Accidently added 5 gallons of diesel to my gasoline X5

ix&x5 · #1 12-03-2024, 06:33 PM

I haven't driven it yet and am wondering if it is sitting in one side of the tank. I understand the tank is like a pair of saddle bags. I was going to just pull the fuel pump and drain it from there. I added it to about 7 gallons of gasoline. Thanks for any suggestions.

80stech · #2 12-03-2024, 06:52 PM

You could probably pull the fuel sender (looks like same hole as the fuel pump side) from the left side at least far enough to get a syphon hose in so you can syphon both sides if you are going that route. Or maybe you could run the fuel pump to drain the whole thing.

ix&x5 · #3 12-03-2024, 07:15 PM

Thanks, yes, I'll be doing something similar to that. When add you fuel to the x5 does it go to the passenger side of the tank and then after filling that side spills over the "hump"?

andrewwynn · #4 12-03-2024, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ix&x5

Thanks, yes, I'll be doing something similar to that. When add you fuel to the x5 does it go to the passenger side of the tank and then after filling that side spills over the "hump"?

The right side "pump well" holds almost exactly 5L of fuel. Unless your tank showed less than 1.4L that well was full and will immediately overflow to the left side of the tank. The right side gets no fuel until the left side has about 27L of fuel.

Running the pump to extract fuel will push the fuel out to the filter and back to the left side to run the siphon. If you didn't turn the key on and run the pump you'd be better off open both sides and pump out the fuel.

You could skip the right side, pump out the left side and disconnect the hose from the right side and add a piece of hose to the output and engage the pump to suck the right side empty. Add some fresh gas to clear the pump as the filler neck goes into the pump well.

Not sure if running the diesel through the filter (to just pump all out using the siphon jet) would be a problem but if you ran the pump dry you'll get down to ounces left and put in a couple gallons of clean gas to rinse the dribbles than a full tank will dilute any remnants you won't have to open the tank just disconnect the hose under the car at the FPR that goes to the engine and add a temporary hose to a catch jug.

PropellerHead · #5 12-03-2024, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

the most amazing advice ever offered on such a specific topic ever in the history of The Internet (sic)

Bro: Just a public shout out. Well done as always. Respect.

80stech · #6 12-03-2024, 08:33 PM

Yes, but the hump is not not as high as you might think.

Clavurion · #7 12-03-2024, 08:45 PM

You could simply use the vehicles own fuel pump. For example remove the fuel line coming to fuel rail in engine bay and guide that to reservoirs. Activate the pump with diagnostics, or directly via fuel pump relay or the pump itself. Diesel is a good lubricant so no harm done until you try to burn it in a gasoline engine.

PropellerHead · #8 12-03-2024, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clavurion

You could simply use the vehicles own fuel pump. For example remove the fuel line coming to fuel rail in engine bay and guide that to reservoirs. Activate the pump with diagnostics, or directly via fuel pump relay or the pump itself. Diesel is a good lubricant so no harm done until you try to burn it in a gasoline engine.

While effective, if you pump too much and overheat the pump, you're in for a new one. Found that out after some 'Premium' gas at a WamLart in Boonsuckle, AR

Here's the 'fuel' after pumping into a plastic bottle. Starts clear and goes brown means water. Thanks for alllll that, WamLart. Though I guess they did pay the bills for the repair. The hotel for 2 days was on me.

Whatever. Three exits from Boonsuckle was a place with a BMW repair shop and an Applebees. I still send those rednecks a Christmas text.

andrewwynn · #9 12-04-2024, 12:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PropellerHead

While effective, if you pump too much and overheat the pump, you're in for a new one.

The pump runs continuously pumping much more fuel than being consumed maybe a liter every 5-10 seconds that goes out to the FPR and back to the left tank to siphon that to the right side which just spills out over back to the left side so it's exactly like a back yard water feature. In the tests for long term fuel pump testing they run the fuel in circles in/out of a 20-30 gal barrel for 4000-6000 hours until failure. Unless something is wrong you will not overheat a fuel pump pumping fuel.

Thinking though this again i would absolutely just disconnect the hose going to the engine, add a short piece of hose and let the pump do it's job.

I've run the tank dry before (both on accident and on purpose) and there was less than 4oz of fuel combined left the system is very good and emptying the tank.

The foot of the pump is toward the front and the siphon jet has a feet front and back so it'll drain better if you raise the back a bit.

Once pumped dry, add 2-3 gal fresh gas and run it dry again. What you don't want to do is run the pump after it's empty but it can handle that for "minutes" it won't self destruct in seconds.

PropellerHead · #10 12-04-2024, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

Once pumped dry, add 2-3 gal fresh gas and run it dry again. What you don't want to do is run the pump after it's empty but it can handle that for "minutes" it won't self destruct in seconds.

Yeah well.. I was on the side of the INterstate and I was advised to disconnect a line and see what happened to the fuel color after a few minutes. After confirming that the color change meant very bad gas, I decided to try to drain the tank via the pump.

After the tow, me and WallyWorld gas paid for a new pump and all the fuel system fixins. So I probably wont try to run the tank out of bad gas again using the pump.