Petrol in diesel fuel tank - what should I do?
Discussion
twotrees87 said:
hi my wife put 10 gal of petrol in our diesel mondeo there was about 2 gal of diesel left how do i drain the tank safly
It can be done without an electric pump, but it is time consuming and will make your wrist ache (reminds me of something else)
On the lft hand side of the engine, you will find the fuel filter. Two pipes to it, marked with arrows showing direction of flow. Disconnect the pipe (two tille clips to push in, one on each side) and reconnect a short piece of hose leading to the hundreds of cans you ave laying about (or an old pre cat petrol car.
On the top of the filter is a black button. When you press this, fuel will squirt ot of the pipe. Repeat until empty! Once you have replaced the fuel in the tank with fresh diesel, keep pumping until diesel comes out, reconnect the original pipe and keep pumping until there is firm resistance.
You can get away without changing the filter, but it is best to do it asap.
Steve
thanks to towman...no big thanks to towman....just as you said..i removedthe outlet pipe above the filter on the right and fited a pipe ,leading to a large container and pumped for about three hours...thumbs hurting now...better when i took the air filter off...i was a bit woried after 20 min trying to start the engin battry flat....but a friend jump stared for me and after 30 min it finaly sputered to life ...once again many thanks...do you think it has done any permanant damage,seems to be runing lovly now..regards rob
You should be OK, but as I said, get the fuel filter changed. NB. If you are not a competant DIYer, dont try it yourself - the sealing rings can be a real pain. If you absolutely have to, the best way is to remove the filter housing completely (2 nuts) and do it on the bench.
Just like to say that it is really nice that when you give advice, the person actually comes back and says thanks. Sometimes it gets forgotton on here!
Just like to say that it is really nice that when you give advice, the person actually comes back and says thanks. Sometimes it gets forgotton on here!
Hi there,
I did something very similar to this about 4 weeks ago. Hopefully my experiences will prove useful to someone?
I'd owned my 1996 Renault Laguna 2.2 diesel for around one year - then for some strange reason, picked up the wrong nozzle!? I wonder if it was because I was at a petrol station other than the one I usually use - I really don't know what happened - anyway, I put in 3.5 litres before realising my stupidity.
My tank was about 4/5 empty, so I immediatly changed over and continued filling with diesel, before driving home.
Straight away, I logged onto the internet and did a search - and there were so many conflicting recommendations. Hardly any of these were backed up with any experiences or hard facts.
So, since then, I have done about 2500 miles. I used pretty much the full tank of diesel before topping it up each time. I guess there are two schools of thought on whether you should continually top up, or use most of the fuel before topping up. I chose the second as by the time you put your second tank of clean diesel on top of the contaminated, you have diluted it to virtually nothing. If you continually top up your tank, you will end up doing much more mileage with a higher percentage of petrol/diesel - the percentage will take a longer time to fall.
The first couple of tanks I nursed the car. Didn't go over about 1/4 throttle, didn't go over 65-70mph - just took it quietly, trying not to let things get too hot. There was nothing noticable in the way the car was running, still started and performed like it normally did.
2500 miles on and it's still fine! Hopefully I haven't done any damage, but then the cars only worth £1000 - I thought it was worth the risk.
As an indication, my tank is about 65 litres, so:
Tank 1: 3.5/65= 5.4% (600 miles)
Tank 2: ~1% (700 miles)
Tank 3: <0.1%
Hope this helps anyone in a similar situation!
Danny Blair
1996 Renault RT-D 2.2 (non turbo)
I did something very similar to this about 4 weeks ago. Hopefully my experiences will prove useful to someone?
I'd owned my 1996 Renault Laguna 2.2 diesel for around one year - then for some strange reason, picked up the wrong nozzle!? I wonder if it was because I was at a petrol station other than the one I usually use - I really don't know what happened - anyway, I put in 3.5 litres before realising my stupidity.
My tank was about 4/5 empty, so I immediatly changed over and continued filling with diesel, before driving home.
Straight away, I logged onto the internet and did a search - and there were so many conflicting recommendations. Hardly any of these were backed up with any experiences or hard facts.
So, since then, I have done about 2500 miles. I used pretty much the full tank of diesel before topping it up each time. I guess there are two schools of thought on whether you should continually top up, or use most of the fuel before topping up. I chose the second as by the time you put your second tank of clean diesel on top of the contaminated, you have diluted it to virtually nothing. If you continually top up your tank, you will end up doing much more mileage with a higher percentage of petrol/diesel - the percentage will take a longer time to fall.
The first couple of tanks I nursed the car. Didn't go over about 1/4 throttle, didn't go over 65-70mph - just took it quietly, trying not to let things get too hot. There was nothing noticable in the way the car was running, still started and performed like it normally did.
2500 miles on and it's still fine! Hopefully I haven't done any damage, but then the cars only worth £1000 - I thought it was worth the risk.
As an indication, my tank is about 65 litres, so:
Tank 1: 3.5/65= 5.4% (600 miles)
Tank 2: ~1% (700 miles)
Tank 3: <0.1%
Hope this helps anyone in a similar situation!
Danny Blair
1996 Renault RT-D 2.2 (non turbo)
supergroove said:
I used pretty much the full tank of diesel before topping it up each time. I guess there are two schools of thought on whether you should continually top up, or use most of the fuel before topping up. I chose the second as by the time you put your second tank of clean diesel on top of the contaminated, you have diluted it to virtually nothing. If you continually top up your tank, you will end up doing much more mileage with a higher percentage of petrol/diesel - the percentage will take a longer time to fall.
Perfect displacement vs. perfect mixing 
As has been said, in general, depends how old the car is. The newer the car, the more likely it is to be a fragile overcomplex piece of crap. For high pressure common rail direct injection engines its probably safer (and worth the considerable hassle) to drain.
Older indirect injection engines, dilute and take it easy.
I'd just add that I'd chuck some lubrication oil in (say up to 5%) to compensate for reduced lubricity. 2-stroke oil would probably be best if you can get it because its produced for a rather similar job.
I put diesel in a 1992 petrol Nissan Sunny once, arranged a 20 mile tow home, then discovered that (VERY unusually) the tank had a drain plug. Very convenient. Excellent car.
Older indirect injection engines, dilute and take it easy.
I'd just add that I'd chuck some lubrication oil in (say up to 5%) to compensate for reduced lubricity. 2-stroke oil would probably be best if you can get it because its produced for a rather similar job.
I put diesel in a 1992 petrol Nissan Sunny once, arranged a 20 mile tow home, then discovered that (VERY unusually) the tank had a drain plug. Very convenient. Excellent car.
edlithgow said:
As has been said, in general, depends how old the car is. The newer the car, the more likely it is to be a fragile overcomplex piece of crap. For high pressure common rail direct injection engines its probably safer (and worth the considerable hassle) to drain.
Older indirect injection engines, dilute and take it easy.
I'd just add that I'd chuck some lubrication oil in (say up to 5%) to compensate for reduced lubricity. 2-stroke oil would probably be best if you can get it because its produced for a rather similar job.
I put diesel in a 1992 petrol Nissan Sunny once, arranged a 20 mile tow home, then discovered that (VERY unusually) the tank had a drain plug. Very convenient. Excellent car.
Holy thread resurrection Batman!Older indirect injection engines, dilute and take it easy.
I'd just add that I'd chuck some lubrication oil in (say up to 5%) to compensate for reduced lubricity. 2-stroke oil would probably be best if you can get it because its produced for a rather similar job.
I put diesel in a 1992 petrol Nissan Sunny once, arranged a 20 mile tow home, then discovered that (VERY unusually) the tank had a drain plug. Very convenient. Excellent car.
mikechandler said:
edlithgow said:
As has been said, in general, depends how old the car is. The newer the car, the more likely it is to be a fragile overcomplex piece of crap. For high pressure common rail direct injection engines its probably safer (and worth the considerable hassle) to drain.
Older indirect injection engines, dilute and take it easy.
I'd just add that I'd chuck some lubrication oil in (say up to 5%) to compensate for reduced lubricity. 2-stroke oil would probably be best if you can get it because its produced for a rather similar job.
I put diesel in a 1992 petrol Nissan Sunny once, arranged a 20 mile tow home, then discovered that (VERY unusually) the tank had a drain plug. Very convenient. Excellent car.
Holy thread resurrection Batman!Older indirect injection engines, dilute and take it easy.
I'd just add that I'd chuck some lubrication oil in (say up to 5%) to compensate for reduced lubricity. 2-stroke oil would probably be best if you can get it because its produced for a rather similar job.
I put diesel in a 1992 petrol Nissan Sunny once, arranged a 20 mile tow home, then discovered that (VERY unusually) the tank had a drain plug. Very convenient. Excellent car.
Edited by sniff petrol on Saturday 26th April 12:34
sniff petrol said:
mikechandler said:
edlithgow said:
As has been said, in general, depends how old the car is. The newer the car, the more likely it is to be a fragile overcomplex piece of crap. For high pressure common rail direct injection engines its probably safer (and worth the considerable hassle) to drain.
Older indirect injection engines, dilute and take it easy.
I'd just add that I'd chuck some lubrication oil in (say up to 5%) to compensate for reduced lubricity. 2-stroke oil would probably be best if you can get it because its produced for a rather similar job.
I put diesel in a 1992 petrol Nissan Sunny once, arranged a 20 mile tow home, then discovered that (VERY unusually) the tank had a drain plug. Very convenient. Excellent car.
Holy thread resurrection Batman!Older indirect injection engines, dilute and take it easy.
I'd just add that I'd chuck some lubrication oil in (say up to 5%) to compensate for reduced lubricity. 2-stroke oil would probably be best if you can get it because its produced for a rather similar job.
I put diesel in a 1992 petrol Nissan Sunny once, arranged a 20 mile tow home, then discovered that (VERY unusually) the tank had a drain plug. Very convenient. Excellent car.
Edited by sniff petrol on Saturday 26th April 12:34
Its a thread that won't die as well. Resurrected in 2005 as well.
easyjet123456 said:
Hi,
Ive put aprox 20 litres of Petrol into a diesel car. It will not start. Can I top this up with diesel and run it, or will this cause damage??
Any help would be fantastic!!!
Read the thread!Ive put aprox 20 litres of Petrol into a diesel car. It will not start. Can I top this up with diesel and run it, or will this cause damage??
Any help would be fantastic!!!
Diesel is a lubricant, petrol isn't. 20 litres is, what, a third of a tank?
I'm no expert but I reckon this will screw your car good and proper if it's a modern diesel.
Have you even turned on the ignition (ie primed the diesel pump)? If not, get it drained and you should be OK. If you've tried to start the car...
You've put petrol in it, tried to start it, and discovered it will not run?
What car is it?
If it was my car I would be reasoning that if it was gonna be f
ked at all it would be fked already, and if it wasn't fked already it would be OK. So I would drain the tank and the filter bowl, fill tank and filter bowl with fresh diesel, and see what happens.
What car is it?
If it was my car I would be reasoning that if it was gonna be f
ked at all it would be fked already, and if it wasn't fked already it would be OK. So I would drain the tank and the filter bowl, fill tank and filter bowl with fresh diesel, and see what happens.
Gassing Station | Home Mechanics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff