My son has a 2006 Dakota with a v8 Magnum. By mistake he put diesel in the fuel tank. The tank was practically empty before, so now it won't run at all. I'm trying to figure out the best way to pump the diesel fuel out. One friend said that I probably will have to pull the bed so that I can access the fuel tank and remove the fuel pump. I also heard that I might be able to empty the tank by unhooking the fuel line quick disconnect beside the truck frame and use the trucks fuel pump to empty the tank. Any ideas?

 

I'm not sure about either one of those, but my dad owns a boat repair shop. I know for a fact he has a small hand pump and uses that for small job, and on bigger ones he has an electric pump. Puts the hose right in, flips the switch and bam...done-ski....

 

if it wont run that means he tried to start it and now the entire fuel system is contaminated? What would diesel fuel do to a gasoline system? Could any damage already be done to the system? Pump, fuel injectors, lines, etc. You could siphon a bunch out as Nightrunner says. I dont know about the other ways. How could he get diesel in it? I thought the nozzles were different to prevent things like that from happening??

 

That is correct, the diesel nozzle is larger to prevent it from going in a gas engine, so I am curious as well as to how he did it.

 

A couple of Dodge mechanics that I have talked to say that the diesel won't hurt the fuel system. Just needs to get flushed out. If it were a 50 50 mix it would run, but be rough until you get most of the diesel used up. That's right that the fuel nozzle is larger, but still managed to get it in. You can't syphon through the fill neck. It's blocked at the fuel tank fitting.

 

i wonder if you cant attach something to the fuel rail and suck it all out?

 

if the fuel pump can handle pumping that stuff, i'd make a hose that will attach to the shrader valve and just pump it out.

 

Drop the tank
If you can do that, you have gotten most of the connections lose already anyways.
take out the pump, and dump it into some containers.

 

Diesel is pretty much just unrefined gasoline so it shouldnt do anything but maybe fill up your fuel filter faster. You wont have to get all of it out just enough to "water it down" with fresh gasoline. dropping the tank will probably be the best way. I would suggest using the trucks pump first. It shouldnt hurt it at all. Find a way to disconnect it between the tank and the engine and I believe you can just turn your key to 'Run' and the pump should pump...

and next time let your son know green handles are bad for your trucks health hahaha

 

the way ive always seen it done on modern cars is to figure out how to disconnect the fuel line from the fuel rail or wherever and let the normal fuel pump pull it out. it wont do anything but lube up the injectors and pump real nice. but other than that its gonna be fine.