What happens when diesel is put into a petrol fuel system?
There are several problems caused by unleaded petrol being introduced to a diesel engine fuel system. Firstly, unleaded petrol does not have the same lubricating qualities as diesel fuel and this means that if you try to run a diesel fuel pump with unleaded petrol in it, then there is no lubrication where there is metal to metal contact of components inside the pump body and this leads to components grinding against one another and producing small fragments of metal which further contaminate the petrol. These small, sharp fragments of metal then work their way through then fuel system of the vehicle causing further damage to other components and potential blockages.
The next detrimental
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The usual cause of the stalling is that the small metal particles in the petrol will block the diesel engine injectors,this starves the engine of any fuel at all.
What do the emergency breakdown companies advise?
Don't start the engine and what to do if you have. If you do happen to realise that you are putting in the wrong fuel whilst in the middle of the act, don't start the engine. In fact, don't even lock or unlock the car as some diesel vehicles use a low-pressure electric fuel pump which is primed if the ignition is turned on, or any electrical activity takes place with the vehicle such as unlocking it.
If you're still on the fuel station forecourt then you need to inform the staff so that someone can help you to push the car to a safe place out of the way of other motorists using the station. If you have driven the vehicle and it has stalled further on down the road, make the vehicle as safe as you can (some kindly soul may stop and help if you're lucky) switch on your hazard warning lights and put up your emergency reflective triangle if you have one. Whatever your situation, you then need to call your emergency assistance company and explain what has happened to
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They need specialist training and licences for their activities which can be verified by the attending engineer for your peace of mind.
A vehicle fuel drain and system flush
Contrary to the scary stories that you may have read about what happens when the wrong fuel is put into a diesel engine, in all likelihood a simple fuel drain will solve the problem quickly, simply and most importantly, cheaply. Unless you are driving an exotic sports car or a modified vehicle then in 95% of cases the attending engineer will assess the situation with the vehicle and will then connect up the necessary equipment to drain all of the contaminated fuel out of your vehicle.
Fresh fuel of the correct type for the engine must be flushed through the vehicle fuel system under pressure first to ensure that any contaminated fuel is fully removed from the system and also to flush out any metal particles that may be present if the engine has been started and the vehicle has been run using the wrong fuel type. The tank is then filled up with the correct fuel and the engine