Petrol in Diesel car fuel tank.

[Le 47]

Hi

I made a big? mistake yesterday when I put about 7 litres of unleaed petrol in my diesel engined car   !

Having noticed that I continued to fill the tank with the normal gazole. The result is a 50 litre tank now consists of about 43 litres of gazole and 7 litres of unleaded petrol - therefore a 15% level of diesel/gazole.  The engine runs OK and I drove it a short distance home. I had it in mind  that my diesel van's handbook suggests adding 10% petrol to the diesel in cold weather conditions.

I am wary of using the car because of risk of damage.Is there a real risk and should I siphon out the fuel or is is going to be OK.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Bill

[Bobbykins]

Hi, I work in a petrol station and for the amount you you put in you should have no problems . For the next 2 or 3 times you use about 10 litres worth of fuel just top itt up and it should dilute it enough.

[BJSLIV]

It depend on whether you have a modern common rail (Hdi ) engine or the older low pressure type. If it is the modern type you will cause accelerated damage to the pumps etc , if it is the older type then you will probably be OK. It used to be a common thing to add petrol during the winter to thin the diesel when things got cold, not a good idea nowadays.

See

http://www.carpages.co.uk/news/mis-fuelling-29-05-05.asp

or

http://www.aatrust.com/files/reports/01022004_misfuelling.pdf

[Le 47]

Hi

A belated thankyou especially for prompt info with links BSJLIV?

Bill

[Brilec]

The other thing you can do is add some ordinary vegetable oil to the mix. A couple of litres should suffice. This has a higher viscosity and excellent lubrication properties, and will help offset the dilution by the petrol.