The question should immediately be divided into two parts. The first is when a solarium got into the gas tank and the driver found out about it immediately, before starting the engine. In the second case - a much more dramatic scenario, when the "substitution" makes itself felt only in motion.
The engine has not started yet
If the driver himself refuels a gasoline car, then he must be completely “out of his mind” in order to take a pistol from the holder with the inscription “DT” and pour diesel fuel into the tank. But the employees of the gas station are either poorly versed in the nuances of the Russian language, and therefore may well be mistaken. If you find this at the checkout according to the check or the words of the operator, then, of course, all responsibility must be placed on the employees of the gas station. You should not start the engine even in order to drive a little away from the fuel station - ask the gas station management to call a tow truck to deliver the car to a service station, where you will need to remove the fuel tank, rinse it and replace the fuel with the correct one.
"Substitution" of fuel was found on the way
It is much worse if you did not notice anything special at first after refueling. This happens if there is little diesel fuel and its ratio with gasoline is 1: 2 or more in favor of light fuel. The engine will gradually lose power, twitch, smoke. But you have already moved away from the gas station for some distance. In almost any situation, except for the one where people's lives depend on the advancement of the car for a few hundred meters, the engine should be immediately stopped, returned to the gas station in tow or a tow truck and an examination of the fuel poured into the tank should be demanded. At the same time, it is better to keep receipts - at least from the last refueling.
Upcoming renovation
And now I’ll tell you what I did to save the car: I remember it was a Kia cee "d, which was still refueled with a solarium. The owner did not understand the situation, and the car in tow fell into my hands. What happened to the car and how I had to fix it Problems?
In any case, you should remove the fuel tank, drain its contents, rinse and fill with clean gasoline. In addition to this mandatory procedure, I turned out the candles. They were covered with a thick layer of black soot. In this case, cleaning will help. But it's better to replace the spark plugs. The compression test showed that in three cylinders its value did not exceed 4–6 bar. Either the rings are broken, or they are coked - they have lost their mobility and “lie down”. Bay for the night decoking composition, in the morning I measured the compression of more than 11 bar - this is how much it should be on a serviceable motor. So the piston rings are intact. Just in case, I dismantled the fuel injectors and washed them. Learn more about this procedure.
I flushed the cylinders again through the spark plug holes. After that I changed the oil. This is necessary because the flushing fluid inevitably gets into the oil. Lacked more badass crankshaft liners! In this case, the oil filter does not need to be changed. After starting the engine ran smoothly. I changed the oil and filter again. Giving the car to the owner, he warned that after such an adventure, the car, perhaps, "is not a tenant." But that's a completely different story.
Needless to say, the situation with an error at a gas station is almost anecdotal, but everything happens. Be careful at the gas station, and if this happens, do not expect to get there by chance. Share in the comments if this has happened to you.
Even attentive car owners sometimes confuse "pistols" with fuel at gas stations. It is important to know what threatens refueling a diesel engine with gasoline and what to do so that the consequences do not occur.
A bit of theory: what is the difference between gasoline and diesel fuel
Gasoline and diesel fuel differ in chemical composition and combustion characteristics, including ignition temperature.
- Diesel fuel is obtained as follows: crude oil is heated to produce diesel fractions. Then the fractions are split (this is called cracking) at different temperature conditions. Next is the hydrotreatment stage, where sulfur compounds are removed from diesel fuel. At the final stage - the addition of additives that improve viscosity and fluidity, and for winter diesel fuel - the process of separating paraffins.
- To get gasoline, crude oil is heated, separating gasoline fractions with a large amount of sulfur and aromatic hydrocarbons. In the process of cracking (fraction splitting), hydrocarbons and sulfur are removed from the fuel and the octane number is increased. Then, depending on the type of gasoline, additives are added.
At first glance, both types of fuel are obtained from oil, by direct distillation, splitting into fractions, purification from sulfur and the addition of an additive package.
So what's the difference?
Both oil and the fuel obtained from it, and even associated gases (Methane, butane, propane, etc.) - all this belongs to the group of hydrocarbons. That is, these chemical compounds consist of two elements, carbon + hydrogen.
Differ only chains of molecules. The more atoms that enter a molecule of a substance, the longer the chain of molecules - and the higher the boiling point when the liquid turns into a gas.
