My dad had an "interesting" experience this week. Took his Dmax to the local car wash and they filled it up too...... WITH UNLEADED!!!!


Not knowing that this had happened, he drove it back to work, about 3 blocks, and killed it. It wasn't until he tried to leave awhile later, that he noticed it stumble, then stumbled again, and died. He quickly figured out what had happened.


Soooo, to make a long story short, Chevy is fixing it, the car wash is paying for it, but what can we expect short or long term. Being new to diesels, I'm not that familiar, but I do know that 87 octane gas and 20:1 compression do NOT mix. Can we expect some piston breakage? What about fuel pump issues??


Thanks!!

You'll be fine many before you have had no issues ....





Mac

I just cannot understand how you can burn gas in a diesel motor without some sort of damage. Many, many years ago a situation happened in my hometown where a farmer's elderly father fueled up his 4020 John Deere diesel with gasoline. Started it up, starting working ground and blew the motor. Being a young teenager at the time I don't remember all the damage but I do recall the JD dealership coming to the field to get the stranded tractor and then having to do a fairly major overhaul on the engine. This was in the days of much lower injection pressures, and no electronic controls so maybe an engine with pure mechanical fuel injection does not fare as well?

Well, let me tell you what we did in the factory when gas was put in a diesel and it was started.


The engine was replaced before it left the plant.


At the plant I worked in we built 1500 trucks per day (24 hours) and this happened once or twice a month so it was not a big problem.


I would settle for nothing less than a new engine, if running these on gas didn't hurt them we sure would not have yanked them in the factory, it take about 10 hours to change one in heavy repair and they are new and no rusted bolts to deal with.


Running a diesel with gasoline even for a few minutes will have long term affects.

Take John's advice. He's da Man!http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gif

<DIV>There is one thing here that no one has brought up, What about the rest of the warranty on the engine? If the dealer that fixes it is a GM dealer and he puts the info in the computer about the repair your engine warranty is gone.</DIV>
<DIV>GM will not warranty a diesel engine that has had gasoline run through it.</DIV>

See???? He's 'Da MAN!!!http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Approve.gif

Hey klvn8r,





Any more news on your dads truck???

Actually, yes! The local Chevy dealership, 'Friendly Chevrolet' in Dallas fixed it. They said, "its happened a bunch, lately". I still can't imagine why it didn't break though... Perhaps the water sensor detected it?!?http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Confused.gif But apparently, its not a big deal.....YET!

Just talked to Dad, he said the car wash picked up the tab for $718.47. The dealership said that Dad did a good job by shutting it off as soon as he knew what happened. The dealer said that the last lady was bound and determined to get her's home....her bill was over $9000!!! http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Dead.gifhttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Ouch.gif

I think in effect your changing your timing in a big way. I guess the piston/wrist pin/con rod wouldn't like it too much having the cylinder charge expanding when the piston is half way up the cylinder. Bent rods, wrist pins and maybe cracked pistons. Nice.

Back in 1974 a kid on a farm I worked at (not me, really!) put gas in a John Deere 2030 diesel tractor. All it needed were new sleeves, pistons and injector pump. I think the whole bill was $600. Now a replacement pump for that tractor is $1700.