11 Top Frequently Asked Wrong Fuel Questions
QUESTION: What happens if you put unleaded petrol in a diesel car?
Simply put, the engine will not run correctly and due to this, by running it, there is a risk of damaging the
high-pressure fuel pump and injectors. Petrol will negate the lubricating properties of the diesel which can cause excess wear and tear on the fuel system components. This is all in addition to the likelihood of the vehicle not running properly at all, cutting out, failing to start and smoking a lot.
QUESTION: What happens if you put diesel in a petrol car?
Diesel, being an oil, will likely coat the spark plugs causing them to not fire, or to fire incorrectly. This means that the vehicle will lose power, stall, smoke excessively, fail to start, and generally run like a "bucket of spanners". It can lead to more serious problems, but these are few and far between.
QUESTION: What are the symptoms of the wrong fuel in a car?
The most common misfuelling symptoms are: excessive smoke (black or white); loss of engine power; stalling; failing to or difficulty in starting.
QUESTION: Can I top it up, or, will filling it with the correct fuel fix the problem?
The safe answer is No. Any amount of contaminated fuel in the system, no matter how small, will be somewhat detrimental for the vehicle. Obviously minute quantities of the wrong fuel can have a negligible effect as compared to larger amounts. However, it is safe to assume that the only 100% guaranteed solution is to remove the wrong fuel as soon as possible. Each vehicle is different and where you might hear that "a friend of a friend" managed to get away with 10 litres of the wrong fuel in their car – there are 50 other stories where the unfortunate person with only 5 litres wasn't so lucky and needed wrong fuel rescue.
QUESTION: Can you drive a car with the wrong fuel in it?
The answer here is the same – No. Why risk it? Cars are not designed to run on contaminated fuel. Doing so can and will damage them to a greater or lesser degree. Statistics indicate that for every one person that "gets away with it" there are 20-30 others that don't. The recent figures from the AA state that around 133,000 people do this every year. Most of them break down and need rescuing.
QUESTION: Have I ruined my engine with the wrong fuel?
Probably not. Most vehicles accidentally filled with the wrong fuel will break down quite soon after starting them. This is actually a very good thing for the engine as it means you are very unlikely to run it long enough to damage anything. The risk is higher the longer you run it on the incorrect fuel.
QUESTION: How do you drain a fuel tank?
How to do a fuel drain? Don't. Call a professional fuel drain service fully qualified to deal with highly flammable liquids in a safe and environmentally friendly manner. They will fully drain the tank and flush the system through to remove any contamination. This will ensure that there are no long-lasting problems after the fuel drain is complete. About 10% of all our call-outs are to fix vehicles where the fuel drain was done incorrectly, either by the driver himself or local cowboy who thought he'd give it a go.
QUESTION: How much does it cost to drain a fuel tank?
The exact cost of a fuel drain depends on a number of circumstances like where you are, or what is the type of vehicle, etc. There is no "one price fits all" service as every vehicle and situation is unique. Give us a call and we'll be happy to give you a personalised quote to fix your problem.
QUESTION: Is wrong fuel covered by insurance?
More and more insurers are getting on board and including misfuelling on their insurance policies. However most of them have it as an optional extra or hidden behind a hefty compulsory excess. It is wise to check your policy wording because there are a few insurers who cover it, but count it as a claim.
There are a few Breakdown Policies that include misfuelling. However most (like the AA and the RAC) do not include it in their standard policies and charge a hefty fee if you need a fuel drain – even if you are a member.
QUESTION: How long does a wrong fuel drain take?
The average time on-scene is around 30 minutes. Some non-started vehicles require only 10-15 minutes to completely siphon out the wrong fuel. However there are certain types of cars that need about an hour. The best person to ask is the technician who arrives to do the drain.
QUESTION: Can a fuel drain be done roadside or at a petrol station?
Yes to both. All our technicians are fully qualified to carry out roadside and forecourt fuel drains (
SPA trained). There is no need for recovery or towing, unless the vehicle is in a live lane or on a motorway.
BONUS QUESTION: What areas do you cover?
We are a UK National service. We are fully mobile and offer an emergency call-out service. This means that if you are stuck at home in
London, or on a petrol station forecourt in
Edinburgh, or broken down in the middle of the road in
Manchester, or anywhere in-between, we can help you.
