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Petrol in a diesel car. Misfueling. Fuel draining service recommendations.

Question

Hello there!

You know that feeling you get when you realise you've done something reeeeally stupid.... Yup, I've completely filled my diesel car with petrol. Luckily I realised what I'd done before I switched on the engine and managed to push the car off the forecourt and into a parking area.

So, the question is, does anybody know of a service that will come out to Evere and drain the fuel tank. After that, it should just be a case of re-filling the car with diesel and, fingers crossed, that'll be alright!

It's about 0800 on Friday 19 Sept and I was hoping to be going back to England this afternoon so any recommendations would be very welcome!

Thanks in advance,

Mark.

0044 7966 864340

best

Try Touring Secours

Sep 19, 2014 09:26
patkk27

I was lucky travelling from Germany, i put in 10 liters of petrol in my diesel car before I realized and switched to diesel, so all depends on the ratio of petrol to diesel in the tank, otherwise you should be fine.

Sep 19, 2014 10:08
ManOfKent

Thanks guys - much appreciated! Unfortunately, the car was empty and then I filled it right to the top before I looked down and saw the green nozzle in my hand...

I did try Touring Secours but didn't get an answer. In the end, I found a chap called Mohammed who co-runs a deppanage service (2 numbers - 0491 88 00 99 and 0484 87 06 64). He was great - really friendly, spoke a bit of English but we tried to speak in French. We didn't even have to take the car anywhere - he siphoned off over fifty litres of petrol via the engine block, then we pushed the car back to the petrol station and filled up (with diesel!) and, hey presto, it worked!

300 euros lighter (220 for the service and 70 for the petrol I wasted) but at least I can get home!

Bon week-end to both!

Cheers,

Mark.

Sep 19, 2014 11:05
RPPKN

Apparently, ten Belgians make this mistake every day: http://www.rtl.be/info/belgique/societe/1089971/10-belges-se-trompent-ch...

So Touring has in June 2014 started a new service and they can now drain the tank at the place where the car currently is, no need to take it to a garage:

http://www.touring.be/fr/corporatesite/qui-sommes-nous/presse/communique...

Their contact number is 070 344 777.

Sep 19, 2014 11:06
RPPKN

Your latest post crossed with mine, so good to hear that the problem is solved!

Sep 19, 2014 11:07
jbmac

I was under the impression that the nozzles wouldn't fit in unmatched cars. Example, a diesel nozzle doesn't fit in a petrol car, and vise versa.

I know a few years ago I had rented a truck to drive and when I went to fill it with normal petrol, the nozzle wouldn't go in. I thought I was crazy until it hit me...this truck only takes diesel.

Thus, I was under the impression that nozzles were somehow shaped differently, but guess that's not the case.

Sep 19, 2014 15:44
Mikek1300gt

I am amazed to hear it's only ten a day that put petrol in their diesel car. I spoke to a recovery firm who reckoned on three a day from the Shell station on the E40.

In general you can not get a diesel nozzle in to a petrol car, but you can get a petrol nozzle in to a diesel car. Some cars (Ford for certain) have developed their own system to prevent anything other than the correct nozzle.

If you put petrol in a diesel car, do not drive it. It matters not if it's only a small amount. Diesel is an oil and if you put petrol in to the fuel, particularly a small amount that allows the engine to continue to run, you risk new fuel pump and injectors and that will run to thousands.

Sep 20, 2014 22:57