ok, i know it is a stupid thing to do but in my defense i have two cars and one's unleaded and the other a diesel .. .still stupid thought!!!. last night i started putting in unleaded into my SEAT toledo and then i realised what i was doing after 4 liters... luckly the fuel tank was practically empty - so i was able to top the rest of the tank up with diesel and got in 43 litres of it, so it started up fine and i drove for about 35 mins all the way home in it no problemn. I am just wondering thought am i out of the woods yet or could i still experience problems, i know that unleaded fuel can damage a special seal or ring inside the catalytic convertor... could this still happen or do you think i have put such a small amount in and mixed it in with plenty of diesel that it will be ok? I am going to keep topping the tank up with diesel to continue to dilute the unleaded...
Thanks everyone
2007-03-17 04:36:08 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous in Cars & Transportation ➔ Other - Cars & Transportation
You should phone up a mechanic and check, from what I've heard this can be very bad for your cars engine. Someone did this to my mums car and the garage owner told her to keep topping it up with diesel.
2007-03-17 04:39:30 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is quite common - around 120,000 people a year!
The answer depends on the age of the vehicle and type of engine.
Modern diesels use extremely high injection pressures and the fuel viscosity is critical. Petrol present can result in scarring of pump elements, while seals can be affected by the compounds in petrol. If the car is still under warranty you should check with the franchised dealer regarding the correct remedial action - some manufacturers advise that seals and filters should be renewed even if the engine has not been run.
If it's a modern diesel with common rail or unit injectors and you've added any petrol at all then best advice is that the car shouldn't be started and the tank must be drained - clearly too late now in your case.
If it's a diesel other than common rail or unit injectors then you should drain the tank if you've added more than around 10% (5 litres in a 50 litre tank) of petrol. If you've added less than 10% petrol, then the tank could be topped up with diesel and the car run normally.
So if it's an older engine you'll be OK, a newer one and you might have got away with it though future problems with the diesel pump would not be a surprise.
2007-03-20 06:13:50 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I think it will be alright as long as the unleaded was a small amount and the majority was diesel. As unleaded is an ignition fuel and deisel works by compression it wont do the same damage that would have happened if you had put diesel into a petrol engine. As for the seal or ring i dont know.
~C~
2007-03-17 11:44:59 · answer #3 · answered by canavron 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You did well. The only problem I can think of is that pure petrol would affect the injection pump, since it doesn't have the lubricating qualities of diesel. But it would mix completely with the diesel in that small amount and should be fine.
You would only hurt the catalytic convertor if you ran leaded fuel, because lead poisons the catalyst so it doesn't work anymore. But leaded has been off the market for years now.
2007-03-17 12:33:39 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't worry, farmers used to put a gallon into a tank of diesel in winter to stop it freezing, also my daughter filled the tank of my 205 and after the tank was drained to about half full and the system cleared of the petrol, the car ran on about 50% diesel until I finally filled the tank with diesel again.
2007-03-17 11:47:04 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like you may just have got away with it, but ther is still no guarantee. By the time you get through a tankful of diesel and there are no problems you should be alright. It's a gamble but it is expensive to drain the tank and steam clean and allow to totally dry. Garages would charge anything up to £400 to do this. Good luck.
2007-03-17 11:51:20 · answer #6 · answered by Mac 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You're lucky it wasn't the other way around.
No damage will be done infact a little petrol in a diesel car is a good thing as it cleans out the system.
I've done the same thing with my vans when i've been tired.
The first time I did it I called the AA in a panic, when he arrived he laughed at my mistake but said it wouldn't do any harm.
2007-03-17 14:09:12 · answer #7 · answered by coolkebab 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You should be fine. The percentage of gasoline in there is very low. Actually in america truck drivers sometimes add a similar amount of unleaded to their tanks to prevent the fuel from freezing.
2007-03-17 11:43:26 · answer #8 · answered by michael p 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Considering the ratio, you will probably be okay and have dodged the bullet this time. Do keep adding diesel every time it drops 1/4 tank to keep diluting the unleaded.
2007-03-17 11:40:32 · answer #9 · answered by oklatom 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You shouldn't have driven the car at all as once it gets into the workings of the car it's doing damage.
You need to go to a garage now and see how much damage you have done, you might have been lucky if you hadn't drove it but it's too late now.
2007-03-17 11:39:59 · answer #10 · answered by madamspud 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