Filled diesel in petrol car!!!

manikjeet · 16th April 2007, 19:01

My uncle has a 2006 toyota carolla that has done barely 5000km

yesterday night while the car had gone to fill the tank up the driver or the attendent who puts petrol(both are blamming each other) actually poured diesel in the corolla (i don't think corolla were ever made in diesel in india) by the time the driver realised the attendent had already poured 1.5L of diesel in the car after that he poured 30L of petrol in the car on top of it and then he drove back home
we got to know in the morning when the scared driver came and told me and then i went and told my uncle who is still in shock
my questions are
what has to be done now?
The car was driver for max 10Km so is the engine damaged in the process??
And what the cost invloved in get the car health back to normal

The car will be taken to pioneer toyota tomorrow so my question is that should we drive it or tow in to the dealer

low_bass_makker · 16th April 2007, 19:09

take out as much of the fuel you can from the vehicle and pour in fresh petrol in it....dont drive the car till this has been done....as the diesel poured is just 5 % of the whole fill made in the car.....It might damage the engine.....

csentil · 16th April 2007, 19:10

Do not drive under any circumstances. You got to drain the tanks, engine everything. Call up Toyota. They would give you the best advice, hopefully.

Why would the driver use the petrol pump? The attendant should have done it. Either way, the tank should have been drained there itself.

Don't know which is bad. Adding 30L on top of the diesel to dilute it or driving the car after this was done !!

Gosh, I wrote two posts about this almost happening to me !

csentil · 16th April 2007, 19:16

Good link on this.

Google Answers: Accidentally filled a gas engine with Diesel...how much am I out?

Jaggu · 16th April 2007, 19:18

call dealer and they will clean up the tank and fuel lines, car should survive BUT DONT EVEN START THE CAR for NOW!!

drifter · 16th April 2007, 19:21

Even though the quantity of diesel is quite low, drain the entire fuel system, let the guys at toyota handle it. And don't run the car untill all that is completed.

Drifter

manikjeet · 16th April 2007, 19:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaggu

call dealer and they will clean up the tank and fuel lines, car should survive BUT DONT EVEN START THE CAR for NOW!!

The car is standing but it has already been driven around 10km
has the engine been damaged in anyway

drifter · 16th April 2007, 19:23

No if its still running cleanly...then just the draining of the system will have the car up and running properly as before. But make sure you tell the guys at toyota that the car was run after diesel was filled.

Drifter

csentil · 16th April 2007, 19:39

Please read the google link I posted earlier.

Diesel in a petrol car is ok. Engine damage does not happen. YOu might have to get a new filter, but even that need not be necessary. If the car is running then its ok. Seems that the diesel cannot be ignited and so the engine would simply die. thats it.

Petrol in a diesel car is more deadly !!! So watch out diesel car owners.

mclaren1885 · 16th April 2007, 19:46

Did the driver notice any black fumes from the exhaust or drop in performance ?? If not you are lucky .. Just get any local mech to drain the fuel completely and pour in fresh petrol .. This happened to my dad too once , where a attendant put diesel instead of petrol in memo's car .. Car felt like it had lost two cylinders and was fuming black smoke from the exhaust .. Just drained everything and everything is fine ..

The problem with running diesel is it will give out too much of carbon deposits , though this might not be much in your case .. However in case the scene is bad , then get ready to replace the fuel pump & injectors .. And decarbonize the engine .. But i dont think it would required in your case .. See to it that you check if the toyota guys indeed ask you to do this .. They could be looking at making a quick buck ...

manikjeet · 16th April 2007, 19:57

The driver says that the car is driving fine
he said by now the 1.5 L diesel would have been diluted with the 30L petrol
and i have read the google link thnx csentil

sbasak · 16th April 2007, 19:57

Petrol in a diesel car

A costly mistake | Features | Motoring | Telegraph

And I thought the other way round

Quote:

Why would the driver use the petrol pump? The attendant should have done it.

Better be safe than sorry - one should always check himself, if anything happens you're the loser.

binz · 16th April 2007, 22:01

LOL....i dont wish to post todays experience with my kine on the forum.Mclaren if you are reading this...you will get your PM tomorrow morning at the earliest.STuff happened you see...

swathyd · 16th April 2007, 22:06

It is the driver who says it is 1.5ltr, only god knows how much diesel actually poured, so dont drive take it to a toyota dealership soon.

ravibhat · 16th April 2007, 22:20

Sorry to hear this.

Let Toyota guys check it, everything should be alright if you are lucky else be prepared to replace few stuffs like filter and fuel systems. Last time when I discussed with toyota guys, they said Ford engines used to die instantly (that mechanic used to work for ford before..) If Diesel poured into petrol cars. One should not start the engine in such cases and call mechanic and dry petrol Tank and fuel systems.

He has seen live cases in ford and toyota both. Petrol bunk guys think Innova comes only with Diesel and corolla comes with Petrol and Diesel Thats what I found out when I checked randomly. When they see toyota they think Diesel and ford they think Petrol.

Once toyota guys clean the stuffs your car should be alright. Don't worry.

Regards,

Ravi.

