Wrong fuel in Diesel

**deepee** · 03-01-2011,08:25 AM

I have stupidly put 46 ltrs unleaded in my 2.0 ltr passat. Fortunalely it still had 24 Ltrs of diesel in it. Worse stil I have done 120 miles on M6 before getting home and checking pump receipt. Car performed OK at 60 to 70 MPH but for last few miles at lights etc it was shuddering. Drain costs £205 but could I have damaged injectors and pump. As car performed OK I am inclined to go for simple drain. Can anyone advise me on whether I could have damaged parts of the engine and likely cost of repair? Thanks

**fat controller** · 03-01-2011,10:58 AM

If your 2.0 has the BKP engine (up to 2008), then the injectors are around £400 + VAT each from Eurocarparts; fingers crossed you won't need any.

I don't have enought knowledge to say whether you will have done more damage - hopefully someone like Martin or Crasher will be along soon to help you more.

Hope you get away without needing more than a drain.

**Cylon2007** · 03-01-2011,11:58 AM

All you can do is drain it down and refill with fresh DIESEL and then hope for the best, you did well to get that far with a 60/30 petrol diesel mix.

**phil miller** · 03-01-2011,01:15 PM

as above drain tank, change fuel filter and refill with fresh diesel, if it was me id put a fuel treatment in, Forte is very good mate

ive know people aadd less petrol and the car have no go so you have been very lucky to get home mate

**chev** · 03-01-2011,02:26 PM

Originally Posted by deepee

I have stupidly put 46 ltrs unleaded in my 2.0 ltr passat. Fortunalely it still had 24 Ltrs of diesel in it. Worse stil I have done 120 miles on M6 before getting home and checking pump receipt. Car performed OK at 60 to 70 MPH but for last few miles at lights etc it was shuddering. Drain costs £205 but could I have damaged injectors and pump. As car performed OK I am inclined to go for simple drain. Can anyone advise me on whether I could have damaged parts of the engine and likely cost of repair? Thanks

This may or may not help due to the vehicle.

A few years ago i put £25 of petrol (empty tank) in a 2.0 CDTI MG ZT. As soon as i noticed this (pump still in hand) i topped the tank up to the brim with Diesel. i urgently spoke to a mechanic friend of mine and after he laughed and told me how much of a nobber i'd been, his advice was:

For the next 2 months or so, as soon as you can get more diesel in the tank, DO IT! Basically keeping it topped to the brim (I even put £2 in once, just to keep it to the top). Fortunately this worked and the car never had to go into a garage. i think it has something to do with Diesel fuel filters being more robust than petrol ones. (if you had done it the other way i.e put diesel into a petrol, then you would be knackered).

Now, with the car being a less refined MG this may of been benefitting in the situation. As i said at the start, this may help.

I had to travel from Exeter to manchester after the episode, and past birmingham i could smell "chip fat" (from the car, not birmingham). Over the next couple of days, the small had gone.

Instead of running the risk of getting fleaced from a garage, my advice is keeped it topped up for a while. just my opinion! Fingers crossed

Good luck

**phil miller** · 03-01-2011,02:38 PM

although a good ideal i would guess 46 lts is about £60 a far cry form the amount you put in the only way to try and prevent ENGINE DAMAGE is to drain the tank fully change the fuel filter and refill with diesel, but then again there is a chance the damage is already done, you wont know till it has a fresh tank of diesel

**chev** · 03-01-2011,02:42 PM

Originally Posted by phil miller

although a good ideal i would guess 46 lts is about £60 a far cry form the amount you put in the only way to try and prevent ENGINE DAMAGE is to drain the tank fully change the fuel filter and refill with diesel, but then again there is a chance the damage is already done, you wont know till it has a fresh tank of diesel

Phil,

I was, thinking about the amount of fuel but i tried to be positive and not kick a man when he is down.

understand what you are saying though.

**phil miller** · 03-01-2011,02:47 PM

Originally Posted by chev

Phil,

I was, thinking about the amount of fuel but i tried to be positive and not kick a man when he is down.

understand what you are saying though.

sorry mate i didnt mean to sound doom and gloom (but after reading it again it seems it)

the good thing about it is the car drove home, you could try brimming the tank again and going for a steady drive, and try and dilute the petrol as much as poss, it may be harder to start when cold due to the amount of petrol

**g-black** · 03-01-2011,03:12 PM

A friend of mine put £5 of petrol in one day without realising and then filled it up to the top in his b5. He was told by his mechanic that alot of taxi drivers do this. Apparently it's good for the fuel system, injectors etc. Every couple of fill ups they put a couple quids worth of petrol in.

Personally, I wouldn't be doin that.

Deepee, if it was my passat, I would be draining the tank and changing the fuel filter. After the bother my last B6 gave me, I would be over cautious with my new one.

**martin1810** · 03-01-2011,05:07 PM

It is impossible for the injectors not to be damaged with that amount of petrol. Small amounts of petrol in diesel are ok but too much and you lose the lubricating property of the diesel. (It feels oily) The obvious thing is draim and refill with diesel, change filter and cross fingers, as has been said. Most common raill and pd engines cannot live on a fuel with too much petrol in it. How much petrol is too much....Depends on external temperature and luck.