- For example, ethane (C2H6) will boil at -67°C, butane (C4H10) already at -18°C.
Based on these data, it is possible to separate mixed gases (heat to the required temperature and pump out those that have turned into gas) and extract gasoline, kerosene and diesel fuel from oil.
Depending on the brand of gasoline, its formula is from C7H16 to C11H24 (the shorter the chain, the better the quality of gasoline). Kerosene chains are longer, from C12 to C16. Diesel fuel has even more.
Accordingly, fuel production is based on bringing oil to the required temperature:
- oil is heated to 33-205 (depending on the type of gasoline), gasoline in the form of gas is fed into the chamber for cooling to a liquid state;
- in the same way, by raising the boiling point, kerosene is obtained from oil, and then diesel fuel;
- as a result of all the heating, oil remains an oily liquid - fuel oil.
Thus, the length of hydrocarbon chains determines the boiling point (ignition) and the degree of combustibility. This, as well as parameters such as density and viscosity, is the difference between gasoline and diesel fuel.
Diesel fuel- a mixture of paraffinic, naphthenic and aromatic hydrocarbons, which boil away at a temperature of 170 to 380°C. The viscosity of diesel fuel is about 2-4.5 mm2 / s.
Petrol ignites at a lower temperature, does not have the lubricating properties of diesel fuel and is more fluid.
Consequences of refueling a diesel car with gasoline
If you mix up the type of fuel at a gas station and pour diesel fuel into the tank of a gasoline car, he will go. At least as long as gasoline remains in the fuel system.
When only diesel remains, the car will stall, and it will be necessary to flush the engine, fuel system and change consumables (filters, spark plugs, etc.). But in general, this is a more optimistic forecast.
But if a diesel car is filled with gasoline, the consequences will be much worse.
It's all about two factors:
- the modern fuel system of diesel cars is extremely sensitive to fuel quality;
- elements of diesel fuel equipment are lubricated with diesel fuel, and gasoline has a different degree of viscosity - it is “dry”, and this can damage the injection pump or nozzles.
If you pour gasoline into the tank of a diesel car, it can even run on such fuel for a while. But the lack of lubrication and other heat transfer during the combustion of gasoline will cause the engine to overheat, up to its total damage.
The specific prognosis depends on many factors. The amount of fuel poured (and available in the diesel fuel system) and the design features of the car and its fuel system also matter.
So, drivers in cold regions still add a little gasoline or kerosene to diesel fuel in order to combat the paraffinization of fuel in the cold - and do not think that this somehow harms the engine.
However, in the case of refueling a diesel car with gasoline, the owner risks the engine resource and the correct operation of the fuel supply system.
Engine resource
Gasoline added to diesel fuel lowers the cetane number of diesel fuel. As a result, the ability of the fuel to self-ignite changes (as we remember, diesel fuel ignites from strong compression in the cylinder).
That is, with the added gasoline, the fuel in the engine will ignite with a delay, and burn out under increased load. Such hard work will not be reflected in the best way on the details of the crank mechanism of the engine.
If there is a lot of gasoline in the diesel engine, this will make it difficult to start the diesel engine in cold weather. And the exhaust will become more smoky.
Failure of the fuel equipment
As we have already mentioned, the friction parts of the diesel fuel system are lubricated during operation with fuel.
When gasoline is added to the fuel, the lubricating properties of diesel fuel deteriorate, the loaded elements run dry, which is fraught with chipping of the metal in the nodes and the ingress of metal dust and crumbs into the fuel lines.
Any car owner knows how to distinguish a diesel vehicle from a gasoline-powered one. Some "diesel" tanks even have special necks that do not "let in" gasoline filling nozzles. However, all this does not stop inattentive car owners and not very responsible gas station workers who manage to shove the unimpressed just to get rid of the client faster.
It often happens that a motorist simply moved from a gasoline passenger car to a diesel SUV and, out of habit, filled in his favorite fuel. If this happens, then you should not panic ahead of time and tearfully count the losses. Although gasoline and diesel fuel are fundamentally different, the damage is not always so great.
