petrol added to diesel tank!?

 Had a brain fart yesterday, and added 20 litres of petrol to my Navara's diesel tank. I have had conflicting suggestions as to what to do. Some have said just top it up with diesel and will be ok, just run rough till diluted out. Others are adamant that starting the motor will take about half hour to blow the head.         I didn't start it, opting to tow it away to drain the fuel out.    Just wondering what thoughts are out there on this...      I understand that adding diesel to a petrol tank won't do harm, justmake it run a bit rich for a while.

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Save the Whales! May as well - they won't fit in my catch bag!!!


Wes F's picture

Posts: 1067

Date Joined: 07/01/12

You did the right thing   You

Mon, 2012-03-05 18:03

You did the right thing   You won't do ya motor any favours just diluteing will do some damage

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 Old fishermen never die they just smell that way.

tim-o's picture

Posts: 4657

Date Joined: 24/05/11

Drain it mate, if it was the

Mon, 2012-03-05 18:05

Petrol engines have alot less compression so having petrol in ur deisel will cause preigniting and you could throw a leg or blow the head!

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I am, as I've said, merely competent. But in an age of incompetence, that makes me extraordinary.

Posts: 440

Date Joined: 27/07/09

 Id be draining the tank then

Mon, 2012-03-05 18:07

 Id be draining the tank then fill it to the top with deisel , 20 litres is quite alot of petrol and i would think it would do damage for sure , petrol is alot more volatile than deisel and ignites at alot lower temps , It will start detonating and the engine might overheat or start melting pistons ,

Lamby's picture

Posts: 3145

Date Joined: 04/08/09

Bugger Judy, seen it happen

Mon, 2012-03-05 18:09

Bugger Judy, seen it happen before & have been told you can get away with 7:3 but I would be so paranoid... In fact no past tense here I remain paranoid that whenever wifey 'borrows' the car I run out to check the fuel level before the keys are handed over, just rolls her eyes at me

Posts: 614

Date Joined: 24/02/11

Right

Mon, 2012-03-05 18:16

You did the right thing

Posts: 222

Date Joined: 14/12/09

Confirms my thought...

Mon, 2012-03-05 18:18

 Thanks guys, I feel so much better about forkingout the money for the petrol PLUS the tow, knowing that I still have to buy another tank of diesel...  Cheers,   Judy

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Save the Whales! May as well - they won't fit in my catch bag!!!

Posts: 730

Date Joined: 29/05/08

Back in the day, before CRD

Mon, 2012-03-05 19:26

Back in the day, before CRD (common rail diