I think that this is more common than reported....
I know that it worries me everytime I go to the pumps.
Colors of handles, and just screwing up....
It's time for mandated identification color standards like we have (?) for portable containers
maybe even
square nozzels at the pumps and square holes in our tanks recievers... what ever it takes.
There isn't any need for the fuel stations to be a part of the problem... boycott them... I do
Do you remember...
When fuel composition changed to remove lead around 1970? They went to smaller nozzels and the new vehicles had smaller fill recepticles so that we couldn't put the old, larger "lead" nozzels in them... it sort of worked.
Some of us may have built "expanders" to open the new vehicles recievers to be able to use the cheaper lead gasoline... soon the leaded gasoline went away.... and so did the need for expanders
another memory... WWII troops came home from europe talking about diesel engines... saying they'd run on anything... even perfume. (maybe we need an electronic sensor by-pass so that we could burn a tank of mixed diesel/gas)
I hope everything is OK with the engine. It should be...
In 06 I had a long commute to work and bought a new VW Jetta TDI. One night my son wanted to go to Gainesville for a weekend a trip. His friend offered to pay for the fuel. Since his friend was paying for it, he didn't even bother to check and make sure his friend was pumping diesel. They got on I-4 and very quickly, it was the end of the trip. The next thing he did was to call me. (what else?) I was on a vacation trip in the caribbean. I asked him to tow the Jetta to my trusted mechanic where the tank was dropped, fuel filter changed, etc., etc.
That was 3 years and apx. 30,000 miles ago. So far it's still running like new.
My mechanic told me that I was lucky. I wish you the same luck.
2004 Dodge Ram 3500 DRW Cummins Diesel H.O. Engine, 6 Spd
2004 Lance 1161, Generac 3.5 LPG Generator
1994 Range Rover Classic LWB
Proud vet of Operations Desert Storm, Noble Eagle and Enduring Freedom - USAF Security Forces
Had you been a politician, you would have said "I have no recollection of the incident" But a week later you might have remembered "something" to the effect of being at a gas station.
Thankfully, you are NOT a politician. Stuff happens..... we all make mistakes. The difference between us and the politicians is we learn from our screw-ups. Good on you for owning up to the mishap, and good luck on the outcome.
I had someone put 25 gallons of gasoline in one of our trucks when it was new, 50 gallon tank. We spent $1000 getting it towed to Cummins. That didn't hurt as bad as paying for the drum of contaminated fuel to be properly disposed of...
In Oregon you can't self serve gasoline. My dad stopped in his F-350 flatbed, dual tanks, told the kid to fill it with diesel. He caught him with the regular gas nozzle in it, he had pumped almost 5 gallons. He stopped him, the kid said "We don't have diesel". Then, to make matters worse, he still wanted him to pay! The manager agreed that wasn't appropriate. The Ford Dealer told him to just fill it with good fuel, and top it off whenever. Of course, this was in a normally aspirated 6.9.
I know many logging equipment operators commonly used to "winterize" their fuel by dumping a 5 gallon can of gas into 75 gallons, but that was old offroad, high sulfur diesel.
Gordon
1987 F-350 XLT Lariat SRW 6.9
1986 Western Wilderness Alpine Dinette 11
She is alive and running well. I'm sure I shortened the life of the injectors and injector pump, but no apparent damage from the short drive I did tonight.
Steps I did to recover:
1) Drained the tank (actually put the gas in my Grand Cherokee so didn't waste any) then put 12 gallons of diesel mixed with 3 quarts of non-detergent 30w oil.
2) changed the filters, purging the lines as I went by slightly pressurizing the tank.
3) used the lift pump to purge the gas from the filter housing and drained. Then installed the factory filter.
4) Cleaned the area around the FPC on the back of the injection pump, then removed. Cycled the lift pump with three long purges (bump the starter) til I could tell it was diesel coming out.
5) Resinstalled the FPC.
6) With the system all closed up, made the lift pump run three long cycles.
7) started the engine
Had figured it was going to take 5-10 minutes to burn the gas out of the pressure rail. Was shocked when after 5 seconds it started to smooth out and after 10 seconds was running like normal.
Took it for a 5 mile drive. Was real easy on it til it warmed up to normal temps, then stomped on it a few times. Besides a little heavy on smoke (where did those cars behind me go?), it seemed to have all it's normal power. I'll find out for sure when I head to Nashville soon.
Seems like I used up all my luck for the week.
* This post was
edited 11/08/11 05:35pm by kohldad *
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2004.5 Ram 3500 4x4 Quad-Cab SRW CTD 6-spd, XD9000 winch
2004 Lance 815 (an upgrade from my prev 2005 35' fiver )
DW (homemaker), 1 DD @ Clemson in Civil Eng (Dec 2013) w/SIL, 1 DD Tech Grad (home but employed), 2 DFs (meow)
What a wonderful feeling you must be having compared to how you were feeling.
that is just great it worked out this well., and you know a little more about your truck now. I just love happy endings.
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But a week later you might have remembered "something" to the effect of being at a gas station.
)