What can happen
In a diesel engine, the fuel is supplied separately from the air mixture, which is highly compressed. Diesel fuel enters the cylinders as a result of pressure at the very end of the air compression. At the next stage, the fuel is split into tiny particles and sprayed in the chamber, spontaneously igniting from compressed air. In this case, the largest amount of fuel burns out even before the piston reaches the so-called top dead center. If the fuel mixture begins to ignite earlier (without the necessary delay), this will disrupt the operation of the motor.
Just in gasoline-type units, air is mixed with fuel even in the intake manifold, and only then the mixture enters the cylinders. Ignition is carried out by a spark plug, which creates a spark at the right moment.
An important point is the different indicators of fuel mixtures. One of the most important characteristics of gasoline is its octane number. It means how much the liquid is able to withstand too rapid ignition. For a diesel engine, the main characteristic is the cetane number, which shows how quickly the fuel can ignite. The higher the octane number, respectively, the lower the cetane will be. This will lead to the fact that the delay before ignition of the fuel increases markedly. As a result, the motorist will begin to hear a knock in the engine, notice a drop in efficiency and a sharp increase in the operating temperature of the power unit.
If gasoline is poured into the tank of a diesel engine, then a lot depends on when exactly the driver noticed such an oversight.
If the movement on gasoline instead of diesel has not yet begun
If you managed to understand your mistake in time, then first of all you need to evaluate how much "wrong" fuel got into the tank. If the volume of the container is 50 and less than 10 liters of gasoline is poured into it, then there is a chance to try to do without a tow truck. To do this, you need to fill the rest of the tank with diesel to the brim and start moving, avoiding high speeds.
Healthy! On the road, you need to monitor the "behavior" of the motor. If it does not work stably, then it is better to stop, turn off the engine and call a car service employee.
When the gas tank is ¼ empty, you need to go to the gas station again and add diesel fuel (again to a full tank). This must be repeated until the entire tank is cleaned of gasoline.
Healthy! If the car has twice as much gasoline as diesel fuel and the car owner does not take any measures, then the car will still be able to continue its movement. But, after a few thousand kilometers, you will have to replace the filters and repair the fuel line.
However, experts do not advise resorting to such a complex method. If the movement on the “wrong” fuel has not yet begun, then you must immediately drain all the gasoline. After that, 2 liters of diesel fuel are poured into the tank and the liquid is drained again. Only then can you fill up the car and hit the road. This is the easiest way to clean.
Some "experienced" in such cases pour oil for two-stroke diesel engines into the gas tank in the proportion of 40-50 ml per liter of mistakenly filled gasoline. Also suitable are special additives that increase the cetane number of the mixture. However, this method is also quite controversial and does not guarantee the normal operation of the machine.
Healthy! If oil and additives are used, they must be added to the tank until it is completely filled. Then they will mix with the fuel fluid and will work better.
But, it is far from always possible to notice an oversight "on the spot". Sometimes even when the engine "hints" to problems, some refer to the poor quality of the fuel mixture and continue driving.
If the movement on gasoline has already begun
If the driver arrived at the gas station already “on a light bulb” and filled in a full tank of the “wrong” fuel, then the gasoline will inevitably immediately go to the engine. In this case, it will turn out to drive such a car for several kilometers, after which the power unit will stall. If everything happens so fast, then it all depends on the "endurance" of the car.
For example, owners of tractors or KamAZ trucks even practice mixing gasoline with diesel fuel in winter. There is an opinion that if you add 8-10% gasoline to the "native" mixture, then the fuel will not lose its fluidity. However, if nothing happens with such units, then a modern diesel passenger car, as the manufacturers themselves say, will need:
- Remove all fuel from the gas tank.
- Check the booster pump (its clip).
- If no metal chips have formed in it, then drain the fuel from the system.
- Completely flush the power system and change the fuel filters.
The last point is more often imposed by employees of service centers. In fact, it is usually enough to drain the tank and fill it with the required diesel fuel. The situation is slightly different if there is diesel fuel in the gasoline tank.
