Put gas in diesel mower

[marine-mp]

Hello the forum. It’s been a while since I’ve posted, but regularly checking in!! Background intel, 2 days ago I had hernia surgery. My daughters boyfriend most graciously volunteered to mow for me, seeing the “ole man” was handicapped. I think he jus wanted to use the Kubota I recently restored, in my Dad’s memory. It a Kubota G5200H. It had 1/2 tank of fuel but I thot it should be topped off. He grabbed the container and I helped with the transfer of the fuel to the tank. I didn’t notice it was gas. He got half way across the yard and it stalls. This thing is bulletproof, and it stalls. I couldn’t understand why it would stop until I checked the container, which said, in bold black letters-“GASOLINE”. We towed it back to the shop and put it to bed. Now, a week later, feeling a little froggy atter surgery, I stopped and got a in-line filter and the “bowl” filter. So far, I’ve only drained the fuel tank. Can y’all walk me through the next steps so we can get the ole tractor back on track to cutting the grass. Sorry for the long post. He meant well!! My bad also for not catching it. I’m most grateful for any replies. Semper-fi & This We’ll Defend, Mike

 

[85Hokie]

Mike

First of all ....... please take it easy with the ol hernia surgery - I had that a year ago to date, and for the first 4 to 6 weeks I too was a bit "froggy". I almost screwed up doing some normal things ......... but I did NOT mess up, just asking for you to take it easy......

AS for the fuel - I would open the bleed screw and allow more fuel to run through than you might think under normal conditions of bleeding fuel. ALLOW it to dripple for a while, like a good 30 seconds to a minute. Now if you can pull all the lines off, that time can be shortened.

You simply need to move the "fuel" through the lines to the injector pump - once there, hopefully it will get pure diesel and fire up.

If/when it fires......... it is gonna run like S#$#T for a few minutes until the last bit of gasoline is purged.

It might take a few tries to get all the gas out the lines.

 

[marine-mp]

Mike

First of all ....... please take it easy with the ol hernia surgery - I had that a year ago to date, and for the first 4 to 6 weeks I too was a bit "froggy". I almost screwed up doing some normal things ......... but I did NOT mess up, just asking for you to take it easy......

AS for the fuel - I would open the bleed screw and allow more fuel to run through than you might think under normal conditions of bleeding fuel. ALLOW it to dripple for a while, like a good 30 seconds to a minute. Now if you can pull all the lines off, that time can be shortened.

You simply need to move the "fuel" through the lines to the injector pump - once there, hopefully it will get pure diesel and fire up.

If/when it fires......... it is gonna run like S#$#T for a few minutes until the last bit of gasoline is purged.

It might take a few tries to get all the gas out the lines.

 

[marine-mp]

85Hokie, Thanks for the quick reply!! I will take your instructions and do my best.. this hernia is gonna be one long ordeal, as Mama tries her best to put a stranglehold on my forward movement!! Take care. Thanks ay. Semper-fi & This We’ll Defend, Mike

 

[D2Cat]

Mike, you've done no damage to that little beast! I had a 1983 Nissan Maxima diesel. Drove down to Branson, Mo for the weekend and wasn't sure where the motel was so I filled up (with gas) to get directions, then drove to the motel. At the end of the say I headed north and noticed it was running a bit rough and on some of the hills it would cough, sputter and emit black clouds....then finally died.

Had it towed to the nearby gas station. Guy there pulled it around back and removed the drain plug in the fuel tank and let it run into a low spot in the dirt (pot hole). Filled it up, started it right up, let it idle while we drank a cup of coffee and went home. That tank was probably 50/50 gas/diesel.

Sold that car still running with 365K miles on it.

 

[marine-mp]

Mike, you've done no damage to that little beast! I had a 1983 Nissan Maxima diesel. Drove down to Branson, Mo for the weekend and wasn't sure where the motel was so I filled up (with gas) to get directions, then drove to the motel. At the end of the say I headed north and noticed it was running a bit rough and on some of the hills it would cough, sputter and emit black clouds....then finally died.

Had it towed to the nearby gas station. Guy there pulled it around back and removed the drain plug in the fuel tank and let it run into a low spot in the dirt (pot hole). Filled it up, started it right up, let it idle while we drank a cup of coffee and went home. That tank was probably 50/50 gas/diesel.

Sold that car still running with 365K miles on it.

D2Cat, thank you also, for the reply. I prolly had 50/50 mix in the fuel tank myself. Glad to hear that nothing was hurt, ‘sides a man’s pride!! I’ll have to pay closer attention to my doings…separate the diesel from the gas in the storage bin!! I’d like to blame it on the lad, but I was present in the moment, but not a hunert percent in mind!! Blessings. Semper-fi & This We’ll Defend, Mike

 

[lynnmor]

There is just too much risk depending on written markings.

Red cans for gasoline.
Blue cans for kerosene.
Yellow cans for diesel.

 

[GeoHorn]

There is just too much risk depending on written markings.

Red cans for gasoline.
Blue cans for kerosene.
Yellow cans for diesel.

Actually colored-jugs can’t be fully relied upon. Someone (perhaps a grandson) filled my yellow jug with auto gas…. but I caught it. (and blue jugs can also be plain water…. just try buying a 5-gal water jug in a sporting goods store that isn’t blue.)

