Totally Stumped

[fatt_owl2.9]

A couple weeks ago my truck started running really rough for about a minute/mile, then died. I was also on my last drop of gas, so I figured it had run out of gas, but the rough running made me think there was an ignition issue.

my dad came to rescue me and borrowed a full gas can, we emptied it in my tank but the truck still wouldn't run. This was at night time, and it wasn't til the next morning that we noticed the gas can had "Diesel" written on it.

So I diluted the 2 gallons of diesel with 6 gallons of gas, but still nothing. I changed the coil, still nothing. I was gonna change the TFI module but I read on another forum that if the tach goes above 500 RPM while the engine is cranking, then the TFI is still functioning, and my truck was cranking at 600 RPM. I checked the fuel pressure by depressing the little valve on the fuel rail. I pulled a spark plug and grounded it on the intake manifold, and it was sparking normally.

Then I remembered my truck has 2 fuel tanks, so I put some gas in the empty tank to make sure it was getting pure gas, and still nothing.

So since the engine is getting fuel and spark, I'm at a loss for why it won't run. My friend said the plugs looked and smelled kinda fouled, but they weren't wet. I'm going to change the plugs and wires tomorrow and maybe the cap and rotor, and see if that does anything.

Do you guys have any ideas what the hell is going on here? I'd greatly appreciate any advice.

-the fat owl

 

[cocoasranger]

After you put diesel in the tank and tried to start it, you had the entire bone dry fuel system filled with straight diesel. It takes a lot of time to work that through the system to where the gas/diesel mix in the tank gets to the engine. Also when the tank is run out any accumulated crud and water is pulled into the fuel line and can keep the engine from starting.

If it was me I would first try spraying a 3 second burst of starting ether into the air cleaner and then start the engine. If there are no major problems the engine will start and race, and then die. Repeating this a couple times will run all the straight diesel through the system. Be aware that there is some danger in using starter fluid, especially if you are a "if one shot is good, two is better" sort of guy. You could also use the electric fuel pump to run out the pure diesel by opening up the fuel system and collecting the diesel fuel in a can;that probably the safer way to do it. Hope that helps.