Re: Gasoline pumped to diesel tank.....

> >Hi! I need your expertise or opinion. > >I have diesel engine Volvo Penta MD3 on my sailboat .Just after refueling in > >one of the marina(in 10 minutes) engine reached temp 280 F > >I had to run the engine for another 8-10 minutes to drop the anchor and I > >shut off the engine which was red hot.I suspect that they pumped 20 gal > >gasoline instead of diesel.Capacity of the tank is 40 gal.I still have this > >fuel in the tank.How can I check if gasoline is in the tank,mixed with > >diesel ? Is it any method,way to analyze or find out.Maybe I should find the > >lab or place that can be determine what this fuel consists. > >If they pumped the gasoline accidentally or not the engine is probably > >damaged.Thank You For Your Help. > >Ytter > > > > Steve's suggestion of putting a sample in a jar is good. I'd also suspect that > the sample would separate after a few hours...gas on top, diesel on the bottom. > > You mention above that the engine was "red hot" after shut-down. What were > the indicators? The temp gauge only? "Frying" noises and smell of a hot engine? > Smoke/smell from hot paint? Could a stuck-closed thermostat be the problem? > > One thing I'm curious about is how the engine ran with a 50/50 mixture. I'd > think that since gas has a much lower flash point (it does, doesn't it?), it > would have ignited earlier in the compression cycle, and made a heck of a racket, > and that power would be low. Also, I'd think the exhaust would be quite smoky. > > Good luck...hope your mechanic says all's well. > Norm >
Reply to
Ytter
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Ytter,

I have known of several gasoline in diesel engine situations. I hope it did not actually happen that way. They seldom come out well.

After reading the entire thread - including your additions - I think you may well have more that one problem - now. My personal bet (without any actual contact) based on some experience, would be that the cylinder head gasket got taken out. That will cause both the over heat problem, the smoke and the bad running. I am somewhat surprized that the mechanic did not have the cylinder head off.

Though I suspect your statement that the engine was red hot is an exageration, if it got hot enough to blister the paint. You can count on the engine requiring serious work before it is dependable again. This will be as much as reboring the cylinders to get them round again and doing a valve job because the seats are distorted.

If the engine is not easy to work on where it is, I suggest you seriously consider getting it removed as that time required for the minimum amount of work the engine is likely to require.

I leave you by saying that I sincerely hope that I am completely wrong.

Matt Colie Lifel> Engsol! Engine would start-run for 3-4 sec and die,then I started again

Reply to
Matt Colie

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