[Brumby]

Hello friends,

I must be the first person make such mistake as I could not find any mention of such an incident over the internet. Probably it is somewhat similar to adding ethanol or sugar in the fuel.

Today I accidentally added VW "Windscreen Clear Concentrate (will write it as WCC henceforth)" in fuel tank of my Polo GT TSI.

The ratio of mixture in the fuel tank is about 100ml of WCC in 30 ltrs of petrol 0.1:30 or 0.0033% by volume.

Though I am a very careful person, I cannot mention under what circumstances this happened.

Studied a lot about this mixture and found that it is a mixture of about 80-85% Ethanol and 7-10% of ethylene glycol, rest is something I could not find on the internet.

Attaching the MSDS (material safety data sheet) found on the internet, of WCC liquid sold by VW to its customers in India.

The WCC is soluble in gasoline, and Ethanol is a component that is being added to gasoline to reduce emissions. GOI is considering to increase the content of ethanol to about 20% blend in the petrol sold in India in next 5 years. I mentioned this to get some favourable posts for first option that I am considering

I am definitely a bit worried, but would like to know from the experts if I have a reason to worry.

Following are the things that I am considering:
1. Drive the car and consume about 80% of the tank contents.
2. Drain all the fuel, flush the tank and re-fuel which will require intervention of VW workshop. The nearest VW workshop is about 15 k.m. from my place.
3. Any other action as per expert advise.

I have not yet contacted VW service regarding this matter, as the tendency of the ASS is normally to exaggerate matters rather than provide simple solutions.

My request to the members to please advise what should be my course of action.

Thank you.

Note - Mods please merge into a relevant thread if needed. Thank you.

[ajmat]

I would fill the tank up completely, keep driving till 3/4 full, fill up, carry on and repeat cycle. Dont think it is an issue. Change the fuel filter early if you can

[Brumby]

Originally Posted by ajmat

I would fill the tank up completely, keep driving till 3/4 full, fill up, carry on and repeat cycle. Dont think it is an issue. Change the fuel filter early if you can

Thank you for the reply. As you suggested, topping up fuel tanks at short intervals to dilute the mixture further will be a good idea.

[gkveda]

Suggest to call a local mechanic to home and ask him to empty the tank. As I know, any local car mechanic will have the Setup to drain the entire fuel from tank. He will use a small pump and suck all the fuel from the tank till the last layer. Once fuel is out, you can put fresh fuel of 1-2 litres and repeat the sucking process. If you are in Bangalore, I can suggest a mechanic who can help you in and around South Bangalore.

This will ensure all adulterated fuel is 99.9% out. Once it is done, you can fill fresh fuuel and drive with out any worries.

There's no need to visit ASC. They will suggest to remove the tank and clean. This will be very costly affair compared to my suggestion.

Mechanics usually charge a couple of hundreds to drain the fuel completely.

Suggest not to start or drive the car at any cost. We do not know how Windshield cleaner reacts with fuel and impact engine.

[1.2TSI7DSG]

Remove the fuel tank
Drain the fuel
Clean it with a litre of petrol
Drain that also
Fit the fuel tank back
Refuel
Live long and prosper

[condor]

Originally Posted by Brumby

1. Drive the car and consume about 80% of the tank contents.

Looking at the contents you have shared, it looks not harmful. 100 ml over 30 litres is like 0.3% contamination, if I can call it that. Fuel from a bad bunk would have much more pollution from the pump itself. Even in the 0.3%, most of it is Ethanol. So doesnt look harmful.

And if you are going to consume 80% of the petrol, then why worry with the remaining 20% ? Just use up 90%, re-fuel to the max, and drive on.

If you are going to use this mixed fuel, any problems would be noticed in the first liter you consume.

I think you are safe.

[Indian2003]

Originally Posted by Brumby

Hello friends,


Today I accidentally added VW "Windscreen Clear Concentrate (will write it as WCC henceforth)" in fuel tank of my Polo GT TSI.

No worries. Just drive the car. I put in about 20 liters of petrol in a diesel car by mistale at work once. I just added a liter of 2-stroke oil into the tank and topped up with 60 liters of diesel and drove on.
The mileage when it happened was about 100,000 km and showed 675,000 when I left the place.
In your case, I would try to dilute it with petrol at every opportunity.

[Kosfactor]

Once the topped up tank is empty, open up the oil fill cap and dipstick to check if the oil is okay. I do not think anything else is needed at this point.

Now that you are feeling better, care to tell us what happened?!

[vrprabhu]

I guess that OP has already run the car post the mix-up ....

Originally Posted by gkveda

Suggest not to start or drive the car at any cost. We do not know how Windshield cleaner reacts with fuel and impact engine.

Suggest to keep an eagle eye on the tell-tale (warning) lights on the dash for some time - should the mix-up trigger any of the sensors, guess the warning lights will go off.

Also, be more mindful of how the engine runs now as compared to earlier and also take a look at the exhaust, just to be sure that everything is fine!

[condor]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

I guess that OP has already run the car post the mix-up ....

Good point.

Guys, if you are not aware, there was one suggestion here on TBHP to try adding Acetone (IIRC) to fuel.

I'll be frank, I have tried that too on one vehicle. But that was a BS-IV diesel. The vehicle didnt find anything amiss, and the idea to add this soon evaporated too.

