Is Diesel Spillage on Car Tires Dangerous?

[Tosh5457]

Before I started putting it in the reservoir, some fuel came out to the exterior part of the reservoir, and some of it even spilled on the door and the tire. And that tire is flat, because it loses the pressure in some days, so maybe some diesel fuel even went inside it. Is it dangerous to leave it like that and ride the car?

Sorry for my english, it gets difficult when I have to use technical terms...

 

[rhody]

Tosh,

I assume you live somewhere oversea's and not in the US. Diesel and gas pumps have different size diameter filler's. This is for a reason, so that by mistake you can't put gas in a diesel engine or vice versa. If you tried to put diesel in a gas engine and it spilled everywhere, count yourself lucky, no harm done, other than some spilled diesel and smelly shoes, clothes. This is the case right ?

Rhody...

 

[xxChrisxx]

No getting diesel on your car is not dangerous.

I'm surprised you are worried about that, when you have a tyre that goes flat in a few days.

Priorities.

 

[FlexGunship]

Refined petroleum fuels can deteriorate the clear coat on a car quickly causing a permanent stain. I recommend a car wash if any got on the paint.

Fix the tire.

 

[DoggerDan]

Tosh,

I assume you live somewhere oversea's and not in the US. Diesel and gas pumps have different size diameter filler's. This is for a reason, so that by mistake you can't put gas in a diesel engine or vice versa.

Actually, you can easily put gas in the tank of a diesel engine. I've done so many times, while traveling up north, as it helps keep the diesel from gelling. I'm careful not to put more than about 10% in there.

As for the OP - car wash. Better to use the wand and spray it. If you're concerned that diesel got inside the tire somehow, I'd take it to a garage who can remove it and inspect it. You can clean it out yourself with U-wash wand. Just rinse thoroughly in clean water and let dry before having it remounted.

It won't, however, blow up on your. There's neither enough temperature nor pressure in a tire for that to happen with diesel. Gasoline would be a different story!

 

[Proton Soup]

it's unlikely the tire ever goes completely flat. the seal must be mostly good, or it would never hold air well enough to drive short distances. in any case, it will just leak back out. :)

 

[oliviajane]

The diesel will evaporate. Check your tire valve.

 

[Nihilist]

There is no diesel on the inside of the tire, getting it inspected is a waste of time.

I would be concerned about diesel getting onto the surface of the tread, in wet conditions the grip can be reduced to just as bad as driving on ice. Can be scrubbed off with soapy water easily. Not a huge problem in cars but if you're on a motorcycle it can be lethal so I'd take a lot of care if you ever ride through a spill on a road / at a station.

The diesel will evaporate. Check your tire valve.

In cold weather it won't, not very quickly anyway. If the tire is going flat it is most likely a slow puncture.