bugger bugger bugger advice needed

[muppet2000]

i let my elise get low on fuel today and then it wouldnt start later.

it is an absolute nightmare to try and fill up using a petrol can as the flap is so low so i used a biro to poke it open whilst i poured the petrol in.....

half the biro snapped off and is now floating in my fuel tank. can this block anything and is there anything i can do apart from keeping the tank as full as poss.

yes i am a knob

have i ruined my car?

[Matt_964]

guessing its the same as most cars, so no it wont get sucked into the fuel system, its may however damage the float assembly... but not knowing the intricacies of a Lotus, I can't say for sure...

[jondude]

I wouldn't worry....most fuel tanks have a filter in them but the biro will probably float around rather than sink, anyhow.If irt does head south, the fliter will stop it.

You will no doubt worry about this for a few miles, then less,,,,then forget it.

[The Riddler]

Wouldnt it be too thick to get down the fuel lines anyway? Worse it can do it somehow end up wedged in the sender assembly.

I wouldnt worry too much!

[CMB123]

Don't want to worry you unduly. Don't forget that some plastics "melt" in petrol to form a gumlike susbstance, as petrol is a solvent to some plastics. Want to test it out by putting a biro in a jar of petrol. Personally I would not take the chance and get someone to drain the system for you for piece of mind.

[kazste]

Very slight chance this may work but what about a magnet on a string to try and get the metal nib and pull out?

[Mr_C]

kazste said:

Very slight chance this may work but what about a magnet on a string to try and get the metal nib and pull out?

Judging by his previous luck the magnet would fall off and he'd have to fish that out too...

[Gooby]

I would leave it - the only problem may be blue staining in he fuel for a short while. I would have endless fun in he bends seeing if I could hear it!
Isnt the tank baffled? Surely it would just get caught in a baffle....

[MadProf]

Got to agree with Gooby,leave it,modern fuel filters are designed to filter out the smallest microns of crap that enter the system a biro ain't gonna get past the filter.As far as the fuel melting plastics,modern fuel is far less corrosive than it used to be,so don't worry,but I know you will.

[Gooby]

MadProf said:

Got to agree with Gooby,leave it,modern fuel filters are designed to filter out the smallest microns of crap that enter the system a biro ain't gonna get past the filter.As far as the fuel melting plastics,modern fuel is far less corrosive than it used to be,so don't worry,but I know you will.

If the fuel dissolves the biro - so what? I will simply burn with the rest of it, all oil derrivatives.

[John D.]

Mr_C said:

kazste said:

Very slight chance this may work but what about a magnet on a string to try and get the metal nib and pull out?

Judging by his previous luck the magnet would fall off and he'd have to fish that out too...

Then he'd have to get a fishing hook....

[Gooby]

John D. said:

Mr_C said:

kazste said:

Very slight chance this may work but what about a magnet on a string to try and get the metal nib and pull out?

Judging by his previous luck the magnet would fall off and he'd have to fish that out too...

Then he'd have to get a fishing hook....

.... there was a woman who swalowed a fly ....

[Mr_C]

Gooby said:

John D. said:

Mr_C said:

kazste said:

Very slight chance this may work but what about a magnet on a string to try and get the metal nib and pull out?

Judging by his previous luck the magnet would fall off and he'd have to fish that out too...

Then he'd have to get a fishing hook....

.... there was a woman who swalowed a fly ....

Perhaps she'll die?

[bebee]

and the bloody pens I've had!! There's never a pen around when you need one.

I can't see there being a problem, the biro will be big enough to stay in the tank but the ink may stain your fuel for a while. Write that down before..........oh you can't

[kevcomdude]

Could you not take the passenger seat out, unbolt the fuel pump behind it in the floor and fish for the pen in the fuel tank?