Filled bike with diesel, drained as much as I could?

Fnatic · World Chat Champion Joined: 11 May 2008 Karma :

Last week my Dad managed to fill his company diesel vehicle with petrol, drained that out in the petrol station and saved the petrol. I've been using that to fill my bike (was about 5 litres diesel, 85 litres petrol total mix). Anyway, yesterday getting ready to head into work and I filled my tank from the only container in our garage containing diesel. Got 7 litres in (filled tank to brim) before I realised what I had done. Managed to syphon most of it out into a container which I weighed and was about 16.5KG so got about 16-17 litres total out of my tank.

I then disconnected the fuel line from the pump at the bottom of the tank and without starting the ignition, turned the bike on/off a few times where it does the fuel pump for about 5 seconds as part of the boot-up cycle. Did this probably 10 times in total and the fuel was literally trickling out with each turn of the key so I assumed there was not much left in the tank.

I then filled the tank back up with fresh petrol and turned the bike on/off again about 10 times, which drained a fair bit of fuel as it was now under more pressure. Topped the tank back up and it starts fine. What's the likelihood of any damage?

P.addy · *Formerly known as* P. Joined: 14 Feb 2008 Karma :

Personally, would expect no damage at all, the other way round... adding diesel to petrol, I've read that eats seals and the like. Diesel is basically oil, enjoy your lubed pump Laughing

Wafer_Thin_Ham · Super Spammer Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Karma :

Slacker24seve... · World Chat Champion Joined: 10 May 2010 Karma :

I put a couple of litres of diesel in my Hornets tank by accident in the arsehole of nowhere in Wales with no facility to drain it. Brimmed it with super unleaded.

It ran like shit but it was fine. If anything, it probably cleaned the engine out.

On an FI bike with super fancy injectors you may get issues though.
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P.addy · *Formerly known as* P. Joined: 14 Feb 2008 Karma :

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Hi

Did it many years ago on a bike (in a hurry, up to the pumps, first was 2* next 3* so used the last pump which turned out to be diesel Embarassed

).

Drained the stuff out (or most of it). Bike did a lovely impression of a 2 stroke after that (load of smoke and somewhat reduced engine braking for some reason), but was otherwise fine.

But that was a crude air cooled 4 stroke 100cc bike.

If it is something that relies on a lambda probe or the like things will be a bit more dubious.

All the best

Keith
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Blue_SV650S · World Chat Champion Joined: 27 Nov 2008 Karma :

Given your process, I can't see any reason why you will suffer problems. Does your bike have a cat?
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jjdugen · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Jun 2011 Karma :

Mate filled his Guzzi LeMans up with Diesel in Rhyl. It got him back to Manchester(!!??), backfired and smoked but ran just the same.
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Bunny Lingus · Traffic Copper Joined: 20 Apr 2014 Karma :

It'll be fine. I once ran out of petrol on the A20 in Kent on an MZ 250 & all I had was half a litre of two stroke oil so I flung that in & peed in the tank. It didn't like it, smoked a lot & felt like it was on full choke but it got me to a garage...
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c_dug · Super Spammer Joined: 04 Sep 2007 Karma :

One time I ran out of petrol on the M25, all I had to hand was 20 litres of ketchup. I put all of it in, and a couple of hairs for good measure.

Ran fine.

True story. Shifty

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bikertomm · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Jul 2010 Karma :

gavbriggs · Crazy Courier Joined: 11 Jun 2013 Karma :

I once ran out of fuel on an old CZ 250 on the A1m just near the junction to the M18, managed to find some squashed hedgehogs, some gravel and an old candle I had in my pocket, shoved all them in the tank, added some cooking oil and pissed in the tank and it ran fine for 3 weeks on that stuff.

True story, and if you tell the youth of today with their ecu's and lambda sensors they wouldn't believe you!
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Ste · Not Work Safe Joined: 01 Sep 2002 Karma :

Bunny Lingus · Traffic Copper Joined: 20 Apr 2014 Karma :

I sense disbelief Laughing

look at y'all descend on this like flies on shit. Try it & see gentlemen, you will love it. You could recreate the experiment with a live MZ & post the results. It'll work. I already tried... So ya gauntlet lies there. Here's the recipe - 1 MZ 250 just run out of juice. 250ml 2 stroke oil. The contents of your bladder but not more than 250ml. Mix thoroughly. Bump start. Good luck Thumbs Up

Trust me, I ain't selling it to you...
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Ste · Not Work Safe Joined: 01 Sep 2002 Karma :

Bunny Lingus · Traffic Copper Joined: 20 Apr 2014 Karma :

Yeah, why not big fella? Are you scared? Laughing

Are you up for the caper?
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Ste · Not Work Safe Joined: 01 Sep 2002 Karma :

Scared? I just had a brown baby boy. Shocked

Bunny Lingus · Traffic Copper Joined: 20 Apr 2014 Karma :

Congrats, we can always use a few enlightened brers...
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Llama-Farmer · World Chat Champion Joined: 23 Jan 2012 Karma :

Generally diesel has an SG greater than petrol so it will have sunk to the bottom of the tank.

If you drained the tank and lines should have cleared nearly all of it anyway. Will maybe run a bit rough but should be fine in the long run.

The mix you syphoned off could be reusable... if you can pour it into a clear measuring jug or clear container and let it settle, any diesel should separate to the bottom and the petrol you can stick back in the tank.
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Vincent · Banned Joined: 16 Oct 2006 Karma :

I did just this the other day Embarassed

I've stuck petrol in diesel cars twice in my life but never this way around before and never a bike. Luckily, there was a friendly garage nearby who lent me a few spanners and an excellent stirrup type pump to get the fuel out. Those pumps, esp the one they had are fookin ace, (weirdly, the garage is the same one my bike was parked at after I had a prang nearby and was taken off in an ambulance), they also had a battery booster to get the bike going after I'd flattened it before realising what I'd done. I was so grateful that I bunged the bloke a Bullseye...not often that happens. I'd have been up the creek without the loan of spanners, the pump and somewhere to dump the old fuel. I can imagine what would have happened if I'd have asked the numpties behind the counter at the petrol station to help Rolling Eyes

they won't even lend you a can if you've run out now the bastids Mad

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Bunny Lingus · Traffic Copper Joined: 20 Apr 2014 Karma :

Bunny Lingus · Traffic Copper Joined: 20 Apr 2014 Karma :

Next?
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Marmalade · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Apr 2009 Karma :

Bunny Lingus · Traffic Copper Joined: 20 Apr 2014 Karma :

c_dug · Super Spammer Joined: 04 Sep 2007 Karma :

The lady doth protest too much.

Ketchup has a "Variable Adjustable Regular Incendiary Explosive Tomato Is Excellent Stuff" value of 57, in the industry we call it it's V.A.R.I.E.T.I.E.S Value.

57 V.A.R.I.E.T.I.E.S is equivalent to around about 98RON so it makes for excellent fuel.
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