER had ANY issues as you state. The VWs rattled like mad with gasoline added and lost tons of power.

Personally I wouldn't add gasoline to my diesel

[jenandjon]

Gas should only be used as a last resort to keep you from jelling up in the winter. I had to do it a few years ago in the farm tractors when we were snowed in for a week. We ran out of Howes diesel treatment. No matter the weather the cattle need to eat too.

[vraines]

Just a small amount of gasoline in diesel fuel really changes the flash point and combustion rates. I have an old fuel oil stove in my wood shop and can't find fuel oil n this area. I use diesel, but have to add about a half cup of gasoline to a gallon of diesel to get it to light by match in cool ambient temperatures.

[vraines]

I hit the send button by mistake. I also mixed gasoline in my Cat dozer several year ago when we had some real bad snow and I needed to start that cold soaked thing to plow my way to the highway and to plow the neighbors out. It made a difference, but it was an old D6 that was pretty loose and no computers or DEF. I am sure the EGT goes way up. Hard on the turbo.

[wa8yxm]

Originally Posted by vraines

Just a small amount of gasoline in diesel fuel really changes the flash point and combustion rates. I have an old fuel oil stove in my wood shop and can't find fuel oil n this area. I use diesel, but have to add about a half cup of gasoline to a gallon of diesel to get it to light by match in cool ambient temperatures.

I forget which is which but either #1 Furnace oil is #2 Diesel or the other way around #1D =#2F,

So you should not be needing to add to get it to burn.


To the O/P. Very bad things can happen if you add too much.. And there are better anti-gel additives.

[dennis45]

He was right about the fuel quality. If you look at the HP Ratings on some of the European Diesels (VW for one) you will see the same engine in Europe has more HP than the NA version. The reason is fuel quality.
Having said that, adding Gasoline is Definetly NOT the answer.

[Pelledan]

European emissions standards are more laxed than those here in the US. Advanced injection timing is one of the largest contributors to hyrocarbons among many other engine operating peramiters. Those of us old enough to remember the power house muscle cars of the 1960's can remember when engine timing was advanced to 18-20 degrees and beyond. Engines L-O-V-E-D timing (regardless of the fuel or method of ignition) and created some impressive power ratings of their day. But that was back in an era when horsepower was more important than hydrocarbons. No so today particularly in the US thanks to the EPA. Europe does not abide by the same standards and as a byproduct of those differences, their engines will create more power than their American counterparts. However, because of those differences they are illegal to import into the US unless they are modified to meet US emissions standards. When that happens, I would expect their advertised power ratings to match those in the US.

[djbmsu]

Actually here is information from the horses mouth. About a year ago I put 35 galloons of regular unleaded gas in our Diesel Mh by mistake ( don't ask) and I called Cummins and asked what I should do and here is their exact reply " how much gas did I put in the tank" when I told him he said with that amount it would need to be drained out. "IF" iw was less than 10 gallons in a 100 gallong tank that would be fine and cause NO PROBLRMS in fact many drivers add that in about every 10 fillups to clean the injectors and lube internal parts. That information came directly from Cummins !

[Dr4Film]

Originally Posted by djbmsu

Actually here is information from the horses mouth. About a year ago I put 35 galloons of regular unleaded gas in our Diesel Mh by mistake ( don't ask) and I called Cummins and asked what I should do and here is their exact reply " how much gas did I put in the tank" when I told him he said with that amount it would need to be drained out. "IF" iw was less than 10 gallons in a 100 gallong tank that would be fine and cause NO PROBLRMS in fact many drivers add that in about every 10 fillups to clean the injectors and lube internal parts. That information came directly from Cummins !

So that information tells me that the trucker quoted in the original post was OK based on the 10% figure on 100 gallons of diesel that Cummins is stating.

Dr4Film ----- Richard

[Mac99]

If someone is dumb enough to pump 35 gallons of gas into a diesel,
I would not listen to anything else said !

[DBOL]

Originally Posted by macadnphyl

If someone is dumb enough to pump 35 gallons of gas into a diesel,
I would not listen to anything else said !

I looked at you ste it say's you haven't made any friend's yet?I understand why.