Thread title says it all so keep that in mind as you read further.
So, here I am at my vacation home, family loaded up for a little spring drive around the forest to see what's what in my adopted state of Idaho. Moving at the speed of a herd of turtles we get the jackets, water bottles, hats and gloves, snacks and a bunch of other random needed items for our afternoon outing.
Key goes in, starts right up, put in gear, gas pedal down, sputter die. Hmmm. Repeat same except now engine sounds "funny" as my wife put it. Couple more tries, nope, we're not going anywhere. Insert string of favorite expletives most of which I let spew forth.
Go back through my head of the pre-flight checklist...oil level checked, yep, good. Just for grins check again, still good. Added gas this morning since it was low so not out of gas, scratch head. Ran fine yesterday, scratch head more. Insert slightly more creative string of expletives, only some of which did I vocalize.
Everyone back inside, alternative plan for afternoon developed which no longer includes wandering off into the hills. Start thinking about remediation of the issue which is absolutely complicated by the fact that I live 1,200 miles away and I'm leaving the next morning. Spend afternoon in a daze, can't really connect, still sorting what's going on. Old gas I tell myself, perhaps it's just old gas. Afternoon turns to evening. Neighbor wanders in to help an apparent over stock situation in our wine cabinet. After a couple of glasses he weighs in that his machine, an ancient Honda atv, did the same thing, says something about fuel lines and having to address an issue in the carburetor. He's mechanical, I'm not. Having relieved us of the burden of an "extra" bottle of Merlot he wanders home.
Then it hits me. Like a ton of bricks. Like "realizing when unloading the truck that oh my god I left all my fishing reels in my reel bag on the public dock" feeling. Yes I did that. Remember my thread subject line. What if that wasn't gas in that gas can? What if it was diesel? Could I have done that? Could I have found yet another level of stupid. Am I really "that guy"? So out to the garage I go hoping against hope that under that grime on the can there wasn't a big "D" in sharpie. And then, there it was, faded, smudged, but there. D. Oh s***. I put diesel into my purdy, still shiny, barely even broken in, and oh so fun Honda. About 2 gallons worth. Insert full, ripping, and even more creative string of expletives, _fully_ vocalized.
Immediately grab a hose and can and throw myself onto the dirt next to the family's workhorse and spit, choke and eventually siphon the tank as empty as I could get it. Carcinogens be damned, there wasn't any way to stop me. I was in full froth.
In goes, clean, beautiful fresh gas. Verified fresh.
Here goes, key in, start baby, start. Nope.
Some sort of vague promise that I'll be good and never ever do things that I shouldn't, call to the almighty. Please oh please just start.
Voila. Sputters to life. Stays alive. Gas pedal down, roars to life. O.k. looking good. Let her idle for some time, collect myself and give some thought that I might actually have to live up to my end of the deal with the almighty. Into gear and away I go. Not climb the mountain or rip around at full speed but into gear and drive around a bit. No noticeable issue, not sputtering, choking or stalling. Rattles like she always has.
Phew, I think. Into the garage she goes.
Now with a few days and 1,200 miles in between, wondering. Have I done any long term damage? Aside from the pretty damn obvious "be more careful", "get a better fuel management system", "use a siphon pump you could've really hurt yourself" etc. I'm putting this out there to those mechanically inclined for your opinion about the long term damage thing.
Thoughts please and if you could be gentle about it that'd be appreciated too
So, here I am at my vacation home, family loaded up for a little spring drive around the forest to see what's what in my adopted state of Idaho. Moving at the speed of a herd of turtles we get the jackets, water bottles, hats and gloves, snacks and a bunch of other random needed items for our afternoon outing.
Key goes in, starts right up, put in gear, gas pedal down, sputter die. Hmmm. Repeat same except now engine sounds "funny" as my wife put it. Couple more tries, nope, we're not going anywhere. Insert string of favorite expletives most of which I let spew forth.
Go back through my head of the pre-flight checklist...oil level checked, yep, good. Just for grins check again, still good. Added gas this morning since it was low so not out of gas, scratch head. Ran fine yesterday, scratch head more. Insert slightly more creative string of expletives, only some of which did I vocalize.
Everyone back inside, alternative plan for afternoon developed which no longer includes wandering off into the hills. Start thinking about remediation of the issue which is absolutely complicated by the fact that I live 1,200 miles away and I'm leaving the next morning. Spend afternoon in a daze, can't really connect, still sorting what's going on. Old gas I tell myself, perhaps it's just old gas. Afternoon turns to evening. Neighbor wanders in to help an apparent over stock situation in our wine cabinet. After a couple of glasses he weighs in that his machine, an ancient Honda atv, did the same thing, says something about fuel lines and having to address an issue in the carburetor. He's mechanical, I'm not. Having relieved us of the burden of an "extra" bottle of Merlot he wanders home.
Then it hits me. Like a ton of bricks. Like "realizing when unloading the truck that oh my god I left all my fishing reels in my reel bag on the public dock" feeling. Yes I did that. Remember my thread subject line. What if that wasn't gas in that gas can? What if it was diesel? Could I have done that? Could I have found yet another level of stupid. Am I really "that guy"? So out to the garage I go hoping against hope that under that grime on the can there wasn't a big "D" in sharpie. And then, there it was, faded, smudged, but there. D. Oh s***. I put diesel into my purdy, still shiny, barely even broken in, and oh so fun Honda. About 2 gallons worth. Insert full, ripping, and even more creative string of expletives, _fully_ vocalized.
Immediately grab a hose and can and throw myself onto the dirt next to the family's workhorse and spit, choke and eventually siphon the tank as empty as I could get it. Carcinogens be damned, there wasn't any way to stop me. I was in full froth.
In goes, clean, beautiful fresh gas. Verified fresh.
Here goes, key in, start baby, start. Nope.
Some sort of vague promise that I'll be good and never ever do things that I shouldn't, call to the almighty. Please oh please just start.
Voila. Sputters to life. Stays alive. Gas pedal down, roars to life. O.k. looking good. Let her idle for some time, collect myself and give some thought that I might actually have to live up to my end of the deal with the almighty. Into gear and away I go. Not climb the mountain or rip around at full speed but into gear and drive around a bit. No noticeable issue, not sputtering, choking or stalling. Rattles like she always has.
Phew, I think. Into the garage she goes.
Now with a few days and 1,200 miles in between, wondering. Have I done any long term damage? Aside from the pretty damn obvious "be more careful", "get a better fuel management system", "use a siphon pump you could've really hurt yourself" etc. I'm putting this out there to those mechanically inclined for your opinion about the long term damage thing.
Thoughts please and if you could be gentle about it that'd be appreciated too