If you accidentally filled in diesel fuel instead of gasoline
If there is diesel fuel in an empty gas tank, then the manipulations to add the desired composition will not work. The fact is that diesel fuel has a higher density, so no matter how much the car owner adds the “correct” fuel, diesel fuel will still sink to the bottom of the tank and travel along the fuel line. Therefore, having driven a few meters from the gas station, the driver will notice knocks in the engine and black smoke coming from the muffler. After that, the vehicle will simply stop and stop showing signs of life. The good news is that this happens so quickly that it cannot harm the power unit. In this situation, it is better not to experiment and not spare money for the spent fuel. It is necessary to clean the tank of diesel fuel and fill in the correct type of fuel.
The situation is worse if the owner of the vehicle arrived at the gas station not “empty” and filled in half a tank of diesel fuel. In such a case, the vehicle can drive a couple of kilometers, but this is enough to clog the filters and engine nozzles. If for some reason the car owner does not notice changes in the operation of the car, then after a longer drive there will be a risk of damage to the power unit, which will stop synchronizing the cylinders normally. In addition, paraffin is present in diesel fuel. It clogs filter membranes and lines very quickly. Especially actively destruction occurs in winter frosts. Therefore, you should not bring it to this, as the consequences can be disastrous.
We continue to publish articles from the series "What will happen if ...". Today we will discuss what will happen if we mix up the type of fuel.
We will not go into details of how and how diesel replaced gasoline, but it is worth noting that there are not so few cases when diesel is poured into the tank of a car running on gasoline.
What is the difference
Both fuel and engines designed to work with a certain type of fuel have fundamental differences.
During the distillation of oil at different temperatures, fractions are obtained, which, after further processing, turn into:
- petrol,
- kerosene,
- diesel,
- fuel oil
Thus, gasoline and diesel fuel differ both in chemical composition and in combustion characteristics: they have different contents of various impurities, different viscosities, densities and ignition temperatures.
Internal combustion engines for both types of fuel are also different: in a gasoline engine, the air-fuel mixture is fed into the cylinders, where it is ignited by an electric spark. The fundamental difference between a diesel engine (along with a host of other differences) is that the heating and ignition of the air-fuel mixture occurs from compression inside the cylinder.
Diesel fuel instead of gasoline
In a gasoline engine, the pressure at which the air-fuel mixture enters the cylinders is much less than that required for diesel fuel to ignite. Therefore, while there is a little gasoline left in the fuel system, the combustion process itself will change dramatically: diesel fuel will not burn completely, a large amount of soot will form.
The ingress of diesel fuel into the fuel lines of a gasoline car will lead to clogging. There is also a high probability that diesel fuel will seep into the crankcase through the cylinders - i.e. engine oil will go bad.
And when the remaining gasoline is used up, the engine will stall.
As a result:
- flushing and repair of the engine, at least - the cylinder-piston system,
- flushing and repair of the fuel system, injectors,
- fuel filter replacement,
- Change of oil.
By the way, it is worth noting that carburetor engines are somewhat more loyal to diesel fuel than injection engines.
Gasoline instead of diesel fuel
Gasoline has a much lower lubricity (and parts of the fuel equipment are lubricated with oils that are part of diesel fuel), a different thermal conductivity, and a different combustion mode.
A diesel engine will run on an unusual fuel for a little longer than a gasoline engine. But the consequences can be much more serious: poor lubrication and a different combustion temperature will lead to overheating of the engine and may even cause its destruction.
As a result (if, of course, the engine is to be restored), half of the parts will have to be replaced.
What to do right away
After pouring fuel that is unusual for a car, all the same, the “necessary” fuel remains in the fuel line. Therefore, the bay at a diesel gas station, on a gasoline car, you can drive some more distance, during which damage will be done to the engine, sometimes irreparable.
The same applies to a diesel engine with gasoline in the power system, with the only difference being that the diesel engine will most likely continue to run until a critical overheat occurs or it is turned off.
Therefore, in case of an error at a gas station - under no circumstances should the engine be started.- this will save both the engine itself and the fuel system.
It is better to call a tow truck or take the car to the service station in tow, where they will drain the fuel and wash the gas tank. Rinsing the gas tank is especially important for a gasoline car, a diesel engine is more tolerant of minor gasoline residues.
What then
The cost of repairs directly depends on the damage caused to the engine: from minimal damage (which will entail flushing the tank and fuel system) to replacing the engine.
Typically, the scope of work is as follows:
- draining fuel and flushing the gas tank,
- flushing fuel lines
- fuel filter replacement,
- flushing injectors, replacing spark plugs,
- changing oil and oil filter.
