Ford solves mis-fuelling problem
Never pour petrol in your turbo-diesel again
Ford Mondeo TDCI: diesel-only
Petrol and diesel fuels are sold next to each other from look-alike pumps, often four to six in a row. Mis-fuelling is easy, since the unleaded petrol nozzles are narrower than the diesel fillers. But today's modern diesel engines, with their sophisticated high pressure injection systems, typically have a low tolerance for mis-fuelling. It can cause damage to the fuel pump, the high-pressure injection system, as well as other serious engine problems. Even after a short driving distance, parts of the fuel pump may seize, requiring parts or the total injection system to be replaced.
It's a problem that affects hundreds of thousands of people in Europe each year. With the European diesel market growing – approximately 50 percent of Ford's car sales in Europe have diesel engines – mis-fuelling is an ever increasing problem. In Great Britain, for example, where diesel fuelled family cars are relatively new, the AA reported 43,000 breakdowns as a result of an estimated 120,000 cases of mis-fuelling in 2003, with approximately the same proportion expected for the following years.
Other European countries, such as Germany and France, have a longer tradition of diesel powered cars and a somewhat lower proportion of mis-fuelling. But, as has been indicated by auto industry trade magazines, mis-fuelling happens to very experienced drivers as well. Depending on the amount of damage sustained, engine repairs can cost from €120 to €4,000-€5,000 (up to about £3,000).
Easy Fuel
Ford's solution -- which it has patented -- is Easy Fuel, a device that prevents a thinner, unleaded petrol nozzle from being inserted into a car with a diesel engine. The mis-fuelling inhibitor consists of a sealed filler pipe insert and fuel nozzle locator that guides the nozzle to the tank opening. The insert contains a mechanically operated diameter detector which only allows the larger diesel fuel nozzle to be inserted into the filler pipe, and locks out the thinner gasoline nozzles. The system will begin appearing on Ford vehicles within two years following final testing.
Autocar presented the Easy Fuel system with its “Idea Of The Year Award” earlier this month. Autocar Editor Rob Aherne said: “If simplicity is the essence of a great invention then Ford’s Easy Fuel Concept must be one of the best. It has the potential to prevent the inconvenience and expensive repair bills associated with filling a diesel car with petrol. We think it is ingeniously designed and a worthy winner of the Autocar idea of the year.”
On collecting the award, Ford's Buro said: “We are delighted to accept this Autocar Award. We at Ford are keen to make motoring as problem free as we can by constantly evolving our product design and integrating ideas such as the Easy Fuel Concept.”
It seems likely that other car makers will follow suit...
Surely someone mis-filling their tank is not covered under warranty!
I always wonder whether people who can't work out which pump to use, along with all those drivers I see who have not shut their door properly, or have left their wipers or fog lights on, should actually be allowed on the road with the rest of us. Under any circumstances surely they could be driven off the road - metaphorically speaking - for not not showing due care and attention...
Hendry said:
Surely someone mis-filling their tank is not covered under warranty!
I always wonder whether people who can't work out which pump to use, along with all those drivers I see who have not shut their door properly, or have left their wipers or fog lights on, should actually be allowed on the road with the rest of us. Under any circumstances surely they could be driven off the road - metaphorically speaking - for not not showing due care and attention...
I guess you never make a mistake then? I'm a petrolhead who has been driving for over 30 years and I did it to my new company car (diesel) both my other cars are petrol. Don't worry it was a costly mistake and it won't happen again so you don't need to run me off the road yet
....AA called, garage did their stuff £276 later all was well. Company said I should pay, I argued this genuiune mistake, and the company paid - clearly not happy they sent out a memo to all company car/van staff that they will be personally responsible if they fill their cars with the wrong fuel. I resigned from the company and gave the car back last week sounding like a complete bag of bones at 40K miles and cutting out terribly in the morinings....aah shame
apache said:
Surely someone mis-filling their tank is not covered under warranty!
I always wonder whether people who can't work out which pump to use, along with all those drivers I see who have not shut their door properly, or have left their wipers or fog lights on, should actually be allowed on the road with the rest of us. Under any circumstances surely they could be driven off the road - metaphorically speaking - for not not showing due care and attention...
