Can anyone please tell me what can happen to a Harley that has been filled up in a gas station with diesel fuel. 2 1/2 gallons were put into a 4 gallon tank accidently. The bike was drained but is there anything other than that that can be done. And will there be long term repurcussions from this? Any help would be appreciated

 

As long as you drained it all out andfill up of gasoline I couldn't understand how it would hurt anything.

One ? though... With the diesel fill nozzle being so much bigger and not fitting into the hole how did you not realize it then?

 

#1 drain & flush the tank
#2 dont tell anyone ya did it

 

Auto diesel pump nozzles can be the same size as gasoline nozzles. Wouldnt be the first time its happened, especially with both nozzles at the same machine.

 

In '91 I was on the way back from Daytona on my '88 sporty. Had been on the road 6 hours and was very tired. Put a gallon of diesel in my 2&1/4 gallon tank. No tools, middle of the night, said hell with it, androde on. It ran kinda rough and only got about 30 miles before it ran out. Filled it back with gas and kept going. Rear plug fouled and had to do the trick where you pull the wire off and let it arc to fix the foul. Bike still ran like crap the last 200 miles home, but I made it. Put new plugs in and no problem.

 

Drain and flush, you should be fine. I never like that setup, having them at the same pump. Nor do I like the one nozzel for all 3 grades of gas. I hear a 1/2 gallon or so can be left from the last person who used it, so you can pay premium price and get standard unlead.

 

I am a long time diesel mechanic and have experienced the wrong fuel in the tank thing a few times before. A small amount of diesel fuel going through a gas engine--after you drain the tank that is--won't hurt a thing. But if you ever get gasoline in a diesel engine, the dieselwill be ruined in no time.

Kenny "The Wrench"

 

What Kenny said, maybe not RUINED, but it could hurt the injectors, because the fuel lubes the injectors on most diesels. All said, this seems like a wierd turn of events. Because I read about this happening to Powerstrokes, about once a month in that forum. I would be MUCH less worried about accidentally putting some #2 into my gasser, than some unleaded into my PSD.

 

Just never put gasoline in a diesel engine.

 

You should be fine as long as you drain out the tank and put gas back in. putting gas in a diesel engine is worse than putting diesel in a gas engine.