Petrol in a diesel car

[Max Paper]

My wife has just stuck £16 worth of unleaded in my diesel BMW




It was pretty empty to begin with, she DIDN'T turn the engine on as she realized her error before she filled the fucker up to the brim. Suggestions please? Cheapest quote I've had to sort it out is £180 from one of the mobile specialist companies. Cheers in advance

 

[Woodchip]

How big is the tank? You may be able to brim the tank with diesel, and that may dilute it enough that it won't do any damage. Just keep topping it up every day or so to keep diluting the petrol down.

 

[Eggmundo]

Top it up with diesel and take it for a decent spin. Might smoke a bit but oddly enough it's good at clearing deposits etc.

Apparently taxi Drivers do it prior to MOT's to clear the valves.

Mind you if it blows up don't blame me.

 

[Poyetry In Motion]

I suggest you hide the car keys from now on....

 

[Max Paper]

How big is the tank? You may be able to brim the tank with diesel, and that may dilute it enough that it won't do any damage. Just keep topping it up every day or so to keep diluting the petrol down.

It's a fairly big tank, it's a 2001 BMW 320d but I couldn't tell you the capacity, anyone know?

Top it up with diesel and take it for a decent spin. Might smoke a bit but oddly enough it's good at clearing deposits etc.

Apparently taxi Drivers do it prior to MOT's to clear the valves.

Mind you if it blows up don't blame me.

I'm toying with this, if it was just £4-5 quids worth I'd probably have already done it, i'm worried £16 is a little to much to dilute?

 

[scarby]

gotta be divorce hasn't it?

 

[Hassocks Armchair Fan]

I did it 3 weeks ago. £40 of unleaded, we pushed it off the forecourt and called the RAC. Mobile mechanic neighbour drained the tank and replaced the fuel filters..... £80. It hurt!!!

 

[The Bear]

I put £15 worth in an Astra van about 4 years ago so more than you'd get for 15 bucks these days. Didn't know what to do as had quotes similar to drain the tank and so on. Decided to chance it and brim it with diesel and it was alright. Smoked like a goodun from time to time and didn't turn off instantly but was ok. Spoke to a mechanic afterwards and he said I was lucky as unleaded burns hotter than diesel and what can happen is it just won't turn off so the engine will run until it blows up. As it happens I worked out I saved about 75p in the difference in cost of unleaded and diesel....BONUS

I would imagine your tank on the Beemer is bigger than that of an Astra van so I'd fill it with diesel and keep topping up. That's just what I'd do, so don't blame me if it goes bang!

 

[Titus]

Do not, start it. Drain it and refill. Cheaper in the long run.

 

[gullshark]

I would get someone to drain the tank... a BMW is likely to have sophisticated systems and I reckon you'll be looking at ££ as sensors and whatnot go bonkers.

 

[Sergei's Celebration]

A rule of thumb is 20% for a petrol mix into a 'older' diesel engine, which is about 12l on a '01 plate 3series (63L?) so you are under that guide by about a L. If it was me, I would max the tank on diesel and top up every 10L for a while. It will smoke and wont have the umpff for a bit but it wont cost you an arm and a leg.

Problem is getting the car to the garage, as it may stop before you get there and get the Diesel in!

I accept no responsibility for any damage done!

 

[Pevenseagull]

Siphon it off, just don't smoke whilst doing so

 

[The Wookiee]

Siphon it off, just don't smoke whilst doing so

Thatsb what I was going to suggest, then fill it up with diesel !! Then have a fag !!

 

[Max Paper]

I did it 3 weeks ago. £40 of unleaded, we pushed it off the forecourt and called the RAC. Mobile mechanic neighbour drained the tank and replaced the fuel filters..... £80. It hurt!!!

£80? If he wants fast cash PM me, I'm in Shoreham!

 

[Originunknown]

As long as you havent started engine then fuel pump won't have had a chance to pump much through.

Get bit of tube and siphon as much off as you can, then get some shell v power diesel or similar high quality diesel and put as much in as possible, then just carry on as normal.

You should be ok, not as bad this way round, diesel in petrol is far worse.

 

[Sergei Gotsmanov]

Don't top up with diesel. Def drain. Will save you money in the long run.

 

[nwgull]

Done this once when I put approx 25% of a tankful in my diesel. I just topped it to the brim with diesel and kept topping up for a few days and the car was fine, BUT, this was a '94 Renault 19 standard diesel engine so not nearly as sophisticated as your Beamer is likely to be.

 

[Ned]

Siphon it off, just don't smoke whilst doing so

May not be possible a lot of modern cars have an anti-siphon mesh in the filler neck to stop a pipe getting in the tank. Easier to drain the tank by removing the fuel line from the outlet. Still a messy job though.

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

Insurance job?

 

[beorhthelm]

i reckon thats 11 liters, alot to "dilute". i'd definatly drain, being german it probably wont do damage to the filter, pipes and seals (some will perish/disolve with petrol), but safest to replace the fuel filter if this isnt too expensive (a big if on some cars...).