1 - fuel tank; 3 - expansion box; 4 - filler cap; 5 - fuel level sensor; 6 - fuel supply line; 7 - drain fuel line; 8 - fuel filter; 9 - fuel pump; 10 - mesh filter; 11 - fuel pump housing, 12 - pressure accumulator; 13 - protective tray; 14 - adsorber
Not everything is so scary
Diesel fuel in a gasoline car is a disaster for the engine, but with "diesel" it is a little simpler. The fact is that if the diesel engine is provided with the necessary lubrication (for example, adding oil to the tank), it can work on gasoline for some time without any special losses. Of course, after such a procedure, you should still flush the fuel line.
And for some diesel cars in cold weather, it is even advised to add gasoline to the tank. The amount of added gasoline depends on the ambient temperature and can be up to 5% and even up to 25% of the total.
Outcome
If the full tank is filled with "wrong" fuel - do not start the engine! If the engine is not started, everything can be done only by flushing the tank and fuel system.
A gasoline engine cannot run on fuel mixed with diesel fuel. Therefore, topping up the tank with gasoline "up to the neck" does not make sense.
A diesel engine, on the contrary, can run on fuel with an admixture of gasoline (preferably no more than 5%). Therefore, if a little gasoline was poured into the tank, it can be diluted with diesel, and this will not affect its performance too critically.
At gas stations today, gas pumps are identified by a potentially confusing array of values, colors, and alphanumeric characters. Gasoline comes in five or more varieties, and this does not include diesel. The result of mixing can lead to engine failure, corrosion of the fuel lines, or, if you're lucky, serious damage.
When diesel is refueled into a gasoline engine, it does not evaporate like gasoline and there will be no spark. If mixing occurs, your car may run for several miles and then shut down. Be aware that even without starting the car, it can clog the fuel filter and ruin all the fuel injectors. If you start the car, the diesel will land, filling the cylinder bores and causing a hydraulic lock. This, in turn, can lead to damage to the connecting rods and crankshaft. It will also fall into the sump, causing damage to the oil.
The difference between diesel and gasoline engines
Let's start at the beginning and discuss the differences between both engines. To understand how this will affect your engine, it is important to know how these two engines work. First, gasoline engines have spark plugs. When the car is started, they ignite and ignite the vaporized fuel, which mixes with the air inside the engine. In essence, this is how the engine works with a series of "micro-explosions". The diesel engine does not have spark plugs, but runs on a piston that compresses the diesel so much that heat is released and it catches fire.
What to do if gasoline is poured instead of diesel fuel
- Stop refueling immediately: If you refuel only gasoline, some experts say there's a chance that nothing will happen to the car - as long as your diesel is no more than 5 percent gasoline. If you really want to take the risk, keep refueling frequently to top up with diesel fuel and thereby reduce the percentage of gasoline in your tank as quickly as possible.
- Inform the service personnel of the petrol station. The staff will be able to help you push your car to the right gas station. Remember to turn the key in the ignition to unlock the steering. Do not turn on the dashboard lights and do not start the engine!
- Call technical support or a refueling specialist: the gas station will most likely have the contact details of the right company if your technical support cannot help.
- Wait for the technical service with the car (assuming it is safely parked): a car tank can usually be drained and flushed in place in about 30-40 minutes. You will then be able to refuel with suitable fuel again.
How to remove diesel fuel from a gas tank yourself
It depends on how much diesel you put in your tank. If you caught your mistake early on, filling up the rest of the tank with mostly gasoline might be the best option. If you filled most of your tank with diesel fuel, then it's a completely different story.
The first step is to stop the car and tow it home. You must fix the problem immediately, because the longer the diesel is in the tank, the more damage it can do to the fuel system, engine and injectors. Then, using a siphon pump, remove the diesel fuel from the tank and fill it with gasoline. In some cases, your vehicle may take a while to start and the ride may be bumpy and jerky until all the diesel blows out naturally.
Another solution, and in most cases the safest, is to call a professional. The mechanic will properly flush the entire fuel system and clean the surrounding parts. In some cases spark plugs, engine gaskets and filters may need to be replaced with some parts.
You can see more details in the video:
