Burning WMO, will 1 pint of brake fluid contaminate 20 gallons

[cleithau]

A friend of mine gave me some WMO which I already filtered and poured in my tank, then he told me he remembered pouring about a pint of DOT 3 brake fluid in with the oil, is this going to mess anything up when its mixed in with 20 gallons of diesel, WMO, WATF?

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

I wouldn't want one micron of brake-fluid in my fuel-tank, no matter how diluted and filtered.

That is exactly why I refuse to use engine oil from shops, garages, and the like; those guys will pour anything in there, on top of Tom, ****, and Harry bringing all kinds of crap from home and dumping it in the barrel.

I see everything from old anti-freeze to dirty diapers dumped in with used oil, none of which I want in my fuel system.


Honestly, were it my truck, I would drain the tank, flush it out, steam-clean the insides, and not pour that stuff back in; fuel is high, but not that high.

 

[tractorman86]

what will brake fluid do?

 

[4x4TruckinGirl]

apparently brake fluid can... eat you're seals, hoses, o-rings and whatnot...... i dont honestly know if one pint in 20 gallons would kill it....... so im not saying either way, but thats all i've found out on the topic...

 

[FordGuy100]

apparently brake fluid can... eat you're seals, hoses, o-rings and whatnot...... i dont honestly know if one pint in 20 gallons would kill it....... so im not saying either way, but thats all i've found out on the topic...

That would be my thinking as well. I know it will take paint off of a body, havent done it to my truck but thats what I hear.

 

[Shadetreemechanic]

I'd dump it in the tank and forget about it, of course I'd dump a dirty diaper in my tank too, if I thought it would burn.

 

[cleithau]

Well its already in the tank, but I haven't run this tank since adding the WMO. It was clean brake fluid, just an old container he didn't want it anymore so into the oil it went.

 

[4x4TruckinGirl]

i guess err if its in there............. give it a whirl? can u dilute it anymore?

 

[cleithau]

Can't dilute it anymore. Anything I could add to make it less corrosive? Lucas Injector Lube or some sort of fuel treatment?

 

[h2odrx]

Can't dilute it anymore. Anything I could add to make it less corrosive? Lucas Injector Lube or some sort of fuel treatment?

I'd try that or more oil

 

[Cheaper Jeeper]

It shoudn't hurt any rubber parts - all the seals in your brake system are made of rubber and it doesn't hurt them any. I think if it were me I'd pump about half of it into the other tank and fill both tanks with fresh diesel.

One pint in 20 gallons is a ratio of 1:160 or 0.625% cut that in half and its less than 1/3 of 1 percent. I don't think there is anything short of battery acid or pure lye that could hurt your engine at that low of a concentration.

I know that the oil recyclers that pick up the oil where I work will take it for recycling with that level of contamination - and they're filtering and selling it for people to burn in their furnaces...

 

[icanfixall]

The solution to polution is dilution but.... When I worked in a chemical refinery we could keep sulfuric acid in a steel tank just as long as it was 99%. Its when the acid is diluted that it will eat steel. It will eat stainless steel when its around 3% in water. I saw it happen once. We ended up using a metal pipe called Carpenter 20. It made stainless look like cheap overseas steel. Sure would be a bummer if it ate every rubber part of your fuel system and injection pump but give it a try and let us know..

 

[lotzagoodstuff]

Brake fluid will swell many rubber materials. I don't know what you can do now that it's in your tank other than keep dilluting it and keep an eye on your seals and return lines.

Good luck and keep your fingers crossed.

 

[69dieselfreak]

id just run it give it a shot
why not expecilly if it is not that much id even give it a shot

 

[Devilish]

Just burn it out! The level of dilution isn't high enough for the brake fluid to cause any damage. I don't think it will soften seals either.
Midnight rider our idi rigs are trash pumps that can burn alot of stuff. That small percentage of brake fluid is nothing to worry about. I was actually wondering last night if the brake fluid is absorbed into the oil.l If so then it can be burned in low concentrations. If not then it probably ends up in the spit bottle.