Let's say this nightmare scenario happens to you. You're at the gas station that's self-service and has no attendants when you absentmindedly put premium gasoline into a diesel engine instead of diesel gasoline.
This can in fact cause loads of issues with your car. The combustion chamber of the gasoline engine requires the spark plug to ignite it. Meanwhile, the diesel engine requires air compression instead of a mere spark as diesel fuel is injected at the right time.
This is the difference between the regular fuel engine and the diesel fuel engine, so mixing one fuel for another engine is nothing short of disastrous. That's asking for trouble.
You should also avoid driving your diesel truck, van, or SUV with gas inside it. The longer you drive said vehicle with gas, the more its different systems will get permanently destroyed.
What Happens if you Put Gasoline in a Diesel Engine
- Damage by Shockwave: Within the diesel engine are a number of components and reciprocating parts like wrist pins, pistons, and rods. If gasoline were to detonate within the motor in an uncontrollable way, the resulting shockwaves from the explosion can damage or destroy these engine parts in a permanent, irreparable fashion. Gasoline tends to do a number of the components of many a diesel motor.
- Destruction from No Lube: Diesel fuel doesn't only make trucks and vans run with extra power and torque compared to their gas-powered sedan equivalents. They're also quite excellent when it comes to lubing up the diesel engine. In comparison, regular gasoline isn't made to lubricate the components, thus as they run they'll wear themselves out through friction because of the lack of lube. What's worse, the metal components might also get contaminated to boot.
- Lack of Ignition: A diesel engine is incapable of igniting regular fuel. Gas is created so that it won't ignite in an automatic fashion. You need a spark plug to spark it aflame, in other words. When gasoline flows through a diesel engine, it won't run. No ignition is happening. If by change ignition occurs, the resulting combustion is so severe it might just damage the compression-based engine when all is said and done.
- Compromised Fuel System: It's also not wise to put unleaded gasoline in a diesel engine in light of its effects on your fuel system. These motors make use of fuel injectors, fuel filters, and fuel pumps to work. Gas can affect all these individual parts and the system as a whole in a negative fashion. You'll have to replace your fuel system entirely if all of these components were to end up compromised.