Petrol in a diesel car ~ best solution?
Discussion
Help please.
7.5 litres of PETROL put into a 2002 Mk4 Astra 1.7 Turbo Diesel Estate.
Not by me... but anyway.
It has NOT been started or driven.
I had it towed to a (closed) garage, after being unable to syphon from it - and after refusing the AAs £200 "fuel removal" service. As it seemed insane, seeing as I already pay them to recover me.
Questions:
Is 7.5 litres enough to just brim it (no idea on tank volume) and get by?
Is there an easy way to drain the tank?
Is it likely to have done any damage?
Help
7.5 litres of PETROL put into a 2002 Mk4 Astra 1.7 Turbo Diesel Estate.
Not by me... but anyway.
It has NOT been started or driven.
I had it towed to a (closed) garage, after being unable to syphon from it - and after refusing the AAs £200 "fuel removal" service. As it seemed insane, seeing as I already pay them to recover me.
Questions:
Is 7.5 litres enough to just brim it (no idea on tank volume) and get by?
Is there an easy way to drain the tank?
Is it likely to have done any damage?
Help
Edited by Gorvid on Sunday 12th December 18:49
tank is probably under the back seats, lift the back seat up and take a look. typically you will need to unplug a couple of electrical connectors, then unscrew the large plastic "nut", this allows you to pull the fuel pump out. then you can simply syphon the tank dry. (this may not be applicable to astra but i have seen loads of cars like this).
Edited by jjones on Sunday 12th December 18:14
joreco said:
If you have only put 7.5 litres into the tank, then fill it with diesel and keep topping it up when it gets to 3/4 tank. It might take a little longer to fire up, but it will be fine and with no damage done.
I remember when I picked up my brand new Fiesta TDCi a few years back. The tank had been filled up to 3/4 full and when I went to pick it up salesman told me when it got to half full fill it up again. Asked why and he said no reason.I of course was wary and sure enough, the next day it broke down coming home from my cousins wedding. So I phoned the RAC out, guy took a look round car and said there was a smell of unleaded from the petrol filler cap..
MondeoMan1981 said:
How big is the tank ?
60 litres ? Means 12.5% petrol ?
Is it a common rail engine that one ?
Hmmm I'd be tempted to run with that one and keep brimming for a while. Then when alls said and done fire in some additives to give the thing a clear out.
I don't know what size the tank is, can't seem to find it anywhere either.60 litres ? Means 12.5% petrol ?
Is it a common rail engine that one ?
Hmmm I'd be tempted to run with that one and keep brimming for a while. Then when alls said and done fire in some additives to give the thing a clear out.
AA suggested 10% was the cut-off figure for b
dising the engine if you run it...Also dont' know if it's common rail, I hate the little berk of a car and never drive / look at it...
Help!
Yes, I'd just fill it, use 1/4 tank refil.
<Is it likely to have caused any damage?> As it hasn't been run, the injection system and pipes are still full of diesel as usual, so you haven't done anything to them, when you fill up and start it, it'll start on the old diesel and then move over to the 10?% petrol mix so it'll never get run on 100% petrol.
<Is it likely to have caused any damage?> As it hasn't been run, the injection system and pipes are still full of diesel as usual, so you haven't done anything to them, when you fill up and start it, it'll start on the old diesel and then move over to the 10?% petrol mix so it'll never get run on 100% petrol.
joreco said:
If you have only put 7.5 litres into the tank, then fill it with diesel and keep topping it up when it gets to 3/4 tank. It might take a little longer to fire up, but it will be fine and with no damage done.
This ^^. It used to be normal in winter to add petrol or parafin to a diesel tank to keep it thin in cold weather, not necessary now in the UK but I'd bet 7 litres isn't enough to damage the pump if you brim it with diesel. Gorvid said:
Busa_Rush said:
I'd bet 7 litres isn't enough to damage the pump if you brim it with diesel.
This is the thing... if it's a bet, I'm not liking the odds of causing ££££££££ of damage by rolling a dice. jagracer said:
Gorvid said:
Busa_Rush said:
I'd bet 7 litres isn't enough to damage the pump if you brim it with diesel.
This is the thing... if it's a bet, I'm not liking the odds of causing ££££££££ of damage by rolling a dice. While you may worry for the next 5 years that your engine will explode wiping out the population of Basingstoke, it really won't.
jagracer said:
Gorvid said:
Busa_Rush said:
I'd bet 7 litres isn't enough to damage the pump if you brim it with diesel.
This is the thing... if it's a bet, I'm not liking the odds of causing ££££££££ of damage by rolling a dice. >Is there an easy way to drain the tank?
>Is it likely to have done any damage?
Edited by Gorvid on Sunday 12th December 19:51
Are you already an AA member or was the £200 quid drainage service that price to new members?
Do you know anyone with 'anycar AA/RAC/Greenflag cover'?
Perhaps you could get them to say they were in the car at the time and see what help they can offer?
My Greenflag policy covers me personally no matter what car I'm in - but perhaps not for mis-fueling, I'll have to check.
Do you know anyone with 'anycar AA/RAC/Greenflag cover'?
Perhaps you could get them to say they were in the car at the time and see what help they can offer?
My Greenflag policy covers me personally no matter what car I'm in - but perhaps not for mis-fueling, I'll have to check.
Gassing Station | General Gassing [Archive] | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff