If you are at a gas station and you inadvertently fill your diesel engine vehicle with regular gasoline, then it can result in a lot of problems for your car. Basically, a diesel engine does not depend on a spark plug as a gasoline engine does. Rather, a gasoline engine depends on the spark plug for gasoline fuel to kindle in the combustion chamber. On the other hand, the diesel engine uses large amounts of air compression while diesel fuel gets injected at the right point of time afterwards. This is the major difference between the two engines therefore, mixing fuel with a wrong engine will only cause several problems.
Most of the gas stations make use of different nozzles to pump gasoline or diesel into the gas tank of the vehicle. A diesel nozzle has a huge diameter when compared to a gas nozzle. Most of the modern gasoline engine vehicles won’t permit a diesel nozzle to fit physically inside the filler neck of the gas tank.
But as a gasoline nozzle is small, it can get easily fitted into the filler neck of a diesel vehicle makes it much simpler to put in the wrong fuel in a truck or a diesel car. While fortuitously putting the wrong engine oil in your car is generally a minor problem, putting the wrong fuel in your car can be disastrous.
Top Effects of Gasoline in a Diesel Vehicle
If you find this problem early, you may be able to avoid severe damage from being done to your car. But if you keep driving your car with the wrong fuel inside it, then you might experience all these issues. Here are a few problems that you may experience if you put unleaded gas in a diesel engine:
No ignition- A diesel engine is not made for igniting fuel. Gasoline is designed so that it won’t ignite of its own. Thus, when gasoline flows inside a diesel engine, there will not be any ignition. If by any chance diesel gets mixed with gas, it will too difficult for the engine to handle.
No lubrication- Many people forget that diesel fuel is generally the same as oil as it lubricates the components of a diesel engine. If you put gasoline in the engine, it will not lubricate the vehicle parts. Instead, it will destroy them while they get no lubrication. As a result, the metal components will rub against each other and become damaged permanently.
Damage in the fuel system- Gasoline will certainly affect the fuel pump, fuel injectors, and fuel filter of the diesel engine. If these components don’t work properly, you may need to replace your fuel system totally.
Damage in the shock wave- There are too many reciprocating components and parts inside a diesel engine, like pistons, wrist pins, and rods. If there is an uncommon detonation that is hard to control, the shock waves from detonation can destroy or damage these components. Gasoline can result in a detonation that the components of the diesel engine cannot handle.
If you realize that you have put the wrong fuel in your diesel engine, don’t worry. There are a few things that you can do to save your vehicle from sustaining any type of damage. Below are a few tips that you should follow in such a situation.
- Don’t start the engine. Leave the car where it is.
- Do not turn on the ignition. It can cause the fuel pump and fuel injectors to get activated.
- Call a tow truck to tow your vehicle away from the gas station. Let them take your vehicle to your local dealership or any reliable auto mechanic.