Petrol in a diesel :-(

1770 Views 16 Replies 10 Participants Last post by Woggledog, Dec 28, 2010

Woggledog

Discussion Starter · Dec 26, 2010

In a moment of distraction, trying to ensure I put vpower diesel in my pd130, I filled the thing up from 1/4 to full with vpower petrol :-(

It eventually stopped 8 miles later, resulting in a humbled Paul being towed home by his brother.

Completely drained the (full) tank by taking off the connector to the fuel tank under the rear bench and providing 12volts to the spade connector, having taken off the two fuel lines from the filter.

Have also changed the filter (quite cheap thanks to me bro and his halfords trade card)

The car started after 10 seconds and has just managed a 20 mile roundtrip to manc.

However, it now takes around 3 seconds to start from warm....

I'm guessing the injectors aren't in great shape (it's done 130,000 miles) so any recommendations to injector cleaner?

Any other things I should look for? I realise petrol isn't great for hoses and things, but it wasn't in there for long and it wasn't neat petrol.

Oh, and no smoke, apart from the first 10 seconds

1 - 17 of 17 Posts

GtiVW

· #2 · Dec 26, 2010

I would recommend keep it topped up with diesle for the next 1000 miles and you could try redex I suppose.

But by allowing the car to run until it stopped could've caused muhc more damage than just driving the car to the nearest breakdown point or even leaving it at the petrol garage becuase you may have damaged your fuel pump

14N GTTDI

· #3 · Dec 26, 2010

i wouldn't worry too much it starts and runs ok just keep it topped up for a while an maybe run some cleaner through it.

my boss did a similar thing in an a3 and all audi did was drain the tank flush the lines bleed then away she went no problems since

Ian

Woggledog

Discussion Starter · #4 · Dec 26, 2010

Thanks Ian. The mpg hasn't been affected in any way and it still pulls. Any recommendations on cleaner?

trl

· #5 · Dec 26, 2010

I put 20 litres of unleaded in my Bora just after I bought it. Once I'd realised, I stopped and filled the tank with diesel. As you're experiencing, the Bora took a few seconds to fire up from warm, but ok cold. As soon as the tank was as low as I'd dare let it go, I filled it with diesel and immediately everything was back to normal. I sold the car 100,000 miles later, and no ill effects as far as I could tell. I did put some diesel treatment in, bought it from Halfords, can't remember the name, but it mentioned on the can that it lubricated the pump seals etc.

Nutty

· #6 · Dec 26, 2010

A mate of mine puts a gallon of petrol to a tank full of diesel in these freezing condition in his range rover, does no harm he recons and stops the diesel waxing,

Chris.

· #7 · Dec 26, 2010

Should be fine....keep it well topped up with diesel!

trl

· #8 · Dec 26, 2010

A mate of mine puts a gallon of petrol to a tank full of diesel in these freezing condition in his range rover, does no harm he recons and stops the diesel waxing,

I really can't remember the last time anyone I know with a diesel suffered from waxing. It just doesn't happen now, as far as I know.

maxitrol

· #9 · Dec 26, 2010

waxing does happen ..a guy at work his astra done this

14N GTTDI

· #10 · Dec 26, 2010

something like this for the cleaner:

Redex Diesel Treatment

Ian

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Woggledog

Discussion Starter · #11 · Dec 26, 2010

Thanks. That looks like good stuff (you can tell how easily swayed I am by shiny things!)

bl1tz

· #12 · Dec 26, 2010

try forte diesel treatment i reckon

Nick su

· #13 · Dec 26, 2010

road fuel will not wax in this country. red may do;o)

its not just the pump and injectors, the high preasure part of the fuel system has seals that do not like petrol

trl

· #14 · Dec 26, 2010

waxing does happen ..a guy at work his astra done this

I'd suggest that the diesel in his tank was old summer diesel, as the stuff we are getting from the pumps at the moment doesn't wax until somewhere around -45c. The fact that his car is the only one you mention as suffering from waxing when there are so many diesel cars now mean it is unlikely that he had fresh winter diesel.

Nutty

· #15 · Dec 26, 2010

Not sure what Diesel he used in it, it was a conversion he had carried out himself from a V8 petrol to a perkins 6 pot Diesel, I didn't think there was any difference with red & white diesel other than the colour dye thats added to indicate its rebated fuel ?

Gman1982

· #16 · Dec 26, 2010

i use millers diesel treatment. keeps everything nice and clean. thats about it.. tho if i ad a sticker it gives me an extra 946bhp!.

Woggledog

Discussion Starter · #17 · Dec 28, 2010

Just an update. Tge few times I'd had to start the car, it took a second or two to fire. Couldn't get any forte as tge nearest place to me in Salford was shut for chrimbo.

Found some reddex, poured tge bottle in and filled up.

Have just completed a 250 mile journey at a steady 65 all tge way

Mpg was just 0.5mpg off the outbound trip Mark, although the outbound had vpower diesel in it, and the temp was 2c cooler.

58mpg and now the car starts fine! So, can recommend reddex treatment

1 - 17 of 17 Posts

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