Put diesel into petrol engine by mistake - please advice

geek84

Hi Folks

My wife owns a Seat Ibiza mark 4 and earlier on today she accidentally put diesel into the petrol engine while filling up at the petrol station. After she drove for about half a mile. and stopped at a set of traffic lights, the car engine cut off and did not start again.

She called out the AA who drained out all the diesel and put in enough petrol to get her home.

She tells me that the chap from the AA made a passing remark saying that it would be a good idea to get the fuel filter changed asap.

Do you think this is as urgent as it sounds, or can I get it changed in the next few weeks, or get away with not having it changed at all !!

Thanks in advance for your responses.

Ranger8

Just brim it with petrol

gilbert_and_sullivan

How on earth did she get the Diesel filler nozzle in?
This is right that its Diesel into a petrol and not the other, more usual, way round?

How did the breakdown chap remove the fuel? if there was danger of foreign material getting in, for example if he removed the sender unit to enable a siphon pipe to be put in, then maybe a new filter might be an idea in a few days, but if he drained in the normal way then i'd not be worried.

geek84

Hi Folk

Many thanks for your replies.

Ranger8 - What do you mean 'brim it with petrol'?

gilbert&sullivan - what do you mean 'if he drained in the normal way?' The AA chap did use a pipe to drain out the diesel but I don't know if he took out the sender unit.

JustinR1979

Good effort!
Fill it with petrol and change the filter, as already stated

gilbert_and_sullivan

geek84 wrote: »

Hi Folk

Many thanks for your replies.

Ranger8 - What do you mean 'brim it with petrol'?

gilbert&sullivan - what do you mean 'if he drained in the normal way?' The AA chap did use a pipe to drain out the diesel but I don't know if he took out the sender unit.

If he's shoved a pipe down the filler neck and siphoned, or disconnected the supply pipe at the filter and sucked it out via a pump, then the chances of foreign objects getting in are remote, if he had to remove the sender and the top of the tank is open to the elements then it would be easy for muck to fall in or get knocked in given the likely restricted access there...i still wouldn't be worried over it mind, the amount if any the current filter would cope with easily.

geek84

Thanks Folks.

gilbert&sullivan - it was definitely diesel in to petrol. I too can't understand how my wife managed to fit in the nozzle. !!

londonTiger

geek84 wrote: »

She tells me that the chap from the AA made a passing remark saying that it would be a good idea to get the fuel filter changed asap.

Do you think this is as urgent as it sounds, or can I get it changed in the next few weeks, or get away with not having it changed at all !!

They are experts.. take their word for it and get the fuel filter changed asap. it's not a big job £10 parts, £20 labour.

londonTiger

geek84 wrote: »

Ranger8 - What do you mean 'brim it with petrol'?

Fill up full tank of petrol so that it dilutes any leftover diesel so there's lower concentration of it therefore less likely to cause harm.

Diesel could potentially clog up the fuel lines and injectors which are costly to replace. Only way to know is to monitor your mpg and performance and see if it changes.

reddwarf2002

I think this would be a perfect time to use some fuel additives e.g. injector cleaners (Wynns, Redex, Cataclean, BG44K etc). It should dilute and clean out any residual diesel.

roddydogs

Is this covered "Free" to AA members, then? I thought it was a £300 drain job.