Why a few litres of petrol matter to a diesel
Diesel lubricates as it flows: the high-pressure fuel pump and injectors are built to run in it. Petrol is a solvent. It washes that film away, and metal starts to wear on metal.
The less the engine has run, the less there is to put right. That’s why the first thing we’ll ask is whether you’ve started it.
Signs you’ve already driven on it
- Knocking from the engine
- More exhaust smoke than usual
- Loss of power or juddering
- Warning lights, or the engine cutting out
How we get the petrol out
Usually 30 to 40 minutes once we’re with you.
Drain
Spark-free suction equipment draws the petrol and diesel mix out of the tank.
Flush
The fuel lines are flushed so no petrol is left to reach the pump.
Refuel and prime
Fresh diesel 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 petrol in a diesel
I only put in a litre or two. Is it still a problem?
It can be. If in doubt, leave it off and call: a drain is far quicker and cheaper than a new fuel pump.
I’ve driven off. What now?
Pull over as soon as it’s safe, switch off and leave it off. Call us with where you are and how far you went, and we’ll tell you what we can do.
How much does petrol in a diesel 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}}Petrol in your diesel? Keep it off and call.
Tell us where the car is and roughly how much petrol went in. We’ll be on our way.
07904 731886- Open24 hours, 7 days a week
- CoveringIpswich, Stowmarket, Bury St Edmunds and across Suffolk
- Emailwrongfuelincarrescuesuffolk@gmail.com