If you’ve wrongly put diesel in a petrol-powered vehicle, you won’t be the first, and you certainly won’t be the last. In fact, this error is a far more common mishap than you may have realised. So while you may feel embarrassed, there’s really no need to be.
Here, we take a look at the common signs that you may have put the wrong fuel in your tank.
- The engine misfires or sputters
If the engine runs at all, it may run roughly, hesitating or making ‘coughing’ sounds as the spark plugs become coated in diesel fuel. This prevents them from sparking effectively. You may hear a few splutters or a big bang.
- Heavy smoke
This is another dead giveaway and a common tell-tale sign of a misfuel – smoke pours from the exhaust and is often white or blue in colour. The cause is the diesel causing extreme heat and burning on the exhaust, so you need to take immediate action to avoid having to pay for a new exhaust.
- Loss of power
You may well feel your vehicle struggling to get up any speed at all, and it could feel generally sluggish.
- The engine cuts out
Your car could suddenly stop running, and then you may find that you can’t start the engine up again. If you do manage to start it, it may sound lumpy and almost certainly won’t turn over easily.
What are the consequences?
It isn’t all bad news. Putting diesel in a petrol car isn’t as severe as making the same mistake the other way around. However, you need to be mindful of the potential consequences of doing this, including engine damage and further complications.
Here’s what can happen if you fill up a petrol car with diesel:
- Because diesel fuel doesn’t combust properly if it is put in a petrol engine, your car won’t have any power.
- This fuel will clog up your spark plugs as well as the fuel system, so that power and performance are lessened still further.
- Running diesel in a petrol engine causes excessive heat and pressure, leading to potentially permanent damage to your catalytic converter.
However, the good news is that your error probably won’t cause any permanent damage to your fuel system or engine, especially if you act quickly.
What to do if you have filled a petrol car with diesel fuel
The first thing is not to panic since, as with any other situation, it’ll never make anything easier. If you realise you have wrongly fuelled your vehicle, don’t start the engine. You are in a stronger position if you realise what has happened before you turn the key in the ignition.
However, if you have begun driving, pull over as soon as it safe to do so and turn on your hazard lights.
It’s then important that you call for expert, specialist assistance right away.
Call Wrong Fuel Recovery before you call anyone else
Wherever you are in the UK, if you’ve put diesel in a petrol car, it’s nothing we haven’t seen before. At Wrong Fuel Recovery, we’re to help with exactly this situation. One of our specialist professionals can be with you within an hour, so that you can be on your way as quickly as possible.
Keep our numbers – 0800 193 1103 or 07538 889 922 – in your phone so you have them if you need them. Just tell us where you are, the make and model of your car, how much of the wrong fuel you have used and, if you have driven your motor, roughly how far you’ve travelled.
We’ll drain the diesel from your petrol model, remove the mixed fuel from the fuel lines and filter, and put between five and 10 litres of fresh fuel in the tank. We’ll also flush out any lingering contaminated liquid. There’s also the option for us to add high-tech injection and fuel system cleaner.
With all relevant industry certifications and countless happy customers, we’ll take the stress out of a potentially difficult situation. So call us before you call anyone else.