As the popularity of diesel cars ever increases, the problems
and associated costs of misfuelling are becoming a serious
concern for motoring groups, company fleet managers and
private car owners. It is estimated that in 2004 over 155,000
diesel cars were misfuelled with petrol.
A common mistake!
You thought you were driving a petrol? You weren't concentrating?
You picked up the wrong fuel nozzle? You've put petrol in
a diesel car…
Petrol Contamination in Diesel Engines
Firstly its important not to start the engine and get immediate
assistance from a recovery service. This will limit the
damage caused and will help reduce the amount of work required
to rectify the situation. The further any petrol progresses
through the system the more damage it can cause.
Misfuelling with Petrol Damages Diesel Engines
Running a diesel engine on petrol will permanently damage
the engines components.
- Petrol strips lubrication from diesel engine components
- High pressure diesel fuel pumps susceptible
- Fuel lines and tanks must be drained and cleaned
- Diesel parts require new replacement.
In modern diesel cars we are also faced with a side effect
of electronic devices designed to prepare a diesel engine
for quick start-up. Simply activating the central locking
to unlock the car can cause extensive damage. Electronic
systems actually pressurise the fuel system, prime the fuel
pump and activate glow plugs, readying the car to start
as soon as we unlock the doors and turn the ignition. The
delay previously experienced waiting for the glow plug light
after switching on the ignition has now been cleverly incorporated
into our routine when entering our cars.
Misfuelling can be caused by a combination of recent change
which have occurred over the past decade. Diesel has become
ever more popular, and as a result diesel pumps have been
locating immediately adjacent to petrol pumps. Petrol pump
nozzles are smaller than diesel pump nozzles. This makes
it physically possible to pump petrol into a diesel car,
but much harder to pump diesel into a petrol car as the
nozzle simple won't fit. Huge financial costs to implement
changes to nozzle shape or size prevent current action from
all major fuel companies.
Diesel Fuel Pump Confusion
Another recent controversy has raged over fuel companies
using ambiguously colour coded pump handles. Thankfully
this has been a simple problem to solve, costing relatively
little to implement, fuel companies have agreed to simplify
and clearly colour code pump handles, restricting branding
which may lead to petrol contamination.
Advances in diesel engines performance, and lack of concentration
are also a common cause. Especially a problem with hire
cars, company vehicles it is easy to forget the vehicle
actually runs on diesel when performance may suggest it
is a petrol engine. The driver simply reaches for the most
familiar pump and starts refilling.
Always double check whether you need petrol or diesel before
you begin filling, this simple mistake can cost several
hundred, if not thousands of pounds to rectify.