Urgent advice needed - Petrol mixed with Diesel

mrh · 13-09-2007, 20:26

It has not been a good day......

Lost a house purchase.

Failed to get a £20k contract for work because the client didn't send us all the information they sent to our competitors!

Managed to be very late for a meeting this afternoon.....

And then on the way home I put 2.5L Super Unleaded petrol into the tank of my 1.9TDI Superb!

When I filled up the computer told me I had 60mile of fuel left, and from past experience I know that that is closer to 90miles, to about 9litres.

Realising my mistake I stopped filling with the unleaded and then added another 50 plus litres of diesel to the tank until it was full (don't have receipt here to check the actual amount.

Then I drive the 17 miles home without anything else going wrong!

So I have about 2.5l of petrol mixed with about 60l of diesel - less then 5%.

Am I in the deep brown stuff or will that level of dilution be ok?

Any advice from the knowledgeable bunch out there?

Thanks

Matthew

th4neuk · 13-09-2007, 20:31

saw a thing on telly once where they left it in the car and it smoked like a pig but still worked.

this was on an old shed of diesel though.

On something like the superb I'd be tempted to have drained. Garage should be able to do it fairly cheaply.

hth

cheers

puddener · 13-09-2007, 20:45

Wouldn't be too worried about 2.5l, just don't drive car too hard until you fill up next.
Diesel in a petrol will make it smoke like mad, little drop of petrol in a diesel might nake it smoke less.

Dr Zoidberg · 13-09-2007, 20:56

Don't worry about it - that's only a small amount and it won't do any harm.

To be on the safe side , top it up with diesel a few times to dilute it a bit more , but I know people who've run with more than that without issues

Nick H · 13-09-2007, 21:10

I would think that that ratio of petrol/diesel would be quite safe to continue driving and not be too concerned.
The two will mix,and 60 ltr diesel to 2.5ltr petrol is probably less than people used to add to Diesel engines in the winter to prevent the fuel 'gelling' or freezing.

**VRStu** · 13-09-2007, 21:13

As everyone has said, it shouldn't cause a concern.

Sorry to hear of your woes, sounds like you have had a right day of it.

cheezemonkhai · 13-09-2007, 21:45

Petrol will be carbon chains of approximately 8 in length, diesel is the 10-12 length.

With a dilution ratio of about 5% you will, in my opinion, be fine. People used to put petrol in to stop the derv waxing, so the only concern you may have is lubricating injectors.

Obviously skoda don't advise using fuel additives, but a dose of something like millers power 4 wouldn't hurt to up the lubricity for this tank.

mrh · 13-09-2007, 22:23

Many thanks for all your replies.

I'll stop the panic, and get myself a beer.

If I could workout how to thank people on this forum I would, but its eluding me!

So "Thanks" for all the replies.

Cheers

Matthew

vrswhite · 13-09-2007, 22:31

just thrash it and fill it up everytime you see a petrol station,

Just a thought does petrol mix with derv or does one just sit on top of the other, in other words do you just have a layer of petrol sat on top of your derv in the tank????

mrh · 13-09-2007, 22:40

Planned to fill up everyday to keep it diluted.

Not sure if they mix properly or not. "Think" they do, but not sure!

Cheers

numskull · 14-09-2007, 10:11

As per all others - don't worry, keep filling up to dilute and it'll be fine.

rotodiesel · 14-09-2007, 11:28

Petrol and diesel fuel mix and stay mixed. At the dilution you have, there should be no problems at all. Don't thrash it though - this is seldom a solution for anything other than a coked up engine.

If you had added a lot more petrol, I would suggest adding a little self-mixing 2-stroke oil to the fuel but I'm confident that that this dilution, no harm will result.

One advantage of the PD system is that most of the working parts of the fuel system are lubricated with engine oil and therefore protected.

I keep a plastic glove in the compartment behind the door of the fuel flap - this reminds me to fill with diesel and sometimes it's handy if the pump nozzle is dirty.

rotodiesel.

smstext · 14-09-2007, 22:55

The petrol should evaporate overtime anyway.

rotodiesel · 15-09-2007, 09:34

Not when mixed with diesel in a closed tank.

rotodiesel.

smstext · 15-09-2007, 11:54

leave the cap off

(when parked)

numskull · 15-09-2007, 13:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by smstext

leave the cap off

(when parked)

nice one ....or don't bother and just keep filling it up to dilute!

mrh · 16-09-2007, 10:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by rotodiesel

I keep a plastic glove in the compartment behind the door of the fuel flap - this reminds me to fill with diesel and sometimes it's handy if the pump nozzle is dirty.

rotodiesel.

Ironically, I had already put on the plastic gloves from the dispenser, and checked the price of the diesel. Just picked up the wrong nozzle!

Muppet!!

Rodney706 · 08-11-2007, 03:05

Hi

I have accidentally joined the plonkers club. Unbelievable I managed to put 5.3 litres of unleaded into my Octavia Classic Sdi (1.9L diesel with no turbo) I didn’t start the car and managed to push it to the side of the filling station fore court. I then read some stuff on the web to see if there was anyone else as vacant as me. After reading a few web sites I decided to return to the car fill it to the top with diesel and start it and see what happens.

I think that I am right in saying that my car has a 10% mix of petrol in the diesel as 5.3 litres of unleaded is mixed with 49.7 litres of diesel in a 55 litre tank. I have driven my car 18 miles and it seams to be running no differently to when it only has diesel in it.

Dare I ask is there anyone willing to risk an estimate of the upper limit of unleaded in diesel before it is necessary to drain the fuel tank?

mathepac · 08-11-2007, 03:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodney706

... I think that I am right in saying that my car has a 10% mix of petrol in the diesel...

Personally speaking, this is about the upper limit to what I would consider "safe" for my car, but then it's not my car. Consider some of the additives suggested above, ease up with the right boot, top up the tank frequently and I promise I won't tell anyone.

Worrying I know, but I don't believe its a catastrophe.

Octygone · 08-11-2007, 09:04

it's not going to hurt it at that dilution, just drive it normally and as soon as the tank allows (about 10 litres top up with diesel and do that for about the next 200 miles) then forget it happened.
People used to mix a bit of petrol with the derv to make it start easier and not wax up in winter so dont worry

13-09-2007, 20:26	#1
mrh Briskodian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: North Warwickshire - UK Posts: 29 Thanks: 5 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Urgent advice needed - Petrol mixed with Diesel It has not been a good day...... Lost a house purchase. Failed to get a £20k contract for work because the client didn't send us all the information they sent to our competitors! Managed to be very late for a meeting this afternoon..... And then on the way home I put 2.5L Super Unleaded petrol into the tank of my 1.9TDI Superb! When I filled up the computer told me I had 60mile of fuel left, and from past experience I know that that is closer to 90miles, to about 9litres. Realising my mistake I stopped filling with the unleaded and then added another 50 plus litres of diesel to the tank until it was full (don't have receipt here to check the actual amount. Then I drive the 17 miles home without anything else going wrong! So I have about 2.5l of petrol mixed with about 60l of diesel - less then 5%. Am I in the deep brown stuff or will that level of dilution be ok? Any advice from the knowledgeable bunch out there? Thanks Matthew

13-09-2007, 20:31	#2
th4neuk Briskodian Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 435 Thanks: 6 Thanked 27 Times in 21 Posts	Re: Urgent advice needed - Petrol mixed with Diesel saw a thing on telly once where they left it in the car and it smoked like a pig but still worked. this was on an old shed of diesel though. On something like the superb I'd be tempted to have drained. Garage should be able to do it fairly cheaply. hth cheers __________________ Alan 04 Octavia vRS. Black Magic. Xenons. Green Cotton Filter. LCR Front Splitter 2000 Lotus Esprit V8 GT - Lots of mods and over 400BHP

13-09-2007, 20:45	#3
puddener Briskodian Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 35 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Urgent advice needed - Petrol mixed with Diesel Wouldn't be too worried about 2.5l, just don't drive car too hard until you fill up next. Diesel in a petrol will make it smoke like mad, little drop of petrol in a diesel might nake it smoke less.

13-09-2007, 20:56	#4
Dr Zoidberg Briskodian Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: On the back of an AA truck with a failed turbo Posts: 10,557 Thanks: 25 Thanked 186 Times in 137 Posts	Re: Urgent advice needed - Petrol mixed with Diesel Don't worry about it - that's only a small amount and it won't do any harm. To be on the safe side , top it up with diesel a few times to dilute it a bit more , but I know people who've run with more than that without issues __________________ Alex "I laugh in the face of danger, then I hide until it goes away" www.drzoidberg.co.uk

13-09-2007, 21:10	#5
Nick H Briskodian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Havant, Hants Posts: 99 Thanks: 8 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts	Re: Urgent advice needed - Petrol mixed with Diesel I would think that that ratio of petrol/diesel would be quite safe to continue driving and not be too concerned. The two will mix,and 60 ltr diesel to 2.5ltr petrol is probably less than people used to add to Diesel engines in the winter to prevent the fuel 'gelling' or freezing.

13-09-2007, 21:13	#6
VRStu Briskoda Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Hampshire Posts: 20,457 Thanks: 125 Thanked 926 Times in 830 Posts	Re: Urgent advice needed - Petrol mixed with Diesel As everyone has said, it shouldn't cause a concern. Sorry to hear of your woes, sounds like you have had a right day of it. __________________ Stu - Freedom Pimp Stu's Websites - http://www.fabia-vrs.com & http://www.octavia-vrs.com Buy My Octy for £11k - http://briskoda.net/skodas-sale/oct-07-57-octy-ii-vrs-hatch-2-0-tfsi-11k/125614/ Stu's Car - 2008 Audi S3 - Ibis White, Black Optics Pack, Privacy Glass, Auto Bi Xenon Headlights, Rain Sensing Wipers, Bose Sound System, Ipod Prep, GSM Phone Prep, Flat Bottom Multi Function Steering Wheel, Electric Folding Mirrors, Acoustic Parking, Cruise Control, Interior Light Pack, Non Smokers Pack. SWMBO's Car - 2008 Seat LEON TDi Stylance, Black Magic, Sports Pack, Rear Parking Sensors. Something for Weekend - A Patio

13-09-2007, 21:45	#7
cheezemonkhai Briskodian Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 14,783 Thanks: 92 Thanked 418 Times in 389 Posts	Re: Urgent advice needed - Petrol mixed with Diesel Petrol will be carbon chains of approximately 8 in length, diesel is the 10-12 length. With a dilution ratio of about 5% you will, in my opinion, be fine. People used to put petrol in to stop the derv waxing, so the only concern you may have is lubricating injectors. Obviously skoda don't advise using fuel additives, but a dose of something like millers power 4 wouldn't hurt to up the lubricity for this tank. __________________ Cars make CO2 and trees absorb CO2. By driving your car you're feeding a tree and helping the environment.

13-09-2007, 22:23	#8
mrh Briskodian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: North Warwickshire - UK Posts: 29 Thanks: 5 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Urgent advice needed - Petrol mixed with Diesel Many thanks for all your replies. I'll stop the panic, and get myself a beer. If I could workout how to thank people on this forum I would, but its eluding me! So "Thanks" for all the replies. Cheers Matthew

13-09-2007, 22:31	#9
vrswhite Briskodian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: doncaster - yorkshire Posts: 708 Thanks: 4 Thanked 18 Times in 18 Posts	Re: Urgent advice needed - Petrol mixed with Diesel just thrash it and fill it up everytime you see a petrol station, Just a thought does petrol mix with derv or does one just sit on top of the other, in other words do you just have a layer of petrol sat on top of your derv in the tank????