 

[RalphVa]

Really really dangerous. Can form an explosive mixture in the vapor space of the fuel tank. With diesel, too lean. Gas, too rich.

I've eliminated all gas engines except ones on pickup and 2 cars. Any containers will only have diesel and one a little bit of kero.

 

[mcfarmall]

Really really dangerous. Can form an explosive mixture in the vapor space of the fuel tank. With diesel, too lean. Gas, too rich.

I've eliminated all gas engines except ones on pickup and 2 cars. Any containers will only have diesel and one a little bit of kero.

So are gasoline powered cars really really dangerous because there is a vapor space in the fuel tank? Help me understand your statement.

 

[DustyRusty]

So are gasoline powered cars really really dangerous because there is a vapor space in the fuel tank? Help me understand your statement.

I sure hope so, so my insurance company will buy my Furd when it blows up!

 

[GeoHorn]

Actually the vapor in most gasoline tanks ullage (the space above liguid in a container or tank) is TOO Rich to ignite, especially in modern close-vent systems ordered by EPA. Only if air (oxygen) is introduced to dilute the vapors do they become explosive.
There are thousands of cases where gasoline powered aircraft wings (which are thin sheet-metal gas tanks) are struck directly by lightning and yet do not explode, and those tanks are not sealed such as vehicle tanks are, but are actually vented to atmosphere. The vapor/ullage is simply too rich.

 

[RalphVa]

So are gasoline powered cars really really dangerous because there is a vapor space in the fuel tank? Help me understand your statement.

No. Vapor space in gasoline tanks is too rich to ignite. In diesel tanks, it's too lean. Put gas in diesel, and you can get an ignitable explosive mix of vapor.

 

[RalphVa]

I sure hope so, so my insurance company will buy my Furd when it blows up!

Won't be much of you left to bury.

 

[number two]

The way fuel prices are going,perhaps a mixture of gasoline and diesel vehicle/engines will provide a lower cost of operation?
Good Luck!

 

[Bugzilla46310]

Did a quick search and was surprised to not find any standard for fuel container color. Found this. I always thought green was reserved for water. Guess not.

Meaning Behind The Colors

Wavian fuel cans come in five different colors, but it's not all just good looks. Fuel and oil cans are color coded to designate their contents. Read more to learn about each color. RED || This is the most common color for fuel cans, as it is widely used for flammable liquids such as gasoline...

wavianusa.com

 

[Snowman7]

Hello the forum. It’s been a while since I’ve posted, but regularly checking in!! Background intel, 2 days ago I had hernia surgery. My daughters boyfriend most graciously volunteered to mow for me, seeing the “ole man” was handicapped. I think he jus wanted to use the Kubota I recently restored, in my Dad’s memory. It a Kubota G5200H. It had 1/2 tank of fuel but I thot it should be topped off. He grabbed the container and I helped with the transfer of the fuel to the tank. I didn’t notice it was gas. He got half way across the yard and it stalls. This thing is bulletproof, and it stalls. I couldn’t understand why it would stop until I checked the container, which said, in bold black letters-“GASOLINE”. We towed it back to the shop and put it to bed. Now, a week later, feeling a little froggy atter surgery, I stopped and got a in-line filter and the “bowl” filter. So far, I’ve only drained the fuel tank. Can y’all walk me through the next steps so we can get the ole tractor back on track to cutting the grass. Sorry for the long post. He meant well!! My bad also for not catching it. I’m most grateful for any replies. Semper-fi & This We’ll Defend, Mike

I owned a convenience store/ BP for 14 years and saw this happen about 5 times. One of my good customers owned several trucks both gas and diesel and was at the store probably 3-4 times a week. One morning he had put about 15 gallons of gasoline in his Cummins diesel and came in the store and told me what happened. He had to get to Gaylord ( about 25 miles ) and stood for a moment thinking. He made a call to a friend and then bought 2 qts. of transmission fluid and then
topped of the tank with diesel and drove away. I think he had a tank of about 40 gallons. His friend told him to stop and fill his truck whenever he could get a couple of gallons in the tank to dilute that gasoline ratio.

I remember asking him several Months and many thousand miles later about that Cummins and he just smiled and replied “ still going strong”

 

[D2Cat]

Back in the day of simple injection pumps even VW had in their owner's manual to add up to 10 percent gasoline to the diesel for winter conditions.

 

[marine-mp]

Bugzilla, When the kids were younger, we’d go camping, and camping world sold water jugs in the color of a very light green. Quite some time ago though.
Snowman, thats pretty interesting. I’ve heard of a “cupfull” of tranny fluid to help clean the injectors.

 

[fried1765]

Actually the vapor in most gasoline tanks ullage (the space above liguid in a container or tank) is TOO Rich to ignite, especially in modern close-vent systems ordered by EPA. Only if air (oxygen) is introduced to dilute the vapors do they become explosive.
There are thousands of cases where gasoline powered aircraft wings (which are thin sheet-metal gas tanks) are struck directly by lightning and yet do not explode, and those tanks are not sealed such as vehicle tanks are, but are actually vented to atmosphere. The vapor/ullage is simply too rich.

Though not caused by lightening, the in flight explosion of TWA flight 800 might relate to this (explosive vapor) discussion.