I guess you never make a mistake then? I'm a petrolhead who has been driving for over 30 years and I did it to my new company car (diesel) both my other cars are petrol. Don't worry it was a costly mistake and it won't happen again so you don't need to run me off the road yet
I've done it once, diesel only car, so no excuse. Was filling up at Texaco (rare for me, and their pumps are red, yellow and green and blue etc, daft), and I went from reserve and brimmed it with petrol.
Stalled 6 miles later, ooops, and was so sure it was diesel. Checked receipt, petrol, hmmm, went back to petrol station later, looked at pump, petrol.... I was so sure it was damn diesel.
I believe at the time I was having a bad week. I made several mistakes that week, such as KNOWING 100% I'd put something in my CD multichanger, and it wasn't in there at all, as well as putting some sugar in tea, but it wasn't actually in there for the whole family! Weird, I thought that week I honestly was going mad
Dave
ridds said:
Indeed but how do you prove or disprove it? They get it wrong get the problem sorted then 6 months later the fuel pump goes bang.
Can you see Mr. Ford Dealer sitting there arms folded...
"I'm not paying, you put petrol in it."
Doesn't tend to go down too well with your customers.
Matt this is a suprising comment (but not the first time) coming from someone who works not only in the industry but someone who also worked briefly at Daggenham.
It wouldn't be six months later, the pump would SEIZE. The diesel acts as a lubricant, petrol can't.
It won't take much to determine WHY and HOW a seizure occured....
Should you be driving in this condition? A friend of mine was pulled for speeding at 11.35am after a night out and just scraped in on the breath test, he is very careful now how much he drinks in the week when he needs the car for work next morning.
)and I told her to fill the tank with diesel. I drove gently and refilled again as soon as the tank was 3/4 down, and did this several times. Apart from difficulty when hot starting, I could detect no long term ill effects, I suppose I was just lucky (or is it because old VAG tdi engines as tough as old boots?).
SS7
ridds said:
Indeed but how do you prove or disprove it? They get it wrong get the problem sorted then 6 months later the fuel pump goes bang.
Can you see Mr. Ford Dealer sitting there arms folded...
"I'm not paying, you put petrol in it."
Doesn't tend to go down too well with your customers.
Matt this is a suprising comment (but not the first time) coming from someone who works not only in the industry but someone who also worked briefly at Daggenham.
It wouldn't be six months later, the pump would SEIZE. The diesel acts as a lubricant, petrol can't.
It won't take much to determine WHY and HOW a seizure occured....
...stuff...
May be you're right, I don't know how Ford/dealerships opperate.
I inavertently buggered up an electric Bosch fuel pump once a simple roller cell one(for an injected SI engine) years ago, and sent it back to Bosch as "faulty"- they sent it back disected (and now useless) and told me that a foreign body had entered it and ruined it (the foreign body was a piece of rubber hose). I was astounded at how thorough they were...
I wasn't too thrilled to say the least. I was especially peeved that the owners of the station had incorrectly fitted the green hose to the diesel pump...wouldn't have been a problem if the restrictor had been fitted though.
Hendry said:
I always wonder whether people who can't work out which pump to use, along with all those drivers I see who have not shut their door properly, or have left their wipers or fog lights on, should actually be allowed on the road with the rest of us. Under any circumstances surely they could be driven off the road - metaphorically speaking - for not not showing due care and attention...
I whole heartedly agree. My daily drive is a Golf diesel. When I get to the forecourt, I need to remember which side of the car the filler is on and to take my ignition key to unlock the filler cap. If I can do all this, I can certainly remember that it runs on slow horrible stuff. Conversely the Lotus is easy, one filler flap either side of the car and remote release from inside the cabin. There are no viable excuses for doing this except you're not thinking about what you're doing.
hammerwerfer said:
I wasn't too thrilled to say the least. I was especially peeved that the owners of the station had incorrectly fitted the green hose to the diesel pump...wouldn't have been a problem if the restrictor had been fitted though.
surely you could have had some form of compo from them? if it wasnt labelled diesel?
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