Petrol in Diesel car - The End?

FlagshipDevice

Today my missus decided to put petrol in our diesel Merc. At the time, it was very low on diesel, the fuel light had come on. Luckily the fuel station was only about a mile from where we live. She only realised what she’d done about half a mile from the station when she noticed smoke coming from the back of the car and stopped.  It’s now been taken to a compound and it’ll be worked on soon.

Any mechanics here? I’m assuming parts in the fuel system may need replacing, but all will be covered by insurance. Is the car likely to be ok?

noiseboy72

If you have insurance against mis-fuelling, then just your excess! Not normally too horrific - unless its wrecked the fuel pump, but could also include injectors, fuel filter, booster pump in the tank...

Your missus is one of the 150 000 motorists who do this each year. Petrol into a diesel is not as bad as diesel into a petrol, but in modern engines, it can do a lot of damage I'm afraid.

car-man

From experience, I've never seen a diesel be terminated by filling with petrol.
The good thing is that the car wasn't driven far.
There are a lot of possible failures, including fuel pump, injectors, high pressure pump etc, but usually the system can be drained and refilled with diesel and all could be well.
The last one that I had was a customer who put about £20 of petrol in her Isuzu then rang from Norfolk hoping to get back to Lancashire with the car, I told her to fill the tank with diesel then drive home...the car has been fine since.
Hard to be 100% certain, but I would say that it will be fine.

FlagshipDevice

Thanks for your thoughts gents. Yes, my thoughts are that it was only driven half a mile, so hopefully all will be good. No doubt there are various things that can be used to flush and clean the system, so fingers crossed.

It was only a month ago it had a new MOT, and nearly £500 of new rubber put on it.

Bl4ckGryph0n

If you have insurance than why even be concerned about it. Just let them fix it and enjoy it

I have done this a while ago, but realised what I did at the petrol station. Unfortunately already out 60 litera in it. The fuel station attendants weren’t happy with me as I refused flat out to start my vehicle and move it. I was waiting for a recovery truck. One fuel filter, drain and a new fillup later and the car was fine again.

Swaggga

i think it depends on how far you’ve run the engine because i put petrol in my brothers car a few weeks ago and realised as i was paying, didn’t start the car, got it towed home straight away and got the fuel drained and refilled with diesel, not a single problem since and it’s a fairly new car (2014) and best of all my brother never found out

FlagshipDevice

I can see this rapidly turning into a farce. Here’s an update . . .

The car was taken to a compound yesterday afternoon. Insurance company called me last night informing me their repair network would be in touch in the morning. Sure enough, they called me this morning. All well and good. At this point we could do with some Laurel and Hardy music . . .

When I spoke to the insurance company’s middle man this morning, I told them where I’d like the car to go for repair. That was sorted and I was told I’d get a call from the garage within an hour. An hour came and went. I called the middle man again, just to be asked who I’d like the car to be sent to for repair. Umm - okayyyy. I told them once again and they said, you guessed it, that I’d get a call from them within an hour. Again, an hour passed by.

I then tried calling the garage that it’s being repaired at. The young girl that I spoke to seemingly didn’t know what the hell was going on, and then informed me their system was down. How convenient, I thought. Back on the phone to insurance middle man. I was told the garage had definitely been informed and that they were going to send another email instructing them to pick up the car.

*Hits replay on Laurel and Hardy music*

4.30pm came and went. I knew the garage closed at 5.30pm, so I called them again. Once again, the young woman informed me their system was down and could I contact the insurer’s middle man for an update. At this point I’d run out of toothpicks to stick into my eyes, but I called them.

This time, I was informed the garage had informed them 20 minutes ago that they’d accepted the job. Funny that, given their system was supposedly down. Insurance middle man then informed me that the car was being picked up by them first thing in the morning. We shall see. In any case, the longer the car is left with petrol in the engine, the more it’ll cost the insurance company to repair. You couldn’t make it up.

*Leaves Laurel and Hardy music playing on a loop, for your amusement*

FlagshipDevice

@IronGiant - see what you did there.

dmpzsn

A couple of years ago I put some petrol in my diesel car and realised when I'd put in around 2-3 gallons. Topped up with diesel and away I went, every time I did a run I refilled with diesel to dilute the petrol and never had a problem. The car was around 2 years old.

marksovereign

I did this a few years ago just after I changed from Petrol to diesel and ran it until it stopped!!!! The short answer is dont be fobbed off by your insurance company , my car was a Freelander and I insisted that Landrover did the job. It had a complete new full system which cost £4.5k. The problem is that diesel pumps rely on the diesel to lubricate them and if petrol run through them it ruins the bearings  - the injectors don't like petrol either and it shortens their life dramatically. You can get away with it if you notice before you turn the key but once its in the system its gong to cost to put it right.. Maybe you might be ok if you're running a banger but if its a new car get it sorted properly.