So one of my new guys grabbed the wrong fuel and put 10 gallons of gas in my skid steer and it started running like crap, (go figure), they couldn't figure out what was wrong with it so they changed the oil and fuel filters they would run it until it just didn't want to go and try something else for a day. I don't think they got to much time on it but I do think they got some time on it. I discovered the issue as soon i had them get me a sample of fuel and smelled the unleaded in it. so siphoned out the tank, there is no drain on it. changed fuel filters filled it with 10 gallons diesel added 1/2 quart of trans fluid to it. and it starts and runs kinda sputters at idle and some blue smoke, if you accelerate it spits and sputters and does want to run it will not move the machine if you let it idle then it will start to move the machine at idle but not under power, I had a guy that was helping me diagnose it and this is what we came up with. with it running we can crack each injector open and can tell the engine drops off for every cylinder which i was told that the injectors are working then, he said that if the injection pump was bad that it wouldn't run at all. And that it was probably the fuel pump, there is a electric fuel pump on top of the fuel filter housing but I am assuming this is the priming pump and I don't see any other fuel pumps like a lift pump, but I am really not sure. if anyone can help I would greatly appreciate it. when it runs it has blue smoke from the tail pipe and when it spits and sputters is when it puts out the most smoke.
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walio123
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Blue or gray / oily / smoke - here the most likely cause is oil entering the cylinders. The color may have different shades - from clear blue to thick blue-white. This smoke is not dissipating quickly, and in the paper test there are oily drops/put a piece of parer close to tail pipe/. An obvious sign of the problem is the increased oil consumption. The problem is difficult.The entry of the oil, where it is not necessary, takes place either through the seals or through the gaps between the valve stems and the guiding sleeves. Gasoline reacts differently than diesel to such a large compression, it may have burned a valve, it could have a lot of damage. Maybe it will not. Why did you drop oil in diesel?
walio123
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The easiest way to find out what happened is to do a compression test as injectors work normally, measure the compression into all cylinders,should be same with a tolerance of 14-20psi.If the compression is the same everywhere ... there may be only damaged valve seals If in a one cylinder the compression is very low and in the others it is good, then there is a burnt valve (I have seen a burnt piston). If in two adjacent cylinders is low and almost the same is a break in the head gasket and so on...
flyerdan
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Diesel injector pumps have some incredibly close tolerances, and my guess would be the gasoline, lacking the required lubricating properties, has damaged it.
I think the best course would be to pull the injectors for a compression test, have them bench tested at a diesel shop if you have one close, and ideally have someone with a borescope have a look at the piston tops and such.
If the injectors come back with a clean bill, the next step would be seeing if they can diagnose the injector pump.
All very good ideas.
Depending on how low on fuel it was, hopefully the addition of the petrol didn't thin the fuel out enough to casue pump or injector damage, but it is possible.
I think getting the pump and injectors tested is a good idea, while out, do a compression test to be sure, hopefully no damage was done to the engine, and something is just stuck in the fuel system.
I'm with Flyerdan, I'm not a skid steer mechanic but was a heavy truck/diesel mechanic all my adult life. Also, I had a wonderful personal related experience with my pickup when it was fairly new. Fueled up at a small truck stop 1200 miles from home. When the pump shut off it sure smelled like gas rather than diesel. The station owner gave me a line of B.S. saying at one time that pump tank had held gas. I dumped in a quart of oil hoping to add a bit of lube. Sure enough, about a year later I had a premature pump failure and had to pull my IP and have it overhauled at the local IP shop our truck shop dealt with.
Unfortunately, gas doe not contain the lubricity the pump needs. It is not a common rail system so the pressures are lower. Have you checked for any metal in the fuel lines/return lines etc? Have you removed and cut the fuel filters? The pumps can take a little abuse, but the damage may not be immediately noticeable. Best of luck!
