Silly mistake could cost thousands!

Anon

At least you know you made a mistake and put petrol in a diesel car (I thought they had changed the pump guns so this could not happen? Clearly not). According to the news over the past few days, hundreds if not thousands of motorists have been breaking down having toppped up their petrol from Tescos and Morrisons (due to potentially contaminated fuel).

Anon

peterg1965

I thought that was the case, putting petrol in a diesel is 'better' than the other way around, but i didnt want to contradict the earlier comment, until I had some collateral!

mustrum_ridcully

You're lucky as diesel engines are pretty darn robust and as said will survive having petrol put in them. Older diesel cars (without all the fancy electronics) will happily run on unprocessed veg. oil or even heating oil (kerosene) - just don't let Mr Brown catch you. <anorak on>The diesel engine was actually designed to run on a whole load of fuels including coal dust<anorak off>

If I remember correctly the diesel nozzle is thicker than the unleaded one making it harder to put diesel in a petrol car.

LizD_2

mustrum_ridcully wrote:

You're lucky as diesel engines are pretty darn robust and as said will survive having petrol put in them. Older diesel cars (without all the fancy electronics) will happily run on unprocessed veg. oil or even heating oil (kerosene) - just don't let Mr Brown catch you. <anorak on>The diesel engine was actually designed to run on a whole load of fuels including coal dust<anorak off>

If I remember correctly the diesel nozzle is thicker than the unleaded one making it harder to put diesel in a petrol car.

It's not illegal to run a car on alternative fuels, is it? So long as it's roadworthy?

mustrum_ridcully

It's not illegal so long as you pay the appropriate amount of fuel duty to Mr Brown. Oh yes indeed, just because it doesn't come out of a pump on the garage forecourt doesn't mean you don't have to pay tax on it.

LizD_2

I didn't know that! Thank you for telling me.

rrockettman

I once put 25ltr of petrol in my diesel Fourtrak at Tesco. To compensate I added 45ltr of veg oil and managed to get away with it! The main problem with petrol in a diesel is that it will not lubricate the fuel pump and wrecks it.
Hopefully, as yours shut down after 1/2 mile, it might just flush out.
Do you know anyone in the AA or RAC, etc, who would be covered if they travel in your car? If so, you can get it to the garage.

bunking_off

I always thought that petrol in a diesel car was worse than the other way around. Also, you don't necessarily have to start the car to do damage...e.g. I know my wife's car primes the fuel lines when you put the key in the ignition rather than starting the engine (you can hear the pump).

See this for some info on the dameage that can be done. £200 to me sounds like the cost of draining the system...it depends what other damage has been done as to where the price goes after that.

mustrum_ridcully

^^^ I think it all depends on the type/age of diesel engine. Older diesels will almost certainly survive the petrol. Newer engines (common rail diesel) might well be less tolerant, they're the ones that aren't so happy using pure veg oil or heating oil.

BTW IIRC VW only started changing to using common rail diesel engines last year.

northern_munky

mustrum_ridcully wrote:

^^^ I think it all depends on the type/age of diesel engine. Older diesels will almost certainly survive the petrol. Newer engines (common rail diesel) might well be less tolerant, they're the ones that aren't so happy using pure veg oil or heating oil.

BTW IIRC VW only started changing to using common rail diesel engines last year.

This is true, what car and engine is it, how old? If it's an older diesel then you may get away with it, if it's a common rail diesel then I think you could have a big bill waiting for you.