13-09-2007, 22:40	#10
mrh Briskodian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: North Warwickshire - UK Posts: 29 Thanks: 5 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Urgent advice needed - Petrol mixed with Diesel Planned to fill up everyday to keep it diluted. Not sure if they mix properly or not. "Think" they do, but not sure! Cheers

14-09-2007, 10:11	#11
numskull Briskodian Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Surrey Posts: 386 Thanks: 4 Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts	Re: Urgent advice needed - Petrol mixed with Diesel As per all others - don't worry, keep filling up to dilute and it'll be fine. __________________ Num In Search Of Working Remap!

14-09-2007, 11:28	#12
rotodiesel Briskodian Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 615 Thanks: 4 Thanked 69 Times in 61 Posts	Re: Urgent advice needed - Petrol mixed with Diesel Petrol and diesel fuel mix and stay mixed. At the dilution you have, there should be no problems at all. Don't thrash it though - this is seldom a solution for anything other than a coked up engine. If you had added a lot more petrol, I would suggest adding a little self-mixing 2-stroke oil to the fuel but I'm confident that that this dilution, no harm will result. One advantage of the PD system is that most of the working parts of the fuel system are lubricated with engine oil and therefore protected. I keep a plastic glove in the compartment behind the door of the fuel flap - this reminds me to fill with diesel and sometimes it's handy if the pump nozzle is dirty. rotodiesel.

14-09-2007, 22:55	#13
smstext 2.0 FSI Sport. Join Date: May 2007 Location: oxon Posts: 8,403 Thanks: 10 Thanked 241 Times in 218 Posts	Re: Urgent advice needed - Petrol mixed with Diesel The petrol should evaporate overtime anyway. __________________ OXON Meet 5 October 2008 click here for more info Briskoda Summer Camp Meet Click Here Czech Road Trip 2009 Click Here

15-09-2007, 09:34	#14
rotodiesel Briskodian Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 615 Thanks: 4 Thanked 69 Times in 61 Posts	Re: Urgent advice needed - Petrol mixed with Diesel Not when mixed with diesel in a closed tank. rotodiesel.

15-09-2007, 11:54	#15
smstext 2.0 FSI Sport. Join Date: May 2007 Location: oxon Posts: 8,403 Thanks: 10 Thanked 241 Times in 218 Posts	Re: Urgent advice needed - Petrol mixed with Diesel leave the cap off (when parked) __________________ OXON Meet 5 October 2008 click here for more info Briskoda Summer Camp Meet Click Here Czech Road Trip 2009 Click Here

08-11-2007, 03:05	#18
Rodney706 Briskodian Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 1 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Urgent advice needed - Petrol mixed with Diesel Hi I have accidentally joined the plonkers club. Unbelievable I managed to put 5.3 litres of unleaded into my Octavia Classic Sdi (1.9L diesel with no turbo) I didn’t start the car and managed to push it to the side of the filling station fore court. I then read some stuff on the web to see if there was anyone else as vacant as me. After reading a few web sites I decided to return to the car fill it to the top with diesel and start it and see what happens. I think that I am right in saying that my car has a 10% mix of petrol in the diesel as 5.3 litres of unleaded is mixed with 49.7 litres of diesel in a 55 litre tank. I have driven my car 18 miles and it seams to be running no differently to when it only has diesel in it. Dare I ask is there anyone willing to risk an estimate of the upper limit of unleaded in diesel before it is necessary to drain the fuel tank?

08-11-2007, 09:04	#20
Octygone Old Git Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Wiltshire Posts: 6,690 Thanks: 182 Thanked 109 Times in 68 Posts	Re: Urgent advice needed - Petrol mixed with Diesel it's not going to hurt it at that dilution, just drive it normally and as soon as the tank allows (about 10 litres top up with diesel and do that for about the next 200 miles) then forget it happened. People used to mix a bit of petrol with the derv to make it start easier and not wax up in winter so dont worry __________________

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