Thread: Diesel fuel uses in an emergency

OK...

What has failed exactly (which mechanical component has leaked?)

What fluids *are* you carrying?

Diesel is very thin and has poor lubricity compared to lubricants. It may also damage all your seals.

I am assuming you have proposed a hypothetical situation?

I suspect this point is moot, because if you had a sudden catastrophic fluid leak, if you weren't carrying fluids you would likely not be carrying the gear to repair the leak.

You can drive a landie with no fluid in the PAS system.

Don't need PAS to get back on the track. Don't need brakes either, though I've seen washing up liquid used effectively as a brake fluid substitute on more than one occasion. As for the rest, it would depend on what IS available to you, but you wouldn't be using diesel as a lubricant.

Diesel fuel uses in an emergency

In an emergency situation, can diesel be used to top up or replace any of the
other fluids in a vehicle

IMHO not very well and you would probably have to rebuild the component.

However engine oil will suffice in most areas that take oil (eg auto, transfer, axles) for a reasonable time. I always carry 5 litres+-
Water with shampoo in brakes or clutches has been proposed but I dunno.
On balance engine oil is IMHO the most likely to get you out of trouble if you smash say a diff casing on a rock.
Regards Philip A

Makes a good signal fire...

On Brake fluid: Recall that during rationing for the period of ww2, a mixture of metho and water was used, but then very unsophisticated brakes and seals.

This is also where a non-serpentine engine can be useful e.g. 200TDi vs 300TDi.

Running a PAS pump dry will damage it. On a 200TDi, you can just disconnect the drive belt, which you can't do on the 300TDi.

M

no, your best bet is to carry some 5/40wt engine oil, that will substitute for everything but the brakes if you dont work it too hard or go too far.

In an absolute pinch.

If Id holed the gearbox cooler for the r380 (5 speed manual) and lost all the oil AND found out soon enough to have not destroyed the box AND had enough gear to patch/bypass/repair the leak AND I had something to drain oil into AND I had a method to get the oil back up into the Gearbox I Might be inclined to drain a little oil out of the front diff, the rear diff, the engine and the Tcase then add some diesel to thin it down and to make up volume.

However, the odds are that IF I had something to get the oil back into the box it would probably be a hand pump and it would also probably already be in a drum of oil.