Petrol in a diesel engine, lesson learned

[discipleofsketch]

I thought i'd share an expensive lesson in believing everything you read on an internet forum! Yesterday morning in a pre-coffee haze, I accidentally put 20 litres of unleaded in my diesel T25. Having read on numerous websites that a bit of petrol in an old diesel engine is ok, even "vw used to recommend 25% petrol in canada to stop diesel freezing", I decided to fill it to the brim with diesel and carry on, with the intention of brimming it every 50 miles or so to gradually dilute it. After a few miles the engine was still running fine on this 20/30 petrol/ diesel mix. Possibly a bit under power, but difficult to tell in my asthmatic old bus. 10 miles later, still running and ticking over fine. After a short stop it was reluctant to start, but once running it felt fine again so carried on. After a longer stop it just refused to start and a few minutes and numerous attempts later, my strong starter battery was all but dead. It was dark and hammering it down with rain, I didn't have any spare diesel or know what to do with 50 litres of petrol/diesel mix if I decided to drain the tank, I was in the middle of nowhere, so I wimped out and called the AA.



So they gave me a lift home. This morning I had the tank drained, and fuel lines flushed. I paid for this because with the van parked down the street, I still haven't got any means of storing 50 litres of drained fuel, or the tools to syphon the fuel line through. The engine still refused to start so injectors were bled (at least I learned something by watching this process), and eventually it coughed back into life. So I got away with it, with just a damaged wallet, due to fact that I have an old mechanical diesel that is fairly forgiving.

So anyway, not that I intend to mis-fuel again, if I ever do, i'm going to syphon the tank before I start the engine!

[New Kentish Campers]

Just a thought but it might be a good idea to put an additive in your fresh fuel to give you better lube back in the pump as diesel, being an oil, lubes the pump whereas the old petrol mix could still harm it.

[MidLifeCrisis]

What did you tell the AA chap when he arrived?
(They don't usually assist when it's a 'user error' breakdown without taking some cash!!)

[billy739]

do you still have the fuel to dispose of?

[discipleofsketch]

Just a thought but it might be a good idea to put an additive in your fresh fuel to give you better lube back in the pump as diesel, being an oil, lubes the pump whereas the old petrol mix could still harm it.

Yep additive was added as part of the flush process - hopefully after a good run there will be no traces of petrol left.

[discipleofsketch]

What did you tell the AA chap when he arrived?
(They don't usually assist when it's a 'user error' breakdown without taking some cash!!)

I'd confessed - the lift home on a truck was free, but possibly because i'd already agreed to pay for AA fuel assist the following day!

[discipleofsketch]

do you still have the fuel to dispose of?

Nope - the AA fuel assist van had a 300 litre tank, and they dispose of it as part of the service.

[billy739]

no probs.

you can put it back in the diesel say a litre every time you fill the tank no problem.

[gary1998]

i did this in a company (ford) connect from fuel light on to full
i had it towed home rang garage it was leased from they said 200 euro to sort it
i say "frell" that i pulled off fuel line drained all petrol pushed van down the road filled
up on diesel never flushed lines or even changed filters van drove perfect

[discipleofsketch]

i did this in a company (. .) connect from fuel light on to full
i had it towed home rang garage it was leased from they said 200 euro to sort it
i say "frell" that i pulled off fuel line drained all petrol pushed van down the road filled
up on diesel never flushed lines or even changed filters van drove perfect

I take it you didn't have a 50 litre drum lying around to drain that petrol into

[gary1998]

i did this in a company (. .) connect from fuel light on to full
i had it towed home rang garage it was leased from they said 200 euro to sort it
i say "frell" that i pulled off fuel line drained all petrol pushed van down the road filled
up on diesel never flushed lines or even changed filters van drove perfect

I take it you didn't have a 50 litre drum lying around to drain that petrol into

no i did it in field belonging to father in law since it was full of scrap engines and rotting trucks

[ELVIS]

For future reference.

Old/cheap/scrap yard electric pump with a few metres of fuel hose.

Pull off line from filter or suitable one in engine bag depending on car.

Hook up pump to mates car/van/old battery.

Replace filter, refill.

Couple of 25l drums begged/stolen/borrowed from local trading estate/garage. Take it down the local recycling centre and hoy it in the big oil recycling bin.

[Ian and Lins]

Slight hijack; were flogging Lindsay's Skoda Fabia on fleabay as Spares or repair. It's got about £20 of petrol in it. Any ideas how we could (easily) get it out?