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I happened to come across a thread on another forum where a couple of people were advocating adding gasoline to diesel fuel as an additive to prolong storage life, clean injectors, kill algae, improve cold weather starting, reduce smoke, etc. Some advocated up to 10% gasoline.
This is not suggested by my engine manufacturer (Volvo) and I've never seen it recommended by any known diesel engine authority or expert. I have to question the safety and possible effects on pumps and injectors.
it may be difficult for the injectors to pass pure gasoline i.e. they could blow up, but just adding a little bit to a large tank should be fine. 10%=too much.
gas also dries out the seals that may be fuel rated but not gas rated. it can cause nasties to collect in the filters, if they dont already.
why not just use a normal diesel additive? that way if it blows you dont have to wonder if it was because you put gas in it!
__________________ Top Gun 1992 Donzi 22 Classic 454 King Cobra
We used to add a gallon of gasoline to diesel fuel in our military trucks to kill the algae. These were LDS-465 multifuel engines that had a "fuel density compensator" to meter the fuel by virtue of its volume and weight. Gasoline weighs a little more than 6 pounds and diesel a little over 8 pounds. (And you always wondered why diesel created more power?)
In small amounts it might be OK to add gasoline to diesel fuel, but unless the engine is specifically designed for different fuels I don't think I'd do it to much or too often.
This is something that was done years ago, before turbocharging and common rail or high pressure fuel systems. It had two purposes, in cold weather, it would reduce the cetane, which made it easier to start (with a modern turbo @ boost, it would just detonate the tops of the pistons into a pile of useless metal); and it was also known as an algea fighter before things like Biobore or Startron existed.
If you don't like your current diesel engine and want to blow it up, it makesa fine additive; otherwise you may want to pass.
Transmission Oil is the Best Diesel Cleaning agent.....
Took my truck in for rough idling issue. They told me that te injectors are dirty/1 is almost clogged. They ran 2 gals of straight tranny oil through it and it worked like a charm.
Transmission Oil is the Best Diesel Cleaning agent.....
Took my truck in for rough idling issue. They told me that te injectors are dirty/1 is almost clogged. They ran 2 gals of straight tranny oil through it and it worked like a charm.
only thing other than Stanadyne I would put in the tank of an OLDER diesel is Kerosene in the winter for easier cold weather starting..in small amounts at that.
A bit off topic.... but here's my experience (and i cant believe Im admitting that this happened in the first place). In 2005 I accidentally filled my 2004 Cummins Turbo Diesel Dodge 2500 with regular unleaded (I was on my damn cell phone and wasnt paying attention). It was empty at the time, so I drove off in my diesel truck filled with gasoline then got on the highway, and went 4 miles before it sputtered and quit.
Instantly I knew what I had done. I called a large diesel mechanic shop (think big rigs etc..) and asked "what now?" His reply was to simply tow the truck home and get all that gas out of it, refill it with diesel and DRIVE ON! I asked how this could not have cause damage and he said I'd have 0 problems, so long as I got the gas out within a day, or else it would damage seals.
I put another 140,000 miles on that truck with no problems.
Transmission Oil is the Best Diesel Cleaning agent.....
Took my truck in for rough idling issue. They told me that te injectors are dirty/1 is almost clogged. They ran 2 gals of straight tranny oil through it and it worked like a charm.
If you use to much tranny fluid your diesel will run away from you
A acquaintance of mine on a 65 foot trawler once every 5 years or so goes to Venezuela and fills up with 8,000 gallons of diesel. He adds 100 gallons of gasoline to it. Then he comes back to Panama and Columbia and cruises for 5 years on it. Never uses biocide, he says the gasoline kills it. He used to be a professional fisherman.
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Years ago I had a diesel car in the Great White North and in the winter you had to add up to 10% gasoline according to the owners manual. Below 0F it would start to gell up in the fuel lines etc.
At -40F I found I had to add up to 15% gasoline. It did not seem to change the performance much!
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On the contrary, gasoline used to be added to diesel fuel during the winter months by truck dirvers to prevent waxing, it used to be common practice and if used in moderation caused no engine damage.
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............. however biocide CAN be replaced by gasoline (ideally ethanol free) and it's a lot cheaper than biocide. It Also WORKS BETTER than biocide, in that most of them don't fix the Original Poster's(OP's) problem AFTER the Fact, when You have the BUGS in the system. Gas WILL Kill the bugs.
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If adding a percentage of gasoline to your diesel make sure it does not contain ethanol as that stuff will absorb water and inhibit the blending of the gas and diesel causing a whole new set of problems.
Location: Boat,Town Cove, Cape Cod. Live south of Boston.
Posts: 815
This topic brings back memories of a person I worked with 25 years ago who drove a deisel truck and I remember him telling me the only way he could get it to start in the winter time was by putting a gallon or two of gas per tankful of desiel. Don't know how long the engine lasted for him.
Transmission Oil is the Best Diesel Cleaning agent.....
Took my truck in for rough idling issue. They told me that te injectors are dirty/1 is almost clogged. They ran 2 gals of straight tranny oil through it and it worked like a charm.
When you say Tanny oil, what exactly do you refer to? Not Transmission Fluid, the red stuff? Right? Just wondering because my dad has an old ford tractor that he tried to clean the fuel tank by removing it and flushing it with something. Long story short it won't start now and he says fuel is reaching the rail. Maybe he got his injectors clogged. Anyway i will be up his way next week and will help him out, just like to know about tranny oil and may try it after we get it running to help clean everything out.
thanks
years ago when my dad had a gas station/ truck stop, truckers in the winter heading to Canada used to fill their trucks with diesel and top it off with a few gallons of Kerosene. for years I used to see them do this with out any issues.
When you say Tanny oil, what exactly do you refer to? Not Transmission Fluid, the red stuff? Right? Just wondering because my dad has an old ford tractor that he tried to clean the fuel tank by removing it and flushing it with something. Long story short it won't start now and he says fuel is reaching the rail. Maybe he got his injectors clogged. Anyway i will be up his way next week and will help him out, just like to know about tranny oil and may try it after we get it running to help clean everything out.
thanks
Yes Transmission Oil....The Red Stuff!
It will easily clear any clogs in the fuel system..Wont hurt your motor. It will just help it get back to normal.
OK, I screwed up too. Filled a half tank of a GM 6.2 diesel Suburban (obviously indestructible) diesel with gas. To full. Mid December and twenty below for you Yanks. ( about minus ten for us) Towing snowmobiles. Figured it out about 15 miles (28 k) down the road and phoned my mechanic. He said , either stop and pump out immediately, or tow slow with minimal throttle, watch temp guage and if OK, let it idle while parked after arrival till she is down to 1/4 tank (watching temp guage)and refill with diesel and change oil immediately. Move it violently forward and back every 2 hours or so to shake up fuel.
No one close to or capable of pumpout, so chose the latter. She idled for two days in the cold and I only shook her up every 4 hours or so.
Oil change was as black as tar. Thick too.
After the process, she never ran better. 400km when I sold her with minimal oil burn.
Over 150 k from my screw up.
Saved by the cold. Dunk decarb Canadian style.
Lucky too.
Gasoline as Diesel Fuel Additive 
