Added gasoline to diesel tank - how much is bad?

[Trailboss]

As I was refueling the 80gal tank on my M925, I decided to rotate the fuel in my 5-gal diesel fuel cans. After I poured about 3-4 gallons from the can, I noticed that it didn't look like diesel - it was gas. I probably filled it last summer for hurricane prep and forgot I had gas in a yellow diesel can. Anyway, is 3 gallons of gas in an 80 gallon tank going to damage my NHC250 engine?

I can pump the tank back into my 250 gallon bulk tank to dilute it further if I have to, but I also use that fuel for the Perkins tractor engine, MEP002/003 generators, 7.3 Ford, 6.2 and 6.5 CUCV engines, as well as other NHC250 and 8.3 trucks. My bulk tank mix is 2% new motor oil (NOS oil I didn't want to use as lube oil) and 1% 2-stroke oil.

My deuces aren't running at the time, or I would just pump it into their tanks, and their tanks are already full.

Thoughts, comments (other than addressing my stupidity), advice are welcome.

 

[Chief_919]

If your 80 gallon tank is full it won't hurt anything.

If it only has 5 gallons in it that is another story, top it off with diesel.

5% gasoline won't hurt anything. VW and Mercedes used to even suggest adding up to 20% in cold climates in the 70's and 80's to help starting if you didn't have winter blend fuel.

 

[Trailboss]

If your 80 gallon tank is full it won't hurt anything.

If it only has 5 gallons in it that is another story, top it off with diesel.

5% gasoline won't hurt anything. VW and Mercedes used to even suggest adding up to 20% in cold climates in the 70's and 80's to help starting if you didn't have winter blend fuel.

Thanks, Chief,
That's what I was thinking, but wasn't sure, and didn't find any past threads about it.

 

[wsucougarx]

I'd throw some Walmart outboard 2 cycle oil in there as well to keep things lubed up.

 

[armytruck63]

I agree with the two-stroke oil recommendation. Since you only put 3 gallons in, you're talking 3.75% gasoline in an 80 gallon tank. Not much to worry about.

 

[Ultra Mag]

I'd throw some Walmart outboard 2 cycle oil in there as well to keep things lubed up.

I did that same thing late one night coming home from elk hunt. Pulled into BP station, pump handles are or were all green, been driving appox 25 hrs. After 17 gal of gas I woke up. Toped off with 22 gal of diesel, I went in store got motor oil and 2 stroke .1 1/2 gal altogether. Went over to curb and bounced off it for 5 min to mix it. Ford 6.0 I ran it and stopped every100 miles to refill. All went well . Just need to be careful of BP station when your tired!

 

[Chief_919]

I did that same thing late one night coming home from elk hunt. Pulled into BP station, pump handles are or were all green, been driving appox 25 hrs. After 17 gal of gas I woke up. Toped off with 22 gal of diesel, I went in store got motor oil and 2 stroke .1 1/2 gal altogether. Went over to curb and bounced off it for 5 min to mix it. Ford 6.0 I ran it and stopped every100 miles to refill. All went well . Just need to be careful of BP station when your tired!

Yep. I know an old school bus mechanic who had one of his drivers fill the bus with gas once. He went in, siphoned some out, dumped 1 quart of motor oil for every gallon of gas and sent the driver on his way. The old Detroit drank it just fine.

 

[dmetalmiki]

As already mentioned, that engine will be fine at that ratio of 'contamination' (benefit)for the weather temperatures at this time of year anyway.

 

[wreckerman893]

In Germany one time I ended up at an Army airfield in a deuce with an empty fuel tank.

I knew the data plate on the deuce said "Do not use aviation grade gasoline" but I was bone dry and miles from the next military fuel point.

I found an old Chief Warrant Officer and told him my plight.

He told me to pull up to the fuel pump they used for small planes.

He then showed up with several 5 gallon cans of military motor oil.

As I slowly filled the deuce tank he added the oil five gallons at a time.

We were basically making diesel fuel.

I fired the deuce up and it ran like a big dog all the way back to Frankfurt.

Old Chiefs know their business.

 

[mkcoen]

I did kind of the opposite at o-dark-30 as the COs driver. We missed the fuel trucks due to another unnecessary BN meeting and were running below E. Back at camp the mechanics said they had 5 gallons in a jerry can and handed it to me out the back of their truck. About half way through the can - remember it's several hours past midnight and I haven't slept in about 20 hours - I started thinking it was taking an awfully long time to drain 5 gallons of diesel. Turned out it was 30wt. Instead of chewing the mechanic out that handed it to me the CPT chewed me out for not checking the can during black out conditions. We smoked pretty good the next day but I guess the HMMWV 6.2 was well lubricated.

 

[Tinstar]

In Germany one time I ended up at an Army airfield in a deuce with an empty fuel tank.

I knew the data plate on the deuce said "Do not use aviation grade gasoline" but I was bone dry and miles from the next military fuel point.

I found an old Chief Warrant Officer and told him my plight.

He told me to pull up to the fuel pump they used for small planes.

He then showed up with several 5 gallon cans of military motor oil.

As I slowly filled the deuce tank he added the oil five gallons at a time.

We were basically making diesel fuel.

I fired the deuce up and it ran like a big dog all the way back to Frankfurt.

Old Chiefs know their business.

That must have been a while since he did that.
Now try that today with a CW2 or even early CW3
They will look at you with that glazed look.

Ingenuity has gone out the window for a lot of them.
Not all, but a lot.

 

[sandcobra164]

I've only run a gasoline blend once in my NHC-250. My friend blends fuel for his deuce and I topped off with what I thought was 50/50 waste ATF and diesel. What wound up in my truck was about 45 gallons of 47.5/47.5/5 with the 5% being gasoline. It ran fine during the 190 mile trip home from Durhamtown but had a slight bump/knock at idle once warmed up. Started it the next day and the bump/knock was not present while cold but returned again once warm. Topped it back off with straight diesel and the problem cleared in short order. He no longer blends gasoline into his mix and I'm currently running a 50/50 blend of diesel and waste ATF with no ill issues. His filtration stand consists of a 10 micron water block filter passing through to a 5 micron, then to a 2 micron absolute into a centrifuge which recirculates about 15 gallons per minute and he runs each blend for about 10 hours. I'd say it's probably a cleaner fuel mix than you would get from the pump.