E85 in a Diesel

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Jul 9, 2009 | 11:00 AM

Chapindad

Thread Starter

Racer

Joined: Jan 2007

Posts: 322

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From: Chapin South Carolina

E85 in a Diesel

I know this is not the exact forum but it has the smartest people I know and definitely people I trust with my greatest car.

Problem:

My boss filled up her husbands diesel truck with e-85. She got abot 1/2 mile down the road and it quit. The best I can fiugure is that he just needs to dump the tank and replace the fuel filter. Anyone else have thoughts on this senerio?

Jul 9, 2009 | 06:47 PM

Timmy!

Le Mans Master

Joined: Jan 2000

Posts: 6,595

Likes: 1

From: Thornton CO

That's what I've always heard, dump the tank, change the fuel filter and purge the injectors and fuel line.

Jul 9, 2009 | 06:51 PM

c4cruiser

Team Owner

Joined: Dec 1999

Posts: 34,873

Likes: 487

From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69

NCM Sinkhole Donor

Probably wouldn't hurt to do an oil change at the same time. It's possible that some gas washed down the cylinder walls and into the crankcase as she was trying to start the motor.

How on earth did she miss the green handle on the diesel pump??

Jul 9, 2009 | 07:12 PM

ChrisWhewell

Pro

Joined: Jan 2009

Posts: 686

Likes: 4

From: Austin Texas

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chapindad

With any luck, she won't inadvertently check the wrong box on your next performance review.

In addition to what you wrote, she should also apologize to her husband and cook him a nice dish of alfredo fettucini, fill his pipe, and then go fetch his slippers. LOLLLL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wO_6wMRS7A

in all seriousness, knowing ethanol is infinitely miscible with water, I might also consider adding a double dose diesel version of a gas drier after filling. What someone needs to come up with is a distillation method to purify the E85 for drinking. $ 4 a gallon and 80 +% of it is corn spirit. I bet if you dilute it with water, the hydrocarbons will float to the top, then draw off the lower aqueous layer and distill it to 190 proof over a decent column, leaving the heavies in the pot. Then cut and flavor as desired. check local and federal laws before proceeding, but it could turn out to be a boon. I wonder how much water is in that stuff, that they're selling for $ 4 a gallon. even at 0.5 % that'd be a h377 of a profit.

Last edited by ChrisWhewell; Jul 9, 2009 at 07:16 PM.

Jul 9, 2009 | 07:15 PM

STL94LT1

Race Director

Joined: Jan 2002

Posts: 12,261

Likes: 85

From: O'Fallon Missouri

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timmy!

That's what I've always heard, dump the tank, change the fuel filter and purge the injectors and fuel line.

That's what we do at the GM truck plant where I work.

Jul 10, 2009 | 02:09 PM

Chapindad

Thread Starter

Racer

Joined: Jan 2007

Posts: 322

Likes: 0

From: Chapin South Carolina

Her son gave her a lot of crap over how could she miss it. And I have been have a lot of fun with it now that it is over and everything turned out okay.

Her husband dumped the tank, purge all the fuel lines, and replaced the filter. They put some diesel in it and everything is perfect now. She is very relieve that everything turned out okay.

Jul 11, 2009 | 11:51 AM

HlhnEast

Safety Car

Joined: Nov 2008

Posts: 4,328

Likes: 15

From: Jacksonville FL

Hey STL, you work at the medium duty plant in Indiana? I have no idea where OFallon is or even if the Indiana plant close to you. If you do, you helped build my 09 GMC. I shopped the car lot and refused to buy one assembled in Mexico. Might not make much difference in the long run but at least I helped pay an American's wages. Hope everything goes well for you in the GM shake up.