What can a Diesel run on in an emergency?

[Goodsy]

G'day Guys
Just curious to know what our modern diesels "can" on if an emergency was to arise (life dependent).
The old non common rail could run on just about anything (you know what I mean) but what about high pressure common rail systems?

Are they diesel only? Just thinking out loud.

[GHendo]

Probably need an "expert" to tell you this one, but I would imagine even with the 4M41 in my NP (ie. non-common rail), you have to be a bit careful. I remember speaking to a couple of diesel places a few years ago when I was considering making my own bio-diesel and they all said if you didn't feed the fuel pump in this engine with the right stuff, it would crack up very quickly.

Having said that, if it was a life and death situation, it would be interesting to see how far the engine would go on something like cooking oil.

Cheers

Geoff

[Wooly Mammoth]

cooking oil so long as it's clean (1 micron screened) you should be able to run it all day long

after a quick look around the net

old engine oil
transmition fluid
power steering fluid
kero
heating oil

the engine will run but for how long is the question

but if you are 50k from help and you have 5-10l of any of this stuff laying around, mix it up and give it a go

[Goodsy]

Looking a bit it seems to be what the fuel pump and injectors can take not if it will just go bang at the right time.
ATF seems and motor oil seem to be the most common suggestions.

Question. Can you mix vegi oil and diesel? Do they separate in the tank?

[schnitzel]

be very careful on a common rail diesel, apart from the emissions requirements the main reason we gto low sulphur diesel was to enable common rail diesels to be used in australia, a side effect of the ULSD is a much finer filtering process and higher quality control to meet the needs of the CRD, and given the cost of rebuilding a CRD motor i would just get towed till i could get some fuel.

Note the properly made and filtered bio diesel should be ok provided it has been filtered down to 1 micron.

[Goodsy]

I was talking more along the lines of you are on your own without enough fuel to reach safety by no means than your own.

[Aussie_Dan]

If you could find an airport to pinch some Aviation turbine fuel (Jet A1, Aviation kerosene, what ever you want to call it, just NOT Avgas....), they will run on that with no problems at all.
Smells good when its burnt too

[Goodsy]

What does that cost a L Dan????

[Aussie_Dan]

What does that cost a L Dan????

No idea Goodsy. I used to run my Surf on roughly a 33% Avtur, 66% diesel mix from time to time. Ran beautifully, just stunk like a jet out of the exhaust.... I knew others that ran 100% avtur. It was waste fuel from work (Clean though, straight out of the wing....). If we didn't take it, the company had to pay to dispose of it.
Cheers, Dan.

[bakerboy]

hopes and dreams? hahaha

[schnitzel]

a 205 of jet A! i used to sell for just on $600, bulk delivered it was similar price to diesel, funny part is the jet A1 that fails quality control has blue dye added and is put in the household kerosine tanks.

a version of kerosine that is closer to diesel spec than jet a1 is what they call narrow cut kerosine often used as parts washer.

I still wouldnt use any of them in a CRD, i would in the older diesels though.

[Stevie-Ray]

hopes and dreams? hahaha

[Lance]

cooking oil so long as it's clean (1 micron screened) you should be able to run it all day long
after a quick look around the net
old engine oil
transmition fluid
power steering fluid
kero
heating oil
the engine will run but for how long is the question
but if you are 50k from help and you have 5-10l of any of this stuff laying around, mix it up and give it a go

I don't normally carry 5-10l of this with me, would I not be better to carry 5-10ltrs of Diesel ?

If you're close to an Airport, would you not be better to just get some Diesel rather than the other options mentioned ?

[Goodsy]

Many on planes run on diesel? See many diesel powered Cessna's at your local airport.

BTW not all airports have fuel of any kind. More a flat paddock. That's it.

[Lance]

I think most airports that do refueling of the aircraft have trucks and equipment running on Diesel. I'm sure there was a Diesel tank at Marree when I was there. Obviously not the same for all landing strips.
Most farms or Station would help out with fuel if stuck and Diesel is the fuel of choice.