# Diesel fuel in gasoline tank **URL:** \ **Category:** Power/Fuel\ **Tags:** pontiac, sunfire, gas-tanks, gasoline\ **Created:** [March 17, 2010, 11:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/diesel-fuel-in-gasoline-tank/46208 "2010-03-17T11:35:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rufus\_roof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/90db22/32.png) [@Rufus\_roof](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rufus_roof)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 11:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/diesel-fuel-in-gasoline-tank/46208/1 "2010-03-17T11:35:58Z")
The fuel gauge was on empty. We put in three gallons of diesel fuel by mistake. We drove the car fourteen miles home. When we figured out why the car sounded like a grass cutter , we decided to fill the tank with 87 octane unleaded gasoline to dilute the diesel fuel. My son remembered he grabbed the nozzle on the right side cause it was closest to the car. What needs to be done to get the car running as well as it was before the diesel fuel was introduced into the system. ---
**Author:** ![mleich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@mleich](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mleich)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 12:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/diesel-fuel-in-gasoline-tank/46208/2 "2010-03-17T12:33:10Z")
B.S. ---
**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 12:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/diesel-fuel-in-gasoline-tank/46208/3 "2010-03-17T12:48:44Z")
Since The Diameter Of A Diesel Fuel Nozzle Is Too Large To Fit An Unleaded Gasoline Fill Opening, How Did The Fuel Get In There ? CSA ---
**Author:** ![missileman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/missileman/32/1366_2.png) [@missileman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missileman)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 1:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/diesel-fuel-in-gasoline-tank/46208/4 "2010-03-17T13:39:08Z")
Your car would have smoked so bad that you would have killed every bug in the area. The diesel nozzle is too large to fit a standard gasoline filler neck. A gas engine will not run on diesel fuel alone. If you already filled your gas tank then just run it until the “diesel” is gone. ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 1:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/diesel-fuel-in-gasoline-tank/46208/5 "2010-03-17T13:39:43Z")
The diameter is “supposed” to be larger, but it often isn’t. More than one person has made this mistake. ---
**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 1:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/diesel-fuel-in-gasoline-tank/46208/6 "2010-03-17T13:56:28Z")
McParadise (Happy St. Patrick’s Day Mc !), It Seems Like A Gas Station Has Some Sort Of Obligation / Responsibility In Keeping The Correct Nozzle On That Pump. I know in our state the Department of Agriculture makes random checks of service stations and they test each pump for accurately dispensing fuels. I wonder if they care about the nozzles or ever check anything like that ? My wife is so blonde that she made the mistake of filling her 350 Omega full of diesel . . . twice ! This was before the restrictive filler pipes. CSA ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 2:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/diesel-fuel-in-gasoline-tank/46208/7 "2010-03-17T14:06:09Z")
I know people who’ve done the opposite, too; filled their diesel vehicle tanks with gasoline. It’s an expensive mistake. My state tests for pump accuracy, too, but I have no idea if then check the size of the nozzle. I’m learning to look more closely at the pump before I fill my tank. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 4:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/diesel-fuel-in-gasoline-tank/46208/8 "2010-03-17T16:11:41Z")
This is a one in a million occurrence, nozzle switching is against the law, no retailer needs this grief… I agree, this a a BS thread… ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 4:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/diesel-fuel-in-gasoline-tank/46208/9 "2010-03-17T16:20:52Z")
I concur that a car with its gas gauge on EMPTY, and with 3 gallons added, will even run. Even on half gas, half diesel the car would smoke, run very rough and foul its plugs. Europe(Italy) is the only place I know where you can stuff a diesel nozzle in a gasoline tank. It’s happened to quite a few American tourists who rented cars there. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 11:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/diesel-fuel-in-gasoline-tank/46208/10 "2010-03-17T23:18:36Z")
The Diameter Of A Diesel Fuel Nozzle Is Too Large To Fit Don’t count on that. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 11:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/diesel-fuel-in-gasoline-tank/46208/11 "2010-03-17T23:54:56Z")
Gentlemen, we’ve had enough of these posts to leave me believing that it is possible to do. Besides, I’ve seen too many seemingly impossible things done in my years. I see nothing in this one to suggest that it’s more than someone with a problem crying out for help. I for one will give the poster the benefit of the doubt. My recommendation would be to purge the fulel system, change the plugs and gas filter, and refill it with some regular gas with some extra injector cleaner added. Then try it and see how it runs.