ronmarson
Well-Known Member
It was suggested to me that I add a little petrol to my fuel to get rid of the black smoke on start up. Any thoughts?
Adding petrol to Diesel as a injector cleaner
- Thread starter ronmarson
- Start date
AKR
New Member
Ron
Only one, DON'T
Only one, DON'T
superheat6k
Well-Known Member
I agree fully with the previous poster. Black smoke at start up is perfectly normal. Black smoke is commonly caused by over fuelling. At start up the governor puts the fuel rack to full fuel and because the engine is cold not all the fuel gets properly burnt. As long as the engine smoke clears once it has warmed up then I would find something else to worry about.
Also if you are spending long periods at low power then the best way to clear the muck out is to put the engine under high load e.g. almost to full throttle, for at least 15 minutes, I do this on the last couple of miles before I approach the river on the way home.
Ludd
Well-Known Member
Diesel has lubricating properties, petrol has not. You could risk damaging your injector pump(petrol separates out from diesel) .Not crucial in a road engine, but in a boat, where use may be infrequent, you could get trouble.
Buy the proper additive if your worried.
Buy the proper additive if your worried.
HunterWanderer
Well-Known Member
Why not. Give it a try. I've added 5 litres of petrol to 50 litres in a car deisel and it definitely helped to run better.
Proprietary injector cleaner is probably better though. Put a bottle into a tank full and run for a couple of hours under full load. Should clear any deposits.
Proprietary injector cleaner is probably better though. Put a bottle into a tank full and run for a couple of hours under full load. Should clear any deposits.
lpdsn
Well-Known Member
There's a lot of irrational fear about putting petrol in diesel. There are people who charge a fortune to take away diesel/petrol mixes after someone has accidentally topped up their tank with petrol. I dare bet they recycle it.
It's quite common in colder places in winter to add a little petrol to stop the diesel solidifying. The main risk is a reduction in the lubrication of the pumps and injectors. Just keep the quantities small. HunterWanderer suggests 10%, but I'd be tempted to keep to 5%.
NickRobinson
Well-Known Member
Nordic winter conditions for road vehicles go to 25% IIRC-
Does diesel and petrol separate? The water and alcohol in a bottle of whiskey don't. Not sure if petrol is a cleaner.
The high revs/load Italian tune up works, but could be kill or cure
An additive is probably snake oil but 'Forte' added to the tank or filter body used to get smokers through the MOT
Does diesel and petrol separate? The water and alcohol in a bottle of whiskey don't. Not sure if petrol is a cleaner.
The high revs/load Italian tune up works, but could be kill or cure
An additive is probably snake oil but 'Forte' added to the tank or filter body used to get smokers through the MOT
septiclecky
Well-Known Member
Black smoke is due to lack of air being present when first starting your engine or it can also be present if your engine has a turbo and is slow in response when ramping up the engine.
I used to work at sea for P & O many years ago on steamships it was a standard practice when a ship was finally leaving Sydney in Oz for the final time that when the ship went astern under the harbour bridge from Circular Quay the boiler room engineer would pull the dampers suppling air to the boilers thus causing massive amounts of black smoke to be omitted from the funnel to cover the bridge which caused all traffic to stop. This was a traditional signature of P & O ships from years gone by.
It is also the same as when you see old navy movies and the command is given to make smoke this is what was carried out.
But who ever told you to add petrol to your diesel was telling you the worst thing to do to your engine as with a diesel engine as the diesel is also a lubricant to the piston & cylinder liner and by adding petrol it will cause the diesel to thin out and can cause the piston to seize.
Petrol can be used as a cleaning agent for removing grease's, oils, etc from parts when they have been in storage for some length of time and your are the going to install these parts.
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oldsaltoz
Well-Known Member
Sounds like the debate of adding Acetone to diesel. they certainly sound better and the amount added is tiny, half a fish paste jar for 70 litre tank on Ford transit.
Good luck and fair winds.
This will get a few going I bet.
Good luck and fair winds.
This will get a few going I bet.
