Why diesel and a petrol engine don’t mix
A petrol engine lights its fuel with a spark. Diesel won’t burn that way, so it sits in the cylinders, coats the spark plugs and gums up the injectors.
It’s less common than petrol in a diesel, but it still needs draining before the car is started.
Signs you’ve already driven on it
- Misfiring or rough running
- Thick smoke from the exhaust
- The engine struggling or refusing to start
- Warning lights on the dashboard
How we get the diesel out
Usually 30 to 40 minutes once we’re with you.
Drain
The diesel and petrol mix is drawn out of the tank with spark-free suction equipment.
Flush
The fuel lines are purged so no diesel is left to reach the engine.
Refuel and prime
Fresh petrol goes in and the system is primed, ready to start.
Dispose
The contaminated fuel is taken away and disposed of to Environment Agency rules.
Questions about diesel in a petrol car
Is it as bad as petrol in a diesel?
It is usually less harmful, but an engine run on diesel will misfire and smoke, and can foul its plugs. Keep it off and call.
Can I drive it to a garage instead?
Please don’t: driving pulls the diesel through the fuel system. We come to the car, so it doesn’t need to move.
How much does diesel in a petrol car cost to put right?
Call us and tell us what the car is, what went in and roughly how much, and we’ll talk you through the price.
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{{/text}}Diesel in your petrol car? Call before you start it.
Tell us where the car is and roughly how much went in. We’ll take it from there.
07904 731886- Open24 hours, 7 days a week
- CoveringIpswich, Stowmarket, Bury St Edmunds and across Suffolk
- Emailwrongfuelincarrescuesuffolk@gmail.com