I'm an idiot, diesel in bike. What to do?

herulach · World Chat Champion Joined: 19 Apr 2010 Karma :

Update, I'm a fucking idiot and filled it full of diesel. Obviously the carbs and the tank need draining, but can I just do that and fill it back up with no worries?

So, Coming home from work the other night the bike conked out on the motorway sliproad (onto the motorway). Engine won't rev past about 5k, and idle is very weak (5-600 rpm less than normal, and dies very quickly).

Theres some white smoke from the exhaust (not clouds of the stuff, but a lot more than usual). I daren't run the thing so only saw this at the side of the motorway, so can't speak for unusual noises.

Bike is a 99 FZS600, 26k, serviced 3k ago. Bike had been fine all the way up to carlisle (about 120miles) and for about 700 miles earlier this week and last. Clapped out about 1/4 mile from where it had been stood for the day.

My immediate thought was the head gasket, but there wasn't that much smoke, and IIRC that usually billows out the back. It sat pretty much empty of petrol the entire day, could that be a possible cause? (I'd filled up as I set off).

Anyway, anyone hae any guesses as to what it might be? It'll be off for a garage for sorting due to me not being able to get time off to sort it, but I don't want to get taken for a mug.
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YBR 125>FZS600

prawny1 · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Karma :

try drainig your float bowls as you could have picked up some water when you filled up.
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N cee thirty · Banned Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Karma :

probs need a new fuel filter.only a fiver
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virus · World Chat Champion Joined: 16 Aug 2006 Karma :

Drain the tank and rinse it with fresh petrol, same with the carb, change the fuel filter if there is one fitted then fill with petrol and try and run it, dont rev it too much it its not happy, it should clear out eventually without any engine damage.

Diesel is a heavy oil so the chances of damaging the engine are quite slim, its just going to be very well lubricated so it will smoke like a bugger for a while.

Cheers
John
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own: 81 xs1100g...
owned: 85 rat CG (sold), 91 GS500e (stolen), 84 gsx400f (scrapped), 81 z250 (siezed, siezed, scrapped), 83 cb250rs (sold), 84 gpz750r ratfighter (killed) 84gpz400 (sold), '80 cb650 ratfighter (wrote off) 95gsx6/12f ratfighter (killed) 91 xj900 (sold)
stinkwheel Well I just had my hands up a pigs fanny. Which makes your concerns pale into insignificance.

chris-red · Have you considered a TDM? Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Karma :

Personally as long as it still runs I would drain the diesel out of the tank and fill with petrol and keep riding it, it would be shit for a while but as the diesel gets weaker it would get better. My dad ran his petrol car on a mix of 50/50 petrol and diesel for a tank full, it drove like crap but he kept topping it up with petrol and and was fine.

Draining the floats bowls is the proper way but If you lack the knowledge/ Can't be arsed, I reckon it will be fine to fill it up with petrol and run it. Not sure why you would need the change the fuel filter mind.
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Banned · World Chat Champion Joined: 29 Jun 2009 Karma :

Some peeps are fucking brainless !!! ... Shocked

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N cee thirty · Banned Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Karma :

herulach · World Chat Champion Joined: 19 Apr 2010 Karma :

Damn right it's brainless. At least it won't fuck it too hard, only ran for about 2 minutes. Float bowls are easy enough to get to without removing carbs.

Assume recommendations for the fuel filter are to remove traces in that? Garage want 4 hours labour to strip carbs down. Seems like overkill.
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YBR 125>FZS600

..... · Quote Me Happy Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Karma :

Drain tank, drain float bowls, fill with petrol and off you go.

virus · World Chat Champion Joined: 16 Aug 2006 Karma :

garage are being cunts, drain the tank, drain the float bowls, put petrol in and ride it.

Cheers
John
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own: 81 xs1100g...
owned: 85 rat CG (sold), 91 GS500e (stolen), 84 gsx400f (scrapped), 81 z250 (siezed, siezed, scrapped), 83 cb250rs (sold), 84 gpz750r ratfighter (killed) 84gpz400 (sold), '80 cb650 ratfighter (wrote off) 95gsx6/12f ratfighter (killed) 91 xj900 (sold)
stinkwheel Well I just had my hands up a pigs fanny. Which makes your concerns pale into insignificance.

Banned · World Chat Champion Joined: 29 Jun 2009 Karma :

My fucktard thread shows i put petrol in, then drained it for no reason ... and they had bike for nearly 3 mionths !!! ... pick up coil ... which they nearly replaced the loom because off !! ... brainless comment was a joke in itself considering the said ... Laughing

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BLUEX5 wrote: Good to have you back covdude.
Ariel Badger - I like the moss and the hole !

0l0dom0l0 · World Chat Champion Joined: 21 Oct 2009 Karma :

I got a call from a friend the other day saying one of the bikes at his work (papa johns) had been filled with Diesel and could I go and fix it.

Went over with a fresh can of petrol, and an empty one. Sifened off the diesel and filled th tank with petrol. Hit the start button and twisted the throttle a bit then she fired into life. Smoke for the first 5 mins of running but went away after that.

Tbh, just empty all the fuel lines and drain the carbs along with the tank and brim it with unleaded. Any diesel left will be diluted down enough so that it won't cause a problem. Just keep cranking on full choke for a while and she should go.

Its not that much of a big deal. Diesel doesn't burn well in a petrol engine because of the lower compression so it doesn't actually cause any long term damage. Petrol in a Diesel though Shocked

. Bye bye engine!
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Bikes: 2007 Derbi GPR 50, 1998 Yamaha Fazer 600 (written off), 2002 Yamaha Fazer 600, 1994 CBR 600F, 2003 Triumph Daytona 600, Kawasaki ZX6R J1.....Current: 2006 Yamaha FZ6, 1998 Suzuki TL1000R and a Honda VFR 400 NC30.

STONEY! · Brolly Dolly Joined: 14 Sep 2005 Karma :

meh Ive run my old diesel van on a roughly 60/40 deisel petrol mix before cos it was free actually seemed to run better than straight derv, back in the day they used to put petrol in diesel to thin it down in the winter

binge · Emo Kiddy Joined: 02 Jul 2004 Karma :

drain the tank, drain the float bowls and fill with petrol.

Wink

MarJay · But it's British! Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Karma :

Clanger · Stirrer Joined: 27 May 2004 Karma :

I can understand that you might make the mistake in the car, what with being in automatic pilot/sleepy/fuzzy/whatever...but for anything bike, you really need to be in tip top condition...sharp as nails.

Still, it shouldn't be too costly to put right, and I doubt you'll make the same error, ever again!!! Laughing

(what to do has been said above, drain, rinse in petrol and re-assemble and off you go)
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herulach · World Chat Champion Joined: 19 Apr 2010 Karma :

herulach · World Chat Champion Joined: 19 Apr 2010 Karma :

Happy to report everything working fine. Smoked like a fucking smoky thing for the first 4-5 miles and throttle response was somewhat laggy (like throttle wait wait wait, wait a bit more weeeeeee), but appears to be spot on now with no smoke at all (about 40 miles later)
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YBR 125>FZS600