Petrol in diesel van! :(

[mick1234]

Newbie here and I've done something really dumb... pulled into the garage tonight and put £20 (20 ltrs roughly?) worth of unleaded petrol in my Vito 110CDI diesel van.

The low fuel light on the van was pretty low before I filled up and I have driven about a mile before noticing Heard a strange nosie from engine and realised then what I had done..it did however get me home on very low revs.

Could anyone suggest the best way to rectify this? I have read round the forums and the popular suggestion is to drain the tank but I'm not sure if there is a drain plug on the Vito?

Is this the way forward or does anyone have other suggestions?

Many thanks in advance

 

[Ellsy Tanners]

Hi there Mick,

Sadly there are no drain plugs for the tank, it needs to be sucked out fully and the filter replaced..

However, the high pressure pump will be knackered. I must be changed as it has ran without any lubricant for a while, this will cause it to fail and will cause horrendous damage to the engine if it siezes whilst engine running..

 

[mick1234]

oh not good news then, i thought as i had caught it early as it were that it would just be a matter of draining and replacing fuel

Many thanks for your prompt reply though ET

 

[Ellsy Tanners]

oh not good news then, i thought as i had caught it early as it were that it would just be a matter of draining and replacing fuel

Many thanks for your prompt reply though ET

Its one of those things, You may change the fuel and get away with it, but it may cause very serious damage it it fails. If it was me I would change it.

 

[mick1234]

Thanks ET, would you have any idea as to the cost of a pump and how difficult they are to fit?

 

[television]

The fact here is no one ever knows what damage if any has been done, its worse for a CDI and it is said that 6 liters of petrol in 60 liters of diesel is the max that one can get away with.

It is a try it and see situation, the only lubrication for the pump is from the deisel itself

I would clean it all out and see, that cost nothing , if it starts and runs OK then it could well run on for a long time.

You will know on starting up what its like

 

[mick1234]

Thanks television I think I will do what you suggest tomorrow and give it a clean out first..as you say that costs nothing other than the price of diesel.

As soon as I heard a difference in tone in the engine I stopped and having realising what I had done I drove it on very low revs for about a 1/3 of a mile so i'm hoping there is no damage...fingers crossed i guess!

 

[television]

Shame there is nothing that one can undo

http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as...+++611.980&CT=F&cat=50N&SID=47&SGR=180&SGN=02

http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as...+++611.980&CT=F&cat=50N&SID=47&SGR=090&SGN=01

The pipe comes out of the top of the tank, so pumping is the only way.

 

[mick1234]

Thanks for the diagrams Television. What's the best way to pump it out? Can I use the pump on the engine to pump it out if I disconnect it?

 

[dava]

I dont want to disagree with Elsie as he obviously knows his onoins, but we get up to 10 per week filling with petrol and we dont have to replace the hp pump. MB recommend the complete replacement of all fuel parts, pipes and tank, but never had to do that. Drain it using a electric fuel pump via the fuel filter pipe, carefull as it's petrol and sparks come from electric pumps, put a litre of oil in the refill full tank and try your luck.

 

[mick1234]

Thanks Dava that sounds a bit more promising. It's not the cost as such but im self employed and i need it back on the road asap.

 

[dava]

Thanks Dava that sounds a bit more promising. It's not the cost as such but im self employed and i need it back on the road asap.

Then what you got to loose, a HP pump is £400 ish and a b*** to fit, believe me I've done this so many times.

 

[television]

Thanks for the diagrams Television. What's the best way to pump it out? Can I use the pump on the engine to pump it out if I disconnect it?

You must not use the engine pump at any cost , try and hire a pump from a Hire shop

 

[mick1234]

Ok will do television..thanks!

 

[dava]

Got to a scrap yard get an electric petrol pump off some thing, the inline type, usually on the chassis some where. Fit some pipe and two fly wires, one live and other negitive to the terminals on the pump, the other ends of the wires with crocodile clips, fit the suction end of the pump with the pipe fitted to the top of the fuel filter, feed out and the other end of the pump pipe into a drum. Connect clips to battery, go and have a cuppa.

 

[meanie]

You pay your money & take a chance.
We look after a lot of cars for a local lease company,a see this quite a lot.They used to take a punton it & get away with it.
Until a 2006 BMW 530d that is-now they replace them!
Just the pumps though,everything else can be cleaned,or in the tanks case,drained & dilluted right down.
If you're self employed it's worth remembering that repairs are tax deductable,but can you afford to lose your van if it does fail??

 

[mick1234]

Thanks for all your replies and assistance fellas I have given the AA a call, they have a service designed just for this and I will take advice from him when he arrives..costs the best part of £200 and i hope it will be money well spent. Will let you know what happens after he has been

 

[mick1234]

AA bloke has been and i've parted with £180. Took the Van for a longish run carefully and all apears to be ok.

Thanks for everyones help

The AA bloke told me he did 5 of thses a day, 6 days a week...not bad money huh?

 

[Alex M Grieve]

AA bloke has been and i've parted with £180. Took the Van for a longish run carefully and all apears to be ok.

Good to hear that you have had a satisfactory outcome. Any ideas what the AA man did? Drain and refill, or change any parts?

 

[mick1234]

Hi Alex

He just drained and refilled as far as I know, had a purpose built vehicle but as petrol was involved he didn't allow me to be in the vicinity. He did say that as I had only driven less than a mile he was certain that everything would be ok.