Put unleaded petrol in my diesel car

xxxpinkladyxxx

I know, what an idiot. My defence, not had the car long, and I've always driven unleaded prior to this.

So I left the petrol station and drove about 18 or so miles before I noticed the car was starting to lose power in 6th gear. I was on the motorway at the time and decided to pull over, then remembered (yes, it took me that long) that I'd put unleaded into my diesel car.

Called the RAC. Sitting on the verge of the motorway with 2 young kids for about 2 hours. It was one big !!!! up from start to finish, as they couldn't find a van that could accommodate me and my 2 children. In the end, I called my brother who came and towed us off.

My brother is pretty good with cars and he said that he was surprised it was still driving for that long. He said that he can syphon the petrol out and he's pretty confident it should be fine.

Do you think that's right, or have I just destroyed my car? Literally know nothing about cars, only just about know how to pop the bonnet. The car is a Nissan qashqai, 2012 model, and it had about a quarter of a tank of diesel before I filled it with £50's worth of unleaded.

Today is a bad day, and what a way to start the new year. I can only hope that the rest of this year doesn't go as bad as it started.

missile

You are not the first to make this mistake.
It is better putting petrol in a diesel than diesel in petrol car. It should be OK.
Syphon out as much as you (or rather your brother LOL) can, fill with diesel and hopefully you will be OK.

TherealMandM

missile wrote: »

You are not the first to make this mistake.
[STRIKE]It is better putting petrol in a diesel than diesel in petrol car[/STRIKE]. It should be OK.
Syphon out as much as you (or rather your brother LOL) can, fill with diesel and hopefully you will be OK.

pretty sure that is the wrong way around.

What happens when petrol is put in a diesel car

Petrol nozzles can easily fit into most modern diesel filter necks. This makes it far easier to make the mistake of putting petrol into a diesel tank, than vice versa. More importantly, putting petrol into a diesel tank causes more damage.

That’s because diesel acts as a lubricant, helping the fuel pump to do its job. Petrol, on the other hand, causes the reverse to happen: it actually increases friction between parts in the diesel engine. And that’s never good news for an engine. So the more petrol that gets pumped through your diesel fuel system, the more damage it will do.

Common rail (or HDi) diesel engines are particularly susceptible to damage from misfuelling. If the damage is extensive, you could be looking at new fuel pumps, injectors, pipes, filters, fuel tank – or even a whole new replacement engine.

What happens when diesel is put in a petrol car

The diesel pump nozzle is physically larger than most petrol filler necks, making it a far less common occurrence than petrol being put in a diesel car. Plus, the consequences of putting diesel in a petrol engine are generally not as severe.

Diesel and petrol are ignited by two completely different methods. Diesel has to be compressed to ignite. Petrol, on the other hand, is ignited by a spark generated by the spark plugs. When diesel is put inside a petrol engine, the most common result is that it clogs up the spark plugs and fuel system — meaning the car simply won’t start.

A real pain. But all in all, not as serious as the permanent diesel engine damage that petrol can cause.

AdrianC

missile wrote: »

It is better putting petrol in a diesel than diesel in petrol car.

No, it really isn't. Not in a vaguely-modern common-rail diesel like the OPs.

Common-rail diesels use huge pressures for the injection - 1,500psi upwards. That requires VERY close tolerances in the pump, which relies on the diesel fuel for lubrication. After a petrol-in-diesel misfuel, most manufacturers would void the warranty unless the entire fuel system is replaced, simply because of the risk of expensive ongoing problems.



Having said that, the chances are that it will not be a problem are reasonably high - although a lot lower than if you'd not just driven nearly 20 miles... But just at the very minimum, you want to drop the tank to clean it out properly, flush all the fuel lines through, and replace the fuel filter.

xxxpinkladyxxx

matmidgley wrote: »

pretty sure that is the wrong way around.

What happens when petrol is put in a diesel car

Petrol nozzles can easily fit into most modern diesel filter necks. This makes it far easier to make the mistake of putting petrol into a diesel tank, than vice versa. More importantly, putting petrol into a diesel tank causes more damage.

That’s because diesel acts as a lubricant, helping the fuel pump to do its job. Petrol, on the other hand, causes the reverse to happen: it actually increases friction between parts in the diesel engine. And that’s never good news for an engine. So the more petrol that gets pumped through your diesel fuel system, the more damage it will do.

Common rail (or HDi) diesel engines are particularly susceptible to damage from misfuelling. If the damage is extensive, you could be looking at new fuel pumps, injectors, pipes, filters, fuel tank – or even a whole new replacement engine.

What happens when diesel is put in a petrol car

The diesel pump nozzle is physically larger than most petrol filler necks, making it a far less common occurrence than petrol being put in a diesel car. Plus, the consequences of putting diesel in a petrol engine are generally not as severe.

Diesel and petrol are ignited by two completely different methods. Diesel has to be compressed to ignite. Petrol, on the other hand, is ignited by a spark generated by the spark plugs. When diesel is put inside a petrol engine, the most common result is that it clogs up the spark plugs and fuel system — meaning the car simply won’t start.

A real pain. But all in all, not as serious as the permanent diesel engine damage that petrol can cause.

Thanks for the replies.

I did read what you've quoted actually, but everywhere else online seemed to suggest the opposite, as in it's better to put petrol in a diesel than the other way round. I guess I'll find out soon enough.

agrinnall

Having never done it (touch wood!) I have had no need to investigate, but it makes sense to me that if the nozzles allow petrol to be pumped into a diesel tank but not the other way round then that would be because it is the less damaging error.

AdrianC

The nozzles on petrol and diesel pumps used to be the same size. Petrol went to smaller diameter nozzles with the introduction of unleaded in the late 80s, because leaded fuel is very, very bad for catalytic converters. Catalysed cars have a restriction in the filler neck to not allow the larger leaded-fuel nozzles to be inserted.

TherealMandM

xxxpinkladyxxx wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.

I did read what you've quoted actually, but everywhere else online seemed to suggest the opposite, as in it's better to put petrol in a diesel than the other way round. I guess I'll find out soon enough.

I do not know where your reading the opposite

https://www.rac.co.uk/breakdown-cover/wrong-fuel-recovery/petrol-in-a-diesel-car
https://www.theaa.com/breakdown-cover/advice/wrong-fuel-advice
https://www.whocanfixmycar.com/blog/wrong-fuel-happens-i-put-petrol-diesel-car/
http://www.autofuelfix.com/blog/petrol-in-a-diesel-car-guide-and-videos
http://blog.greenflag.com/2018/misfuelling-put-petrol-diesel-car/
https://www.dieselhead.co.uk/the-great-misfuel-or-misfuelling-debate/faqs/

Thats just the first links that come up in search.

Diesel fuel pumps are pretty expensive compared to petrol

maninthestreet

You may find it difficult to siphon out the petrol, as many modern cars have an anti-siphon device fitted.

parking_question_chap

Seems like everybody is an expert.

OP please report back with the outcome.

missile

parking_question_chap wrote: »

Seems like everybody is an expert.

OP please report back with the outcome.

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: