Gasoline in a diesel engine

[DannyS]

Last weekend, I pulled up to the fuel dock and had 10 gallons of fuel added to the tank prior to heading out for the day. There wasn't much wind so we fished for about an hour or so but halfway through the day the engine started sounding a bit off, then it died. It would start then die, then finally, it wouldn't start. I tried bleeding the engine a couple of times but still nothing. So, I finally got to put my Tow Boat US insurance to work and got dragged back to the marina. Back in the slip now, I've tried bleeding the system again and I think the marina guy that fueled me up gave me gasoline instead of diesel because the fuel coming out when bleeding is not red like it typically is and is smells suspiciously like gas.
Anyone else experience this? Is the only remedy pumping out the tank?

 

[kloudie1]

Yup
Be very careful when pumping out to ground everything.. The vapor space above the diesel in the tank will likely be Very flammable and possibly explosive..

 

[markwbird]

I am afraid so. I would contact the fuel station and hold them accountable. I would ask them to do it.

 

[Jackdaw]

Oh Danny so sorry to hear that!

Can I ask where? Even places I trust I watch any tankage fill like a hawk.

 

[JamesG161]

What percent of your diesel tank volume is 10 gallons?
Gasoline and diesel do mix. Gasoline will "thin out" the diesel.

I would make the fuel dock fix this or let them know that you will inform the State of WI about the marina.

Listen to @kloudie1, your boat's electrical devices are not Classed as explosion proof, your tank may not be grounded properly, and I would notify your insurance carrier too.
Jim...

 

[Rich Stidger]

Who lets a marina fuel their boat? Every marina I have ever gone to hands me the nozzle. If it is not marked "Diesel", even if it is green, I ask to confirm that I have a diesel hose. And a sniff test would be in order also. All BEFORE putting a drop in the tank.

 

[kloudie1]

I did a quick check and noted that the tank capacity is 50 gallons so 10 is a big % especially if the tank was more than 10 gallons low..
Can cause some premature ignition and engine damage, but is probably OK if not run at high power levels.. Hope he has luck with this one..

 

[JamesG161]

Lets say he topped off his tank or 20% gasoline thinning. He may be able to suck out 25 gallons of mix and put back 25 gallons of diesel. Thus making his tank mixture a more acceptable 10%, but the cure is total removal for sure.
___
@Rich Stidger makes an important point. My fuel dock never ever pushes the fuel handle. It is all on me. I double check by beginning fueling and stop, lift the nozzle and check the drip with a paper towel.
Jim...

 

[Gunni]

What Claude said, you will need to have a professional fuels handler manage the emptying of the tank. You can’t leave the gasoline in there. Contact the fuel dock operator and report the situation, then your insurance company. This is a liability claim, and the liability is still in play. A simple fuels analysis will confirm the situation for any doubters. Not done properly, removal of the fuel could Boom.

Good news is that a pro is going to have the right tools - something like an pneumatic aluminum double diaphragm pump with a grounded non-sparking drop tube. They may be able to use your existing tank drop tube and fuel line also.

My dad did this to a diesel vehicle years ago, the shop removed the fuel and the engine was undamaged.

 

[shemandr]

Never say I want fuel or to fuel up. Always say Gasoline or Diesel. I'm with Jackdaw, watch like a hawk. The advice about stopping the re-fueling to check is not overkill. Remember sometimes the dock workers are summertime employees, who are bored to death and not paying enough attention. Or just teenagers who don't understand the magnitude of a mistake. Check and re-check.

 

[SFS]

No one fuels our boat but me. I always ask "is this diesel" and explain why I am asking. Karen and I left a gasoline powered boat delivery last year because the boat was unsafe - fuel was leaking into the bilge. A few weeks after we left, the "captain" put 100 gallons of diesel into the gasoline tanks.

