Put petrol in diesel or diesel in petrol, here is all you need to know
Mis-fuelling or putting wrong fuel into the vehicle is one of most common mistakes drivers make at the petrol stations. According to a survey conducted by an active motoring agency, every 3 minutes at least one person in the UK commits the mistake of filling the wrong fuel in the fuel tank. It is shocking to think that over six hundred drivers commit this blunder on daily basis and end up ruining the engine of their vehicle. Therefore, adding the wrong fuel in your vehicle can bring serious consequences for you as your vehicle is not designed to run on the fuel other than recommended.
It is clear that filling up your vehicle’s fuel tank with the wrong fuel on the petrol station will definitely force you to perform massive repair works. The wrong fuel damages the major parts of an engine and affects the mechanism of its fuel injection system. This would force you to pay hefty repair bills at the garages or service stations.
According to another study, more than 150 thousand drivers in the UK make this mistake every year. Not only them but also the government departments are prone to the same mistake. For instance, last year the police department paid thousands of bucks only to overcome wrong fuelling errors.
What to do as an instant reaction
There is not a big difference in both cases, whether you put diesel in petrol tank or petrol in the diesel tank, both are equally dangerous. Both the scenarios are quite costly, and the repair bills can surge if not treated properly and in time.
Suppose you just made this mistake at the fuel station and now staring at the fuel filling machine like a dumb, what should be your first reaction? If you are a woman and poured wrong fuel in your husband’s expensive luxury car, you might start weeping, won’t you? Well, jokes aside, think about the first quick action you must take to save further damage.
A spokesperson for wrongfuel.gmm1.co.uk, a wrong fuel re,oval company, says, as a rule of thumb, your first action should be to make sure that you do not start the engine at any cost. Do not even twist the key in the ignition to turn your dashboard on, or to lock the vehicle. All these actions will turn the power on, and will ultimately turn the vehicle’s fuel injection pump on. Consequently, the fuel injection pump will start sucking fuel from the tank and will push it to the fuel injection system. This practice can increase the chances of damage by manifolds.
The wrong fuel will start pumping into the veins of the fuel delivery system and it will act as a poison to your vehicle engine. Petrol will instantly dilute the diesel and reduce its lubrication ability, thus ruining all those parts using diesel as lubrication while working.
A common mistake but far-reaching outcomes
In the modern cars and at the modern fuel stations, mis fuelling is one of the most common mistakes and drivers are more likely to make this mistake when they are not in the active state of mind. They put petrol in the diesel vehicles because the size of the diesel fuel tank’s neck is larger than the size of the Petrol specific nozzles. Therefore, petrol can easily be injected into the diesel engine and this way you can land in troubled waters.
The moment you realize that you have made this mistake, and put the wrong fuel in your vehicle, instantly pull over and call for help. You must make sure that the help is on its way and you must wait near your vehicle. Your wrong fuel assist service will make sure that all the wrong fuel is sucked out of the fuel tank and the fuel injection system and they have added right fuel into the vehicle
Now the recovery and assistance will start your engine and would give you a green light. If they think that the problem is serious, you must follow their instructions to take your vehicle to the safe location. The suction of spoilt fuel out of the fuel tank is one thing but repairing the damage is another.
Understanding the Severity of Damage
The extent of damage would be dependent on how long you drove after putting the wrong fuel in your vehicle. In most of the cases, only a few pipes would be affected if you noticed the mistake and stopped your vehicle immediately. These small repairs won’t cost you a lot in term of repair bills.
However, things can go drastically wrong if you do not notice it in time and keep driving the vehicle for long distance. In that case, be ready for a substantial engine damage. This time not only the pipes would be ruined, but also many other parts including the fuel delivery system, fuel injectors and even the fuel tank.
Understanding the Cost
Your vehicle will need to be moved to the nearest garage where the technicians will assess the damage. The problems would be enlisted and analysed to see if they can be resolved. If the costs are affordable, they will inform you, otherwise they will suggest you to get your vehicle equipped with a replacement engine.
Replacement Engine, your best friend in such drastic times
There are many examples where problems can become extensively serious and the entire engine gets affected. In such a case, repair would cost you thousands of pounds. Thus, you should go for it only if you think it is the only practical solution. In case of very high costs, you must consider buying a replacement engine and save thousands of bucks.
Although replacement engines cost a significant amount, yet it is far less than replacing the entire vehicle. Last but not the least, staying vigilant at the fuel station can save you from all the fuss there is.
Facebook Comments