Why You Should Never Put Diesel in a Gas Engine Generator?

It happens rarely, but if you do accidentally put diesel fuel in your gas tank or gasoline in your diesel generator, it can potentially damage the entire system.

In simple words, filling the generator’s fuel tank with another fuel type than what it is supposed to run on is a recipe for disaster. It can not only put your vehicle at risk but can also put your life in danger. So, in this article, we will tell you everything about diesel and gasoline fuel and what you should do if you put diesel in a gas engine by mistake.

How different are diesel and gasoline engines?

Diesel Fuel

It is a distillate product derived from crude oil, specifically designed to work with diesel engines including industrial generators and motor vehicles.

Gasoline

Gasoline is also derived from crude oil, just like diesel, but it comes with a different set of additives that change its composition. Mostly, gasoline is mixed with ethanol for better performance. As per the US Energy Administration, most of the gasoline sold in the country has about 10 percent ethanol mixed in it.

Some other significant differences include:

• Diesel fuel is heavier than gasoline as it has larger molecules
• The density and viscosity of diesel fuel is quite different from gasoline
• Diesel fuel has lower autoignition temperate as compared to gasoline
• There are no spark plugs required to ignite fuel in diesel-powered engines

This Is What Happens If You Put Diesel in Your Gas Engine

To perform efficiently, gasoline needs an octane rating of 87-91. While there are more specific readings and requirements available, this variant is accounted for due to fuel grade. Octane rating is defined as the fuel’s ability to avoid pinging or knocking during the combustion process, as defined by the US Department of Energy. This knocking or pinging could be a result of air and fuel mixture detonating before time in the engine. The timing of ignition has to be just right for the fuel to work efficiently.

Since diesel’s octane rating is much lower than gasoline (25-30), it can damage the engine if it is accidentally put in a gasoline engine as it reduces the octane level. The more diesel is pumped into a gas engine, the higher is diesel contamination causing significant damage to your engine and all other parts interconnected with it. The engine can potentially choke and come to a girdling halt if it is not given the right attention at the right time.

What To Do If You Put Diesel in A Gasoline Engine?

This kind of mistake rarely happens, but if it does, it should be given immediate attention and required treatment. Even though filling diesel in a gas engine is harmful, it is not as bad as filling a diesel engine with gasoline, which can have a far longer-lasting impact on the engine.

So, if you do put diesel in a gas engine, the highest possibility is that the generator will not start and you will have to get it towed to a garage to get the fuel tank drained. So, if this happens to you, here are some important things you must keep in mind:

• Figure out how much fuel has been pumped into the tank. This information will come in handy while repairing your engine. The information about whether it was just a few drops or the tank was half full can be really helpful in the final processes.

• Do not start your engine at any cost. If you turn on the engine, it will suck in the fuel into the entire fuel line and fuel pump it to various other parts connected to it running your repair bills really high. Operating your gasoline generator with diesel fuel in it can cause serious damage to the engine and you will require some serious repair work to make it functional again. 

• It is also advised to call dedicated technicians for immediate repair of the diesel fuel system as keeping diesel sitting in the gas tank can also have a long-lasting impact on the overall engine health.

• Make sure to explain your situation beforehand so that the repair team from Swift Equipment comes prepared with the requisite arrangements for immediate tank drainage.

As rare as such instances are, it is always in your interest to keep in touch with a dependable generator repair and maintenance service provider such as Swift Equipment. Right from assisting you with the installation of your generator to ensuring the efficient upkeep of the same, from offering you the best deals on used generators to being your one-stop shop for selling your used diesel and natural gas generators, we do it all and how! 

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Frequently Asked Questions About Diesel and Gasoline Mix Up

Why is it dangerous to put diesel in gasoline engines?

Both diesel and gasoline are made to perform for specific engine types and can cause serious damage to the respective engines if pumped into the wrong one. Since diesel is a thicker fuel, it clogs the fuel filter, and fuel injectors resulting in the engine gumming or seizing.

While pumping diesel in a gas engine can impact the engine, pumping gasoline in a diesel engine can be far more catastrophic. Gasoline is a highly combustible fuel, even more than diesel. So, if gasoline is pumped into a diesel engine, it will combust prematurely causing fire, etc.

What are the immediate steps I should take if I mistakenly put diesel in a gas generator?

The first and the most important thing to follow is – never start the engine if you pump the wrong fuel in it. This will ensure that the intricate parts of the internal combustion engines are not permanently damaged, and help you save on expensive repair work on engine damage.

You should also make note of how much fuel has been pumped into the engine as it will help in the repair work. Immediately call the repair team and have the generator’s fuel tank drained. If the team cannot arrive in time, get the engine towed to the nearest gas station, where they will help empty the gasoline tank immediately. The rest of the procedure can be followed up later.