Photo: StockLeb (Shutterstock)
As the price of gas rises, everyone is thinking more about the fuel they put into their cars. The glorious electric car revolution may be coming, but it ain’t here yet, leaving us to somehow find five minutes in our busy day to visit the pump, avoid running out of gas in the drive-through, and reduce the likelihood of being mocked on the Internet. As a result, you may be more aware than ever that there are usually two kinds of fuel available at your local gas station: gasoline and diesel.
Both are refined from crude oil, but they’re produced using vastly different processes and additives and are not in any way interchangeable. Many people will insist that misfuelling isn’t easy to do because the pumps are color-coded (diesel pumps usually have green handles) or at least clearly labeled, and diesel nozzles are larger than gasoline nozzles, making it difficult to fit into a gas car’s filler neck.
Ah, but note that the word “difficult” doesn’t mean “impossible.” Despite these challenges, people do manage to misfuel their cars every year. A combination of stress, distraction, and determination is all that’s required, though sometimes there are errors on the other end, as when a delivery truck pumps diesel into the underground gas storage tanks by mistake. However it happens, what does it mean if you put diesel into your gasoline-powered car?
Not all fuels are the same
Diesel and gasoline are very different fuels. Diesel is heavier than gas, has a much lower octane rating, and ignites in a totally different way. Gasoline has a distinctive smell, and diesel is much thicker than gas, which is a thin, watery substance.
If you have any doubt about you just pumped into your car, don’t take any chances. Putting diesel into your gas tank is a very, very bad idea. Depending on how much diesel you pumped in there, you might drive the car for a short time before it starts to knock and sputter, but it will eventually stall. Driving the car after pumping in diesel is the worst idea because that distributes the diesel throughout your fuel line and engine, gumming everything up and requiring a serious effort to clean up.
What to do if you you just fueled up with diesel
If you realize your mistake before trying to drive the vehicle, here’s what you should do:
Don’t drive it. Have we made this clear? Diesel in your gas tank is a minor problem. Driving a gas car with diesel fuel will be an enormous problem. It doesn’t matter if it’s just a small amount—if you got diesel in there, step away from the ignition. Note how much diesel you just pumped in there. This doesn’t have to be exact, but the beleaguered (and likely amused) mechanic who will eventually help save your car will find it helpful to know whether there’s half a tank, a whole tank, or just a small amount of diesel mixed in there. Call a mechanic. If you’re at a service station, the kindly folks who work there may be able to help you, especially if you didn’t drive the car. What needs to happen is this: Your gas tank needs to be drained and cleaned out. It’s relatively easy, though it will make a crimp in your schedule and your wallet.If you didn’t notice in time and realized your mistake a quarter mile down the road when your car made some extremely worrying noises and stopped cold, you’ll need to call for a tow and get a mechanic to fix things up for you. Be warned that this is going to be expensive. Your best-case scenario is that the fuel system just needs draining and cleaning. The mechanic will need to drain the gas tank, clear the fuel lines and the fuel injectors (which might require dismantling and removing them to clear clogs and will add to the expense), and inspect everything for damage. This can take a few hours and can run you as much as $1,000 depending on the car and the problems they encounter.
The worst case is severe damage to your car’s cylinders from trying to combust the wrong fuel. This can be incredibly expensive, and might even cost more than your car is worth to fix. That’s right: Buying $20 worth of diesel fuel by accident can cost you a whole new car.
Again, making this mistake isn’t easy—but it does happen. Always pay attention when handling dangerous stuff like fuel.