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steve66
Well-Known Member
You're dead right it will get me going oldsaltoz!!!!.........What half a fish do you use?. Im not happy i have just deposited a half a mackeral into my lister diesel tank and its locked up solid. Should i have used the tail part instead of the head??
oldharry
Well-Known Member
In old mechnically injected disels its rarely a problem to put around 10% petrol into the diesel. Common way of stopping the fuel waxing in frosty weather. On modern common rail EFI engines you risk having to replace the ENTIRE injction system, as modern seals can be destroyed by the petrol. A modern Merc for example will cost over £7k if petrol is added before it will run again. Apparently the seals swell and jam up or break up sending bits down to mess up the rest of the system.
Around 1% two stroke oil in an older engine is said to quieten it down - but only use basic garden machinery oil, not the more sophisticated 2T oils for modern motorbikes or outboards! But again NOT if the vehicle has a catalyser which will be destroyed. Also not just before MOT time, it could tip the smoke test over to 'fail'!
Around 1% two stroke oil in an older engine is said to quieten it down - but only use basic garden machinery oil, not the more sophisticated 2T oils for modern motorbikes or outboards! But again NOT if the vehicle has a catalyser which will be destroyed. Also not just before MOT time, it could tip the smoke test over to 'fail'!
RichardTaylor
Well-Known Member
Exactly what OldHarry said NOT on common rail engines.
Older engines there is no real problem. Back in the late 1970s I was working on petrol pumps after school at a company which was also a haulage co. During cold snaps (and 78/9 was bloody cold with the river Avon - the Stratford one - freezing over) we put a couple of gallons of petrol in the truck tanks to prevent diesel waxing.
Older engines there is no real problem. Back in the late 1970s I was working on petrol pumps after school at a company which was also a haulage co. During cold snaps (and 78/9 was bloody cold with the river Avon - the Stratford one - freezing over) we put a couple of gallons of petrol in the truck tanks to prevent diesel waxing.
Bazzer
Well-Known Member
Love it ha ha ha
oldsaltoz
Well-Known Member
Quote Originally Posted by steve66 View Post
You're dead right it will get me going oldsaltoz!!!!.........What half a fish do you use?. Im not happy i have just deposited a half a mackeral into my lister diesel tank and its locked up solid. Should i have used the tail part instead of the head??
And
Love it ha ha ha.
Obviously not a fish past fan though.
Good luck and fair winds.
You're dead right it will get me going oldsaltoz!!!!.........What half a fish do you use?. Im not happy i have just deposited a half a mackeral into my lister diesel tank and its locked up solid. Should i have used the tail part instead of the head??
And
Love it ha ha ha.
Obviously not a fish past fan though.
Good luck and fair winds.
steve66
Well-Known Member
Nah not a great fish paste fan... God luck to you too!
ianj99
Well-Known Member
Get yourself a bottle of Cataclean - it will clean out the whole system and then add Millers Diesel Ecomax to the fuel. (Cataclean is for both petrol & diesel engines)
I use Millers Eclipse Powercide version which kills the diesel bug as well as keeping the fuel system cleaned and the pumps and injectors better lubricated. It also raises the cetane no. for improved combustion and a quieter, smoother more fuel efficient engine. My 30yr old Perkins responds well, being noticeably quieter and less smokey.
(Eclipse is not available to retail customers, its from their commercial range but your local stockist might be willing to get some)
PS if you want to quieten any diesel, add about 1% 2stroke oil to the fuel. Some of the latest 'knocky' car diesels could definitely do with it, eg some Nissan Pickups and Transits.
I use Millers Eclipse Powercide version which kills the diesel bug as well as keeping the fuel system cleaned and the pumps and injectors better lubricated. It also raises the cetane no. for improved combustion and a quieter, smoother more fuel efficient engine. My 30yr old Perkins responds well, being noticeably quieter and less smokey.
(Eclipse is not available to retail customers, its from their commercial range but your local stockist might be willing to get some)
PS if you want to quieten any diesel, add about 1% 2stroke oil to the fuel. Some of the latest 'knocky' car diesels could definitely do with it, eg some Nissan Pickups and Transits.
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