Can You Use Gas Oil in a Diesel Engine? (And Vice Versa?)

Diesel engine and gas engine are two of the most famous engine types in the automobile world. The automobile products can not survive without a well tuned engine and the engine requires oil to function properly. 

Today, we are going to discuss and find out whether one can use gas oil in a diesel engine and diesel oil in a gas engine.

Can you use gas oil in a diesel engine?

Gas engine oil should not be used in a diesel engine as it can be dangerous for the overall health of the engine. Diesel engines need diesel oil because of its high viscosity which the gas engine oil can not provide. Synthetic diesel engine oil is the best choice for a diesel engine.

Gas engine oil is made with the purpose to be used in gas engines. They are not suitable for the operation of a diesel engine. But in times of emergency, you can use gas engine oil in a diesel engine. 

But using gas oil regularly in a diesel is not recommended by experts as it does more harm than good. 

If you want to keep your diesel engine healthy, then you should only use diesel engine oil in it for optimum performance. Running a diesel engine on gas oil can permanently damage your engine along with reducing the performance gradually.

Diesel engines need high viscosity and low temperature pumpability oil like diesel engine oil. The synthetic diesel engine oil is the best kind of oil for diesel engines for the additives it carries.

Can a diesel engine run on gas oil?

A diesel engine can be run on gas engine oil in emergency situations. But automobile experts suggest that you should stick to the rule of using diesel oil for diesel engines. The diesel oil is known for possessing a higher viscosity than gas engine oil. 

That is why diesel engines are designed with the purpose of handling high viscosity oils like diesel oil. 

The diesel engine will run fine on gas engine oil. But the internal operations and parts of the diesel engine will slowly face problems because of low viscosity gas engine oil. 

If you do not want to cause permanent damage to your diesel engine, you should not keep running it on gas engine oil. 

What happens when you put gas engine oil in a diesel engine?

There are a lot of side effects of using gas engine oil in a diesel engine. Let’s discuss in detail about what happens when you use gas engine oil in a diesel engine.

Starting problem:

Diesel engines are used to dealing with diesel oil. That is why a diesel engine will have a starting problem when you put gas engine oil in it. 

Ignition problem:

The diesel engine will have problems with ignition when you put gas engine oil in it. The internal combustion process will be halted because of that. 

Rough idling:

The diesel engine will start rough idling if you put gas engine oil in it. You will notice a significant drop in the performance of your car.

Engine damage:

The several parts of the engine will be damaged if you continue to run your diesel engine on gas engine oil. 

What is the best oil for a diesel engine?

Diesel engine oil is the best oil for a diesel engine. There is a lot of diesel engine oil available in the market. Diesel engines need oil that possesses a high viscosity and low temperature pumpability. 

There are two types of diesel engine oil and they are traditional diesel engine oil and synthetic diesel engine oil.

Out of these two, synthetic diesel engine oil is the best choice due to its additives. Synthetic diesel engine oil is also more pure than traditional engine oil as it is manufactured. Traditional diesel engine oil is not manufactured which works as a barrier.

Can you use diesel oil in a gas engine?

One should avoid using diesel engine oil in a gas engine. The internal parts of the gas engine such as the fuel pump and the fuel injectors can not function properly if diesel engine oil is put into a gas engine. The gas engine also faces a starting problem because of diesel engine oil.

Diesel engine oil should not be used in a gas engine under normal circumstances. Gas engine needs low viscosity oil like gas engine oil to function accurately. 

If you put high viscosity oil such as diesel engine oil in a gas engine, the gas engine will face great difficulties to perform its actions. 

Another thing about a gas engine is that its parts will over the time become damaged if you keep running it on diesel engine oil. The fuel pump and the fuel injectors of the gas engine get clogged if you run it on a diesel engine. 

Gas engine also faces starting problems because the engine can not send the diesel oil to all the parts  in time due to the high viscosity of the diesel engine oil. Diesel engine oil should only be used in a gas engine if it meets the required specifications and characteristics.

Is it ok to run diesel oil in a gas engine?

It is not okay to run diesel oil in a gas engine, because it is best to run diesel engine oil in a diesel engine and not in a gas engine. A gas engine performs its best when you run it on gas engine oil. 

However, it is possible to use diesel engine oil in a gas engine if the characteristics of the diesel engine oil meet the requirements of the gas engine. 

The list of requirements include the viscosity and the temperature pumpability of the engine oil. If the diesel engine oil you are planning to use in your gas engine meets these requirements, you can certainly use it in the gas engine.  

Can you use 15w40 diesel oil in a gas engine?

15w40 diesel oil is generally used in a diesel engine because of its viscosity and other specifications. But it can also be used in a gas engine because of its versatility. 15w40 diesel oil in a multi grade oil which means it can be used in other types of engine too.

The only problem you will face after using 15w40 diesel oil in a gas engine is that the fuel consumption of your car will increase due to slow processing of the oil. 

The parts of your gas engine will also face some minor damages over time if you keep using 15w40 diesel oil in your gas engine. 

What happens if you put diesel oil in a gas engine?

Using diesel oil in a gas engine can have a lot of side effects. Let’s discuss in detail about what happens if you put diesel oil in a gas engine.

Problem with fuel pump:

If you put diesel engine oil in your gas engine, the fuel pump will be the most affected part of the engine. The fuel pump will have difficulties when it comes to circulating the diesel oil throughout the engine. 

Problem with fuel filter:

The fuel filter will end up getting clogged due to high viscosity of the diesel oil. A clogged up fuel filter will cause serious damage to the engine.

Problem with fuel injectors:

The fuel injectors will also end up getting clogged because of the diesel oil. It will cause engine failure and your gas engine will fail to run for a long time. 

When should someone use diesel oil in their gas engine?

It is not wise to use diesel engine oil in a gas engine. Because the requirements for a gas engine are very different from the characteristics of diesel engine oil. Gas engines do not need a high viscosity oil like diesel engine oil in their system to run. 

However, if your car possesses a modified engine that requires a high viscosity oil like diesel oil, then you can certainly use diesel oil in your gas engine. But you should refrain from using diesel oil in a gas engine under normal circumstances.

What is the best oil for a gas engine?

Synthetic gas engine oil is the best oil for a gas engine. There is also traditional gas engine oil available. But synthetic gas engine oil has a high amount of additives which makes it a good choice for a gas engine. 

Synthetic gas engine oil is good at keeping the parts of your gas engine clean as well. Synthetic gas engine oil is also adaptable to different levels of temperature inside the gas engine. Synthetic gas engine oil can last up to about twenty thousand miles or more.

Final Thoughts

Diesel engine oil should be used in a diesel engine and gas engine oil should be used in a gas engine. It is not wise to substitute one for the other as it can damage the car engine permanently. Experts suggest that a synthetic variety of oil works better in both the engines.