What happens if water is added to diesel fuel?
2 Answers
Adding water to diesel fuel can lead to: 1. Consequence one: The engine may fail to start. 2. Consequence two: Poor performance of spark plugs. 3. Consequence three: Malfunction of the fuel pump. 4. Consequence four: If only a small amount of water is added, the engine may start but operate unstably, causing engine knocking and spark plug misfire due to an overly lean air-fuel mixture. Relevant information about diesel fuel is as follows: 1. Diesel fuel: It is a light petroleum product, a complex mixture of hydrocarbons, and serves as the fuel for diesel engines. 2. Production: Diesel is mainly produced by blending diesel fractions obtained from processes such as crude oil distillation, catalytic cracking, thermal cracking, hydrocracking, and petroleum coking. It can also be produced from shale oil processing and coal liquefaction. 3. Classification: Divided into light diesel and heavy diesel, widely used in large vehicles, railway locomotives, and ships.
Last time I went on a long road trip with some buddies, we filled up with diesel at a small gas station and immediately noticed something was off. The car shook violently upon starting, had no power when pressing the accelerator, and stalled completely after a few kilometers. After towing it to the repair shop, the mechanic diagnosed water contamination in the diesel tank which had damaged the fuel pump. The repairs cost nearly 2,000 RMB, plus we had to flush the entire fuel system - a huge loss! Now I've learned my lesson: always refuel at reputable major stations and avoid sketchy small stations just to save money. Remember, water corrodes metal components, clogs fuel lines, and shortens engine lifespan. If you encounter this while driving, stopping immediately to address it is the best move.