 

[DannyS]

Alright, alright... I get it, I wasn't hawkish enough when fueling up. But that wasn't the question. Some of you answered it by confirming my suspicion that I should remove the offending fuel from the tank. I've done that. Tomorrow, I'll pull the filters, replace them and try to get any excess fuel out of the remaining lines. Aside from that, and filling the tank with confirmed diesel that I, myself and no one else has touched, seen, smelt and possibly tasted, is there anything else I should do before attempting to fire her up again?

 

[thinwater]

Yup
Be very careful when pumping out to ground everything.. The vapor space above the diesel in the tank will likely be Very flammable and possibly explosive..

Actually considerably MORE dangerous than gasoline. I've investigated accidents. Diesel fumes are non-flamable and gasoline fumes inside the tank are usually over rich, but this is likely to be "just right" to go boom. One truck exploded due to static because the wand used was plastic and did not conduct. The worker was thrown 30 feet. [The wand must be either aluminum or CPVC, and not PVC or PE.]

It needs to be pumped dry. Anything more than ~3% gasoline is flammable. It doesn't take much.

 

[JamesG161]

I should do before attempting to fire her up again?

Stay on the weather deck, open up your engine/cabin to free flow air, avoid the exhaust port and sip a beer.
Jim...

 

[Benny17441]

Diesel fuel does evaporate and although it is not normal for the fumes to reach high concentrations it is not impossible under some circumstances and at high concentrations it can be explosive.

 

[DayDreamer41]

@DannyS I have not experienced this but you are on the right track, tank emptied, filters cartridges cleaned, elements replaced, fuel lines drained in a vented area, fuel lines bled with fresh diesel, injectors bled with fresh diesel from the fresh diesel in the newly bled lines and filters all that is left is cross your fingers for no damage occurred and fire it up.

 

[Ken Cross]

I had a friend who also let the fuel dock fill him up. They filled his water tank with fuel. That one required major rework to replace the entire water system.

It must have been 20 years ago, but I still remember the lesson.

Ken

 

[Jackdaw]

Who lets a marina fuel their boat? Every marina I have ever gone to hands me the nozzle. If it is not marked "Diesel", even if it is green, I ask to confirm that I have a diesel hose. And a sniff test would be in order also. All BEFORE putting a drop in the tank.

Wisconsin has a high quality 'Green Marina' program that dictates best practices for handling fuel. Pikes Bay Marina is one and I can tell you they are anal about not allowing a DROP of fuel in the water. They have an absorbent cap that suction cups around the fuel vent. As such marine personal have to handle the gear, and I've got no problem with that. The marina Danny used is on the 'pledge' list.

Accidents/mistakes happen. Humans are involved.

http://www.wisconsinmarine.org/clean-marina-program.htm

 

[Gunni]

A review of the Wisconsin Clean Marina’s program guidance doesn’t have any requirement that the marina handle the fueling, only that they supervise the fueling. They are supposed to hand the operator the fueling nozzle with the statement - ‘this is gasoline, you asked for gasoline’. Which seems like a prudent action on the part of any fuel dock. BTW, when fueling with gasoline, marina personnel are supposed to request that all other passengers disembark while the fueling occurs. THAT is a very important action that I almost never see. I will not come to the fuel dock if another boat is fueling with gasoline.

I seriously doubt that any lasting damage will have been done to the Danny’s engine. However many gallons of fuel have now been rendered unusable as anything but boiler fuel and a very real safety problem was created by some small acts of inattention.

 

[Jackdaw]

A review of the Wisconsin Clean Marina’s program guidance doesn’t have any requirement that the marina handle the fueling, only that they supervise the fueling. They are supposed to hand the operator the fueling nozzle with the statement - ‘this is gasoline, you asked for gasoline’. Which seems like a prudent action on the part of any fuel dock. BTW, when fueling with gasoline, marina personnel are supposed to request that all other passengers disembark while the fueling occurs. THAT is a very important action that I almost never see. I will not come to the fuel dock if another boat is fueling with gasoline.

That's interesting, I hadn't caught that before. In the marinas that I've been to that are part of the program, they've proactively done it 100% of the time. Not spilling is a developed skill. I suppose if a boater insisted, they would turn over the nozzle. Maybe why its worked like that.