Once again, Dr. Cleetus McFarland puts on his white lab coat to answer the most burning questions in the minds of car enthusiasts worldwide

He recently uploaded a video titled “Can a Diesel Run on Jet Fuel?” If you’re into cars, your first reaction may be: this isn’t going to go well.

The video starts with Cleetus introducing Tyler, the new owner of his old Galaxie with a 12-valve Cummins. Cleeter recalled that they used to abuse the engine with nitrous and all kinds of stuff before selling it. (Click here to see the old video of the Galaxie before they sold it.)

YouTuber Chris Fix even makes an appearance after they pulled out jet fuel from an MD500 helicopter to compare it with diesel fuel. The diesel that they will be using has about 139,000 BTU while the jet fuel has only 135,000 BTU, showing lesser energy in the jet fuel just by a small portion.

“But it’s jet fuel. They’re for jets,” says Cleetus. That’s why they conducted this experiment. To find out which can produce more power on the dyno. But before they start, one of his predictions is that jet fuel will produce more power. Well, after all, jet fuel powers not just helicopters but also military jets.

In the initial test, the diesel delivered a power output of 432 horsepower and a torque of 632 lbs-ft. For the second test, it gave a power output of 511 horsepower and then a torque of 734 lbs-ft. Thanks to diesel’s molecular composition, it allows it to combust efficiently in engines designed for heavy-duty tasks, where high torque at low RPM is important.

On the other hand, jet fuel showed some shocking results. It may not be typically used for land based vehicles but it produced a power output of 442 horsepower and 680 lbs-ft of torque during the initial test. Even if it demonstrated a competitive power output in a diesel engine, its performance was marked by inefficiency and slightly less output compared to diesel, which burned cleaner and delivered smoother performance.

After running a couple of tests, diesel fuel produced more power on the dyno. This confirms diesel’s advantage for torque-heavy applications. Running on jet fuel resulted in more hesitation and smoke, leading them to conclude that while jet fuel is viable, it isn’t ideal for standard diesel engines.

Jet fuel and diesel fuel share the same similarities in terms of derivation because both come from crude oil and possess high energy density that allows them to efficiently power engines. Their differences lie primarily in their chemical compositions and intended applications. Jet fuel is designed for aviation, which functions well at high altitudes and low temperatures, while diesel fuel is used for land-based vehicles that require high torque and fuel efficiency.

The experiment sparked curiosity in automotive circles, encouraging enthusiasts to think outside the box about fuel options and testing the limits of what can be achieved in specialized engine setups, even if jet fuel isn’t the most practical alternative for everyday use. But it’s probably best to leave the experiments to the professionals, or at least YouTubers with the money to fix whatever blows up and capture it on video for our entertainment.