16th April 2007, 19:01	#1
manikjeet Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: chandigarh Posts: 1,618 Thanked: 295 Times View My Garage	Filled diesel in petrol car!!! My uncle has a 2006 toyota carolla that has done barely 5000km yesterday night while the car had gone to fill the tank up the driver or the attendent who puts petrol(both are blamming each other) actually poured diesel in the corolla (i don't think corolla were ever made in diesel in india) by the time the driver realised the attendent had already poured 1.5L of diesel in the car after that he poured 30L of petrol in the car on top of it and then he drove back home we got to know in the morning when the scared driver came and told me and then i went and told my uncle who is still in shock my questions are what has to be done now? The car was driver for max 10Km so is the engine damaged in the process?? And what the cost invloved in get the car health back to normal The car will be taken to pioneer toyota tomorrow so my question is that should we drive it or tow in to the dealer Last edited by manikjeet : 16th April 2007 at 19:02.
	() Thanks

16th April 2007, 19:09	#2
low_bass_makker Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Faridabad Posts: 6,815 Thanked: 305 Times View My Garage	take out as much of the fuel you can from the vehicle and pour in fresh petrol in it....dont drive the car till this has been done....as the diesel poured is just 5 % of the whole fill made in the car.....It might damage the engine..... Last edited by low_bass_makker : 16th April 2007 at 19:10.
	() Thanks

16th April 2007, 19:10	#3
csentil Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,349 Thanked: 38 Times View My Garage	Do not drive under any circumstances. You got to drain the tanks, engine everything. Call up Toyota. They would give you the best advice, hopefully. Why would the driver use the petrol pump? The attendant should have done it. Either way, the tank should have been drained there itself. Don't know which is bad. Adding 30L on top of the diesel to dilute it or driving the car after this was done !! Gosh, I wrote two posts about this almost happening to me !
	() Thanks

16th April 2007, 19:16	#4
csentil Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,349 Thanked: 38 Times View My Garage	Good link on this. Google Answers: Accidentally filled a gas engine with Diesel...how much am I out?
	() Thanks

16th April 2007, 19:18	#5
Jaggu Team-BHP Support Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 20,215 Thanked: 15,907 Times	call dealer and they will clean up the tank and fuel lines, car should survive BUT DONT EVEN START THE CAR for NOW!!
	() Thanks

16th April 2007, 19:21	#6
drifter Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 1,488 Thanked: 75 Times View My Garage	Even though the quantity of diesel is quite low, drain the entire fuel system, let the guys at toyota handle it. And don't run the car untill all that is completed. Drifter
	() Thanks

16th April 2007, 19:23	#8
drifter Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 1,488 Thanked: 75 Times View My Garage	No if its still running cleanly...then just the draining of the system will have the car up and running properly as before. But make sure you tell the guys at toyota that the car was run after diesel was filled. Drifter
	() Thanks

16th April 2007, 19:39	#9
csentil Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,349 Thanked: 38 Times View My Garage	Please read the google link I posted earlier. Diesel in a petrol car is ok. Engine damage does not happen. YOu might have to get a new filter, but even that need not be necessary. If the car is running then its ok. Seems that the diesel cannot be ignited and so the engine would simply die. thats it. Petrol in a diesel car is more deadly !!! So watch out diesel car owners.
	() Thanks

16th April 2007, 19:46	#10
mclaren1885 BANNED Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Bangalore (the city of modded cars) !! Posts: 4,820 Thanked: 45 Times View My Garage Infractions: 0/1 (10)	Did the driver notice any black fumes from the exhaust or drop in performance ?? If not you are lucky .. Just get any local mech to drain the fuel completely and pour in fresh petrol .. This happened to my dad too once , where a attendant put diesel instead of petrol in memo's car .. Car felt like it had lost two cylinders and was fuming black smoke from the exhaust .. Just drained everything and everything is fine .. The problem with running diesel is it will give out too much of carbon deposits , though this might not be much in your case .. However in case the scene is bad , then get ready to replace the fuel pump & injectors .. And decarbonize the engine .. But i dont think it would required in your case .. See to it that you check if the toyota guys indeed ask you to do this .. They could be looking at making a quick buck ...
	() Thanks

16th April 2007, 19:57	#11
manikjeet Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: chandigarh Posts: 1,618 Thanked: 295 Times View My Garage	The driver says that the car is driving fine he said by now the 1.5 L diesel would have been diluted with the 30L petrol and i have read the google link thnx csentil Last edited by manikjeet : 16th April 2007 at 19:59.
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16th April 2007, 22:01	#13
binz Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,306 Thanked: 431 Times View My Garage	LOL....i dont wish to post todays experience with my kine on the forum.Mclaren if you are reading this...you will get your PM tomorrow morning at the earliest.STuff happened you see...
	() Thanks

16th April 2007, 22:06	#14
swathyd BHPian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: thiruvananthapuram Posts: 774 Thanked: 25 Times	It is the driver who says it is 1.5ltr, only god knows how much diesel actually poured, so dont drive take it to a toyota dealership soon.
	() Thanks

16th April 2007, 22:20	#15
ravibhat Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,256 Thanked: 37 Times View My Garage	Sorry to hear this. Let Toyota guys check it, everything should be alright if you are lucky else be prepared to replace few stuffs like filter and fuel systems. Last time when I discussed with toyota guys, they said Ford engines used to die instantly (that mechanic used to work for ford before..) If Diesel poured into petrol cars. One should not start the engine in such cases and call mechanic and dry petrol Tank and fuel systems. He has seen live cases in ford and toyota both. Petrol bunk guys think Innova comes only with Diesel and corolla comes with Petrol and Diesel Thats what I found out when I checked randomly. When they see toyota they think Diesel and ford they think Petrol. Once toyota guys clean the stuffs your car should be alright. Don't worry. Regards, Ravi.
	() Thanks