Oops! Filled A Diesel Pickup With Kerosene

[Jimmy Sanderson]

My Brother In Law Accidentally Filled His F350 Ford Dually With Kerosene Instead Of Diesel Fuel. The Pump Was Poorly Marked. Luckily He Only Filled One Tank And Ran Very Briefly Before Discovering The Mistake. He Changed To The Other Tank And Brought The Truck Home. He Is About To Siphone The Kerosene Out. Reckon He Did Any Damage To The Pump? Some Folks Down Here Say Yes And Some Say Run It. Any Ideas?

[Bill Geyer]

Hello Jimmy,
I think it will be fine, I think kerosene is an acceptable fuel for most diesels, would put about four ounces or so of Mystery Marvel oil in the fuel. We had folks fill diesels with gasoline at work , run them half a day before they figured out they were running funny, and it didn't hurt them.

[Andy Rafferty]

Originally Posted by Bill Geyer

Hello Jimmy,
I think it will be fine, I think kerosene is an acceptable fuel for most diesels, would put about four ounces or so of Mystery Marvel oil in the fuel. We had folks fill diesels with gasoline at work , run them half a day before they figured out they were running funny, and it didn't hurt them.

Bill is correct although the gas will score the pump the kero won't. The sulpur needs to be increased to keep it from running too lean. Marvel oil is perfect I have also added Transmission fluid A pint of either will help 10-15 gal of kero easy.

[Elden DuRand]

Jimmy:

I've done some dumb things with my Diesels, including putting gasoline in the tank*.

Kerosene is also known as Number 1 Diesel fuel. You won't get the power out of it and, with a worn injector pump, it may be hard to start but kero will not harm the engine. If you really want to be safe, add about a quart of ATF per 20 gallons of tank capacity. This will lube the pump. BTW, Mercedes recommends adding a quart of ATF about once a year. They claim it cleans the system.

*: I actually did this twice! Once in my 4-154 Perkins powered '50 Chevy. As soon as I realized that the green spigot was NOT Diesel, I shut it off. By the time I realized what I'd done (DOH!! ), I'd almost filled the tank. Went into the store and bought a couple quarts of ATF and added them then topped the tank off with Diesel. It ran strange 'til I got some more Diesel into it but did no harm.

Then, I did it again last summer. Totally filled our Benz 300D from about a quarter tank! (DOH!!!!!!! AGAIN!!!! ). I was nowhere near where I could drain off some of the mix so I got three quarts of ATF and drove very gently for enough miles so I could add a quart at a time. One thing I did notice before I got enough Diesel in it was that it was the first Diesel I ever owned that got vapor lock! On a very hot day, I stopped briefly to pick up some parts. When I went back out, it wouldn't hit a lick. Got under the hood and worked the priming pump 'til I felt it pumping liquid. It did start but was almost not running until the cooler fuel circulated.

I HOPE I never do that again!!!!!!!!

Take care - Elden

["TheToolman"]

yes, to add the ATF will be a good idea. I was a fleet manager a while & every time one of my drivers would put gasoline in the diesel tank the main fuil filter would see this gas as water & stop up.
good thing too

[MoRo]

Might be a regional thing, Elden, and you may correct me if I'm wrong, but #1 Diesel fuel and Kerosene aren't the same. However, they're pretty close. Knipco heaters are s'posed to be run on Kero, but most fire them on #1 because it's cheaper. They stink worse on #1, and the eye inside soots up and shuts it down about once a year on mine.
I don't mean to pick on you in the least, just wanted to be sure that others don't get confuddled!
ATF in the tank now and then helps a lot. I do that to the truck I drive and you can tell it runs a little smoother with a quart in each tank.

[Ken Majeski]

I have 2 of the later 12 valve Cummins with the P 7100 Pump and kerosene is actually an Approved fuel... But this pump is lubricated with Engine Oil on the lower end...

I believe the new Ultra Low Sulfer Fuel is actually not much more than Kero BUT it does have a Better Lube package....

As far as the Common Rail systems of today and the trucks with the Roosa Pump I don't know how they would do On Kero... Seems some have a hard time holding up with # 2 Diesel...

I myself would add some 2 cycle oil and burn the Kero up....

Remind me of a couple years ago.... I was getting heating fuel for my Shop and House.... Truck (Cenex) pulled in and stuck hose in tank and started pumping.... Then Bernard asked me if I wanted #2 or Diesel..? I Said I Want whatever is Cheeper.... "He said Your Getting Diesel then" as it was a couple cents cheaper at the time...

[cat d9]

Be aware of the color of the ATF when you use it for a fuel additive, it has the same dye as off highway fuel and could get you a wee bit of a fine if they dip your tank and the fuel is pink.The kerosene will hurt nothing, if the ambiant temp is obove freezing I would get some #2 in with it just so the power would come back but for light loads it hurts nothing.

[Elden DuRand]

Originally Posted by MoRo

Might be a regional thing, Elden, and you may correct me if I'm wrong, but #1 Diesel fuel and Kerosene aren't the same. However, they're pretty close. Knipco heaters are s'posed to be run on Kero, but most fire them on #1 because it's cheaper. They stink worse on #1, and the eye inside soots up and shuts it down about once a year on mine.
I don't mean to pick on you in the least, just wanted to be sure that others don't get confuddled!
ATF in the tank now and then helps a lot. I do that to the truck I drive and you can tell it runs a little smoother with a quart in each tank.

MoRo:

Thanks for the heads-up! I was told the kero and #1 thing about 40 years ago and it just stuck with me. Now I know!