[hserus]

Here is what happened when a beemer got filled with 5 litres of washer fluid instead of engine oil. Caution don't see this after a meal.

https://drivetribe.com/p/this-is-wha...TfqAON5IqH_BSA

[Brumby]

Originally Posted by Indian2003

No worries. Just drive the car. I put in about 20 liters of petrol in a diesel car by mistale at work once.

Thank you for the advice, however, I may have a reason to worry now, will post my findings at the end of this post.

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

I guess that OP has already run the car post the mix-up ....

Yes I had to leave the fuel station and go home, it was drive of about 5kms, everything seemed to be normal till then.

Originally Posted by condor

Looking at the contents you have shared,

The ratio of the mixture is very small, however there is something else which I discovered later. Read on for the details.

Originally Posted by Kosfactor

Once the topped up tank is empty..
Now that you are feeling better, care to tell us what happened?!

Will try and check if there is any possibility to use something similar to a dipstick, probable a long plastic tube or something.

How it happened is, a pre-occupied mind and pre-set thought to positively do a particular job.

The fuel in the tank was low and it was a pre-determined thought in my mind for quite some time that at next fueling I have to add the fuel additive, which I normally keep in the front door pocket while going for topping up the fuel tank. I forgot to pick the bottle from home while leaving and it completely slipped out of my mind.

We were going to the PSK for a scheduled appointment for passport renewal which was cancelled (a poster-note about the cancellation) even before we reached there. On the way to PSK low fuel warning light came on, and on the way back we stopped at a fuel station for re-fueling. At this time I just picked up the bottle kept in the front door pocket and dropped about half of what was remaining in it, only to realize later what a blunder I had committed. During the last visit at the ASS for some work related to noise because of hardened suspension bushes, the service center guys moved this bottle lying in the boot to the front door pocket while cleaning the car.

Why I failed to identify the bottle is because I have not seen either of the bottles for over 9 months and was just blank about what they looked like.

Originally Posted by hserus

Here is what happened when a beemer got filled with 5 litres of washer fluid instead of engine oil.

Thats really bad, this is a case where the water got mixed with engine oil forming an emulsion. In my case it's the additive to the washer fluid (water) in the fuel tank and not the fluid itself.

Though I am still nervous and uncertain about what may happen, here's what has happened so far.

I did a drive of about 25 kms during the noon time, during the drive I used sport mode too and the engine went upto S4 gear in sport mode (soft right foot makes the gear shifts at about 3000-3500 rpm in sport mode).

Once during the drive I managed to rev upto 5500rpm in sport mode and probable it was 2nd or 3rd gear.

The maximum speed I could go upto was about 70-80 kmph on an isolated road and everything was fine, no abnormal noise, and a smooth drive.

All this while, I was thinking about carrying out a solubility test, my wife was the one who suggested so. I took a small volume of petrol in a bottle and added about a milliliter or less of WCC in it. The mixture was then shook vigorously and kept still for some time.

After about 3 hours I checked the bottle and found that the WCC has not mixed with the petrol and settled down at the base of the bottle as a separate bubble (now I am worried)


Surprisingly the mixture takes less than 2-3 minutes to separate, as I observed later.

Probably the unknown 5-13% of the constituents of the WCC is the culprit. Any CHEMICAL ENGINEERS in the forum will surely be able to throw some light and advise.

As can be seen in the picture, the percentage of the contaminant is irrelevant, so the 100ml or so of the mixture in the tank will remain separated and needs to be removed.

I live in Thane (Maharashtra), and would like to know of some reliable mechanic or FNG which can do this job meticulously. I am very finicky about how the work should be done and have rarely come across any technicians ever who work on cars considering them as precious and lovely machines.

Though I am in a situation where I cannot avoid, but I do not like any invasive work on my cars except for the general filter, sparks plug replacement etc.

Any suggestions please.

[condor]

Originally Posted by Brumby

As can be seen in the picture, the percentage of the contaminant is irrelevant, so the 100ml or so of the mixture in the tank will remain separated and needs to be removed..

since you have done this test, and have something that is personally checked to go on with, here's what I would have done:

Either now or after using more of the petrol, call a mechanic to clean the tank. Have the tank drained out. You can use some of the existing petrol itself to wash the tank (since after you drain it out into a container, any of this mixed concentrate will settle down at the bottom and is separate from the petrol itself).

[hserus]

This stuff will have settled at the bottom of your tank so you can drain it, change your fuel filter and you should be good to go. Do note that the fluid also has detergents added to it, not just methanol or ethylene glycol + water, hence the foaming action when sprayed on your windshield.

Originally Posted by Brumby

Though I am still nervous and uncertain about what may happen, here's what has happened so far.

I did a drive of about 25 kms during the noon time, during the drive I used sport mode too and the engine went upto S4 gear in sport mode (soft right foot makes the gear shifts at about 3000-3500 rpm in sport mode).

[Brumby]

Originally Posted by condor

since you have done this test, and have something that is personally checked to go on with, here's what I would have done:

Either now or after using more of the petrol, call a mechanic to clean the tank.

I understand that I need to drain that stuff out of the tank, but how likely is it that it will find its way into the fuel system. I do not have a cross-sectional drawing of the fuel tank and the associated fuel system lines, but I do understand that the fuel inlet pipe to the fuel pump will be about 1-2 cm above the base of the tank which most likely puts me in a comparatively safer situation.

Bhpians please advise if the above is true and if there is a drain plug provided for the fuel tank of a Polo or for any of the cars (just for information).

Thank you.