Will gasoline work in a diesel motor?

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
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I am guessing diesel doesn't work in gasoline partly because it can't handle the compression, but what about the other way around...? Obviously it wouldn't work very well, but will it work at all?
 

Viper GTS

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
38,107
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Nope.

A while back there was a thread where some dumbsh!t at a dealer filled a brand new VW TDI with gas.

Oops.

Viper GTS
 

ISAslot

Platinum Member
Jan 22, 2001
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I thought diesels had compression ratios like 20:1 and gasoline one about 8:1, so wouldn't the diesel be more resistant to compression?
 

Mookow

Lifer
Apr 24, 2001
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Originally posted by: Skoorb
I am guessing diesel doesn't work in gasoline partly because it can't handle the compression, but what about the other way around...? Obviously it wouldn't work very well, but will it work at all?

My aunt has put gas in my uncle's (early 90s) Jetta 3 times. After the third time of flushing the fuel system, she is no longer allowed to drive the Jetta.
 
Oct 9, 1999
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it wont work.

A gas engine needs a spark to ignite.. a diesel engine uses compression and heat to ignite.
 

Viper GTS

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
38,107
433
136
Originally posted by: Mookow
Originally posted by: Skoorb
I am guessing diesel doesn't work in gasoline partly because it can't handle the compression, but what about the other way around...? Obviously it wouldn't work very well, but will it work at all?

My aunt has put gas in my uncle's (early 90s) Jetta 3 times. After the third time of flushing the fuel system, she is no longer allowed to drive the Jetta.

THREE times?

Good God, is the woman retarded?

Viper GTS
 

iamwiz82

Lifer
Jan 10, 2001
30,772
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81
Originally posted by: Viper GTS
Originally posted by: Mookow
Originally posted by: Skoorb
I am guessing diesel doesn't work in gasoline partly because it can't handle the compression, but what about the other way around...? Obviously it wouldn't work very well, but will it work at all?

My aunt has put gas in my uncle's (early 90s) Jetta 3 times. After the third time of flushing the fuel system, she is no longer allowed to drive the Jetta.

THREE times?

Good God, is the woman retarded?

Viper GTS

i blieve that goes without saying ;)
 

DivideBYZero

Lifer
May 18, 2001
24,117
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Originally posted by: Skoorb
I am guessing diesel doesn't work in gasoline partly because it can't handle the compression, but what about the other way around...? Obviously it wouldn't work very well, but will it work at all?

Gas is highly corrosive and may damage fuel delivery parts more readily in a diesel engine. Mitsubishi had this issue in GAS engines when developing Gasoline Direct Injection(GDI), mostly due to the high preassure.

Also, as Gas ingnites more readily than diesel. Preignition would be a major issue if Gas was in a Diesel engine (if it went at all). With Diesel, Glowplugs get the heat up initially and then the compression/heat in the cylinders keeps the process going (thats why you wait for that dash ligh to go out before starting diesels, this is glowplug pre-heat).

Diesel in a gas engine won't go as Diesel motors work with glowplugs and high compression. The compression in a Gas engine is too low, the diesel fuel is more waxy/oily and will foul the fine injector nozzels or carb needles.
 

ISAslot

Platinum Member
Jan 22, 2001
2,888
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Originally posted by: The_good_guy
it wont work.

A gas engine needs a spark to ignite.. a diesel engine uses compression and heat to ignite.

Not totally true.

My car has a 10.5:1 CR and on 89 pump gas if I turn my car off it will keep running for a bit.
 

DivideBYZero

Lifer
May 18, 2001
24,117
2
0
Originally posted by: ISAslot
Originally posted by: The_good_guy
it wont work.

A gas engine needs a spark to ignite.. a diesel engine uses compression and heat to ignite.

Not totally true.

My car has a 10.5:1 CR and on 89 pump gas if I turn my car off it will keep running for a bit.

Yes, and this is called.......Dieseling. You have too much heat and bad fuel delivery.
 

Stark

Diamond Member
Jun 16, 2000
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Originally posted by: Viper GTS
Nope.

A while back there was a thread where some dumbsh!t at a dealer filled a brand new VW TDI with gas.

Oops.

Viper GTS

that was my thread and my dumbsh!t dealer. I ended up telling that dealership to screw off (lying pack of jackals) and got the same car from another dealer in LA. Great car, BTW.

So no, it will not work. It's not supposed to harm the engine, but the engine won't run. If anyone watches "the amazing race 2" (around the world race) on cbs, a bunch of dumbass racers filled up their diesel suvs with gas and ended up stranded somewhere in portugal.
 

teckmaster

Golden Member
Feb 1, 2000
1,256
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a diesel will run on gas if you put some oil in there also. I don't remember what kind of oil but I know it works cause the Diesel Mechanics teacher at the school where I work was talking about it one day.
 

guyver01

Lifer
Sep 25, 2000
22,135
5
61
Originally posted by: Skoorb
I am guessing diesel doesn't work in gasoline partly because it can't handle the compression, but what about the other way around...? Obviously it wouldn't work very well, but will it work at all?

did you make that mistake Maffy Shmabbles???
 

Desslok

Diamond Member
Jun 14, 2001
3,780
11
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Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Originally posted by: ISAslot
Originally posted by: The_good_guy it wont work. A gas engine needs a spark to ignite.. a diesel engine uses compression and heat to ignite.
Not totally true. My car has a 10.5:1 CR and on 89 pump gas if I turn my car off it will keep running for a bit.
Yes, and this is called.......Dieseling. You have too much heat and bad fuel delivery.

And your engine is not long for this world if you don't solve one of the two problems.
 

CraigRT

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
31,440
5
0
Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Originally posted by: Viper GTS
Originally posted by: Mookow
Originally posted by: Skoorb
I am guessing diesel doesn't work in gasoline partly because it can't handle the compression, but what about the other way around...? Obviously it wouldn't work very well, but will it work at all?

My aunt has put gas in my uncle's (early 90s) Jetta 3 times. After the third time of flushing the fuel system, she is no longer allowed to drive the Jetta.

THREE times?

Good God, is the woman retarded?

Viper GTS

i blieve that goes without saying ;)

I'll say!! :Q

 

DivideBYZero

Lifer
May 18, 2001
24,117
2
0
Originally posted by: teckmaster
a diesel will run on gas if you put some oil in there also. I don't remember what kind of oil but I know it works cause the Diesel Mechanics teacher at the school where I work was talking about it one day.

It's more like:

A Diesel engine will run on oil if you put 5% gas in it.

Now for the bit that will :Q you:

A Diesel engine will run on fryer fat if you put 5% gas/alcohol in it.
A Diesel engine will run on Rapeseed oil if you put 5% gas/alcohol in it.
A Diesel engine will run on xxx oil type if you put 5% gas/alcohol in it.

Ad infinitum
 

deerslayer

Lifer
Jan 15, 2001
10,153
0
76
Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Originally posted by: teckmaster
a diesel will run on gas if you put some oil in there also. I don't remember what kind of oil but I know it works cause the Diesel Mechanics teacher at the school where I work was talking about it one day.

It's more like:

A Diesel engine will run on oil if you put 5% gas in it.

Now for the bit that will :Q you:

A Diesel engine will run on fryer fat if you put 5% gas/alcohol in it.
A Diesel engine will run on Rapeseed oil if you put 5% gas/alcohol in it.
A Diesel engine will run on xxx oil type if you put 5% gas/alcohol in it.

Ad infinitum

Would it be cheaper to run a diesel engine on fryer fat? :D

 

Jeraden

Platinum Member
Oct 9, 1999
2,518
1
76
Anyone who saw the last episode of Amazing Race 3 would know the answer to this. The teams were traveling through Portugal I think it was and using diesel vehicles. Half the teams filled up with normal gasoline instead of diesel - all of them broke down, was kind of entertaining to watch.
 

Kojak

Senior member
Jul 31, 2001
282
0
0
Anyone who saw the last episode of Amazing Race 3 would know the answer to this. The teams were traveling through Portugal I think it was and using diesel vehicles. Half the teams filled up with normal gasoline instead of diesel - all of them broke down, was kind of entertaining to watch.

I thought they would have noticed they were driving a diesel by the sound of the engine.
 

Beau

Lifer
Jun 25, 2001
17,730
0
76
www.beauscott.com
Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Originally posted by: teckmaster
a diesel will run on gas if you put some oil in there also. I don't remember what kind of oil but I know it works cause the Diesel Mechanics teacher at the school where I work was talking about it one day.

It's more like:

A Diesel engine will run on oil if you put 5% gas in it.

Now for the bit that will :Q you:

A Diesel engine will run on fryer fat if you put 5% gas/alcohol in it.
A Diesel engine will run on Rapeseed oil if you put 5% gas/alcohol in it.
A Diesel engine will run on xxx oil type if you put 5% gas/alcohol in it.

Ad infinitum

Had a friend drive from utah to costa rica on fryer fat in a deisel jetta last year. spent maybe $50 in gas the entire way.
 

worth

Platinum Member
Feb 4, 2001
2,369
0
0
Originally posted by: DivideBYZero

With Diesel, Glowplugs get the heat up initially and then the compression/heat in the cylinders keeps the process going (thats why you wait for that dash ligh to go out before starting diesels, this is glowplug pre-heat).

Most modern diesel engines don't use glowplugs (for example the VW TDI).
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Had a friend drive from utah to costa rica on fryer fat in a deisel jetta last year. spent maybe $50 in gas the entire way.
I think it's quite illegal too :)
 

N8Magic

Lifer
Dec 12, 2000
11,624
1
81
Originally posted by: worth
Originally posted by: DivideBYZero

With Diesel, Glowplugs get the heat up initially and then the compression/heat in the cylinders keeps the process going (thats why you wait for that dash ligh to go out before starting diesels, this is glowplug pre-heat).

Most modern diesel engines don't use glowplugs (for example the VW TDI).

Incorrect. :)