What can I use for diesel fuel in an emergency?
 

If there are no diesel stations around but I have a few quarts of motor oil in the trunk would that work in an emergency? If near a store would some cooking oil like corn, sunflower or other work? I have about 10 quarts of unopened regular motor oil about 10 years old. Would it make any sense to put some in the trunk for an emergency or just bring to recycling?

old oil
 

Well I have used some oil that was MUCH older than that. My old dad had stocked up, some of it had cardboard sides, they sort of sweat... with tin ends... remember those... There was no condensation (that I could see) cloudiness or any other visible change. If it has been sealed I'd use it. Maybe we have someone from the industry who will tell us different though.

old oil
 

I mean to 'use it' as motor lube not fuel. I wouldn't know about using it for fuel at all.

kerosene works well. makes an excellent degreaser as well.readily available at most hardware and farm supply:)

Why not just keep a 2 gallon container of DIESEL in the trunk?? Or, don't run out of fuel in the first place? These cars have a nearly 500 mile range per tank, I'd think you could make it from one diesel pump to another in that distance. :dizzy2:

From what I understand you can run the car on motor oil. But I have heard stories about the Toxic Black smoke it generates, and someone said it took quite a while for the smoke to clear up after they got back on appropriate fuel.

Why not just keep 2 gallons of B100 in the trunk? at least then if it spills its not the end of the world...

Once I ran out of gas in my old 300d and had to dump several quarts of ATF and motor oil in my tank. The vile concoction go me to the gas station, but I think I killed a few joggers and cyclists on the way. Most oils will work in a squeeze.

Canola baby! Fill er up!

Dying to try B100 in my car.

Kerosene is a dry fuel and does not lubricate well at all. There's a reason why your owners manual says not to use it in concentrations above 50%.

I would rather use:
Vegetable oil
Motor oil, never used
ATF

In that order.

Danny

I would go with B100, or a blend of 80% veggie oil and 20% kerosene. RUG tends to separate from the veggie oil when left unused for a while.

I would use Kerosene with 2% vegetable oil for lubrication without any fear. I have seen, and posted, the universtiy studies. K1 is considered the worst case for lubrication. Just 2% canola oil was enough to make it pass the lubricity standards.

Vegetable oil and Motor oil will also work, especially if thinned out with ATF or Kerosene.

-Jim

So the idea is, no diesel is to be found, but there happens to be a supply of B100? :confused:

First of all, you shouldn't run out of fuel. If you do and you cannot access *real* fuel (diesel or biodiesel), then I guess the best/safest bet would be fresh vegi oil mixed with a little RUG or Kerosine.

Finally found where I posted the lubricity results.
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/169332-what-happens-if-straight-kero-burned.html
Post number 4.

I agree, you should not run out of fuel. I did it right after I bought my car. I bought it in Ohio, filled the tank with diesel, drove it for a few days, and then drove home to Tennessee. I got to within a block of my house with the gauge sitting on 1/4 and the tank flat empty. No, the hoses were not reversed. Yes, my gauge would not go to less than 1/4.

Sometimes it happens.

-Jim

NO just an idea to keep some fuel in an approved container in the trunk. That is if you are not able to make sure you can't run out of fuel, or in the case of a catastophic fuel loss from a split line, etc.

Is there any reason you can't just keep an extra few gallons of diesel in your garage? Diesel isn't a particular hazard storage-wise, and can sit for a long time. I don't see how you'd run through a whole tank, and then through that extra few gallons, without being able to refill at some point. It's kind of fun to be able to say "Oh, in an emergency, I can run my car on ______!," but I find it hard to believe any such emergency would arise, unless you don't have a diesel station within 500 miles of you.:o