Take care - Elden

[K D Redd]

We have an old 88 Oliver diesel. It was on my Uncles saw mill when it ran out of fuel. Went to get it and dropped in about 2 gallons of Kerosene. We stated the tractor and drove off. The fuel system is an old American Bosch system. This was years ago and the tractor still runs ok.

Kent

[Ken Majeski]

Originally Posted by cat d9

Be aware of the color of the ATF when you use it for a fuel additive, it has the same dye as off highway fuel and could get you a wee bit of a fine if they dip your tank and the fuel is pink.The kerosene will hurt nothing, if the ambiant temp is obove freezing I would get some #2 in with it just so the power would come back but for light loads it hurts nothing.

It's Wee Bit of a Fine all right.... Thats why I would add green 2 cycle oil.... They regularly check Fuel around here and Ya Never Know When or Where they are going to do it.... I've heard of them checking at Fairs, Auctions, And just stopping people on the road... Around here #2 Heating Fuel And Off Road Diesel is Red.... As there is No road tax on it...

[Nick]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Sanderson

My Brother In Law Accidentally Filled His F350 Ford Dually With Kerosene Instead Of Diesel Fuel. The Pump Was Poorly Marked. Luckily He Only Filled One Tank And Ran Very Briefly Before Discovering The Mistake. He Changed To The Other Tank And Brought The Truck Home. He Is About To Siphone The Kerosene Out. Reckon He Did Any Damage To The Pump? Some Folks Down Here Say Yes And Some Say Run It. Any Ideas?

With the Powerstroke he wouldn't have to worry much about the pump but the injectors themselves. With kerosene I don't think he would hurt them. I'd add a full quart of PowerService into that tank, let it get down to half full then fill up again with diesel. PSD injectors have very close tolerance internals. I would not use ATF fluid or waste oil nor would I use MMO. You can get get away with that in an IDI or 12V Cummins but not the PSD.

[John Newman, Jr.]

Don't know how things are in your neck of the woods, but around here Diesel is $2.25 / gal today and Kero goes for $4.00. That kind of difference would add up in a hurry when you are pumping 20 gallons or so.....

[Andrew Mackey]

Most deisel drivers I know cut the #2 with 25% Kero in winter, to keep the fuel filter anf pump lines from waxing in cold weather. I know one thing - it may be alright to put kero in a deisel, but you'de better not put it in a gas engine Several years ago i ran out of gas on I-80, while on the way to a show. I didn't have any gas in the cans, as it was cheaper where I was going, and I figured I could make it. Wrong!!! anyways, I had a 5 gallon can of Kero in the bed, so I Put it in the tank. As the engine was still hot, it fired right up - and promptly began to smoke and knock like hell. It was only 4 miles to the gas station, but it took forever, as I could only go about 10 MPH in 1st gear Needless to say, I won't do that again
Andrew

[Lcjudge]

I remember in the '70's my dad had a 3010 JD gas and a 3010 JD diesel. You couldn't tell them apart. Dad had parked the gas one in front of a building he owned in town. I took him up to get it and he started it up, drove about a mile or so and it quit. We checked everything and finally dad looked in the tank. It was empty. He had put 10 gal. in it the day before and just drove it to town. Dad never said anything and we went and got gas and did our work. That evening dad said to follow him to town and pick him up. He drove the 3010 diesel and parked it in the same location. The next day we went to town and he said "just sit here a while". In about 20 minutes one of the neighbors boys went out and fired up his old car and pulled out of his drive. He probably had driven about 1/2 mile when the white smoke started rolling. Dad said, "I thought thats where it went".

[MCanady]

When the International VT365 V8 diesel came out in 2001 it was approved to burn Jet Fuel by International Truck and Engine. We have some customers that supply Jet fuel to Military Bases and say it works. I have always heard the Jet Fuel is a high grade of Kerosene. As to the Ford Powerstoke which is Mfg by International they are strange and like certain fuel. I have farmer and Grading Contractor friends that purchased Ford F350's with Powerstokes and tried to use Off Road diesel sometimes and the in tank fuel pumps failed. Ford dealers told them it was because of the pumps would not be lubed by the off road diesel. My 2 cents.

[Nick]

Originally Posted by MCanady

Ford dealers told them it was because of the pumps would not be lubed by the off road diesel. My 2 cents.

OMG I would stay far far away from any stealership that said that about a PSD cause they don't even have an injector pump! And all of the tens of thousand of diesels running in heavy equipment burning off road diesel that do use injector pumps seem to be doing just fine. For anyone who wants to know how the 7.3 and 6.0 PSD injection sysem works check out http://thepowershop.com/index.php?pr=HEUI

[Ken Majeski]

Well... OMG... After reading about the Heui system which reafirmed what I already knew..... I will Stick with my Old 12 Valves....

[MoRo]

Originally Posted by cat d9

Be aware of the color of the ATF when you use it for a fuel additive, it has the same dye as off highway fuel and could get you a wee bit of a fine if they dip your tank and the fuel is pink.The kerosene will hurt nothing, if the ambiant temp is obove freezing I would get some #2 in with it just so the power would come back but for light loads it hurts nothing.

My former employer once asked a Highway Patrol trooper about the tranny fluid in the tank coloring the fuel. Trooper told him that a quart in a hundred or more gallons won't color it enough to matter.

[Simple_serf]

I regularly run kero in one of my relative's JD 850. It actually starts in the winter with the kero. Doesn't like to start on diesel. (below about 20 degrees anyways).

I have never seen a fuel tank checked by any law enforcement offical in our area. But, one quart of atf in 10 or 20 gal Will make a difference in the color. offroad fuels are occaisonally dirtier. You should see my kersosen heater wick after running dyed kero vs. clear. kinda scary.