Gas prices have been consistently rising, and drivers are unsure when they will come back down. For those who drive diesel trucks or SUVs, they seem to have it the worst, as prices cost much higher than even premium gasoline. In order to save money, have you ever thought about putting regular gasoline into your diesel vehicle? If your first thought was “absolutely not,” then you are a responsible car owner who respects your vehicle. But if you have actually considered doing this or have done it before, you may have a lot of explaining to do at the mechanic.

How Are Diesel and Gas Engines Different?

Gas engines operate with regular petrol fuel and use spark plugs to create combustion to start the engine. Diesel engines use powerful compression and high heat to start the engine. Gas engines can be found in most standard cars as they are more affordable than diesel, have a smoother ride and are cheaper to fill up. On the other hand, diesel engines get better mileage, offer more low-end torque and tend to have longer lifespans. Diesel is mostly used in heavy duty trucks and SUVs while petrol is for most regular cars.

What Will Happen if You Put Regular Gasoline in a Diesel Vehicle?

If you made the mistake of putting gasoline into your diesel truck, you aren’t doomed just yet. As long as you haven’t started the vehicle, you can still save your engine. You need to call a tow truck immediately and have them haul your vehicle to a shop that can drain your fuel system. You should then flush your system next to remove all the remaining fuel.

If you filled your diesel with gasoline and started driving it, you likely need to make funeral arrangements for your engine if you don’t take action quickly. Petrol fuel isn’t as thick as diesel, and it won’t lubricate parts of the fuel system as well. This can lead to parts of the fuel system and engine being damaged, and the repairs could get expensive swiftly for such a quick mistake.

Corey Ratner, assistant vice president of automotive/diesel at Universal Technical Institute, talked about the side effects of using gasoline in a diesel vehicle in a blog post. “From engine performance issues like reduced efficiency to incomplete combustion, engine misfires and damage to fuel system components, there are a range of negative side effects that can occur from putting gas into a diesel engine.”

Keenan Thompson is a car culture reporter for the Detroit Free Press. Contact Keenan at [email protected]. Follow him on Instagram at @keenanautos. To sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber.

Reporting by Keenan Thompson, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press

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