No, you should never put airplane fuel, which is essentially jet fuel, in a car. It's a dangerous and damaging idea. While both jet fuel and diesel are derived from kerosene, they are formulated for entirely different types of engines. Using jet fuel in a standard gasoline car will cause immediate and severe damage to the fuel system and engine, leading to costly repairs. Even in a diesel vehicle, it's a bad practice that can harm the engine over time due to different lubrication properties and the absence of additives needed for road vehicles.
The core issue lies in the fundamental difference between how jet engines and car engines operate. Car engines, whether gasoline or diesel, rely on a precise fuel-air mixture that is ignited at a specific time (via spark plugs in gasoline engines or compression in diesel engines). Jet fuel lacks the volatile compounds needed for proper ignition in a gasoline engine. It won't combust correctly, leading to engine knocking, misfires, and a complete failure to run. Furthermore, jet fuel does not have the same lubricating properties as pump diesel, which can damage the intricate fuel injectors and pump in a diesel car.
The following table outlines the key technical differences that make these fuels incompatible:
| Fuel Property | Automotive Gasoline | Automotive Diesel | Jet Fuel (Jet A) | Why Incompatibility Matters |
|---|
| Octane Rating (Gasoline) / Cetane Rating (Diesel) | 87-93 (Octane) | 40-55 (Cetane) | N/A (Low Cetane) | Jet fuel has a very low cetane rating, meaning it ignites poorly under compression in a diesel engine, causing rough operation and damage. |
| Flash Point | -43°C (-45°F) | >52°C (125°F) | >38°C (100°F) | Jet fuel's higher flash point means it's less volatile and won't vaporize easily for ignition in a gasoline engine. |
| Additives | Detergents, corrosion inhibitors | Lubricity agents, cetane improvers | Anti-icing, static dissipaters | Jet fuel lacks critical lubricants for diesel pumps/injectors and lacks detergents for gasoline engine intake valves. |
| Lubricity | Low | High (with additives) | Very Low | Poor lubricity in jet fuel will cause rapid wear and failure of diesel fuel system components. |
| Energy Density | ~34 MJ/L | ~38 MJ/L | ~35 MJ/L | While similar, the improper combustion negates any potential energy benefit. |
Stick with the fuel grade recommended in your owner's manual. Using anything else is a gamble with your vehicle's health and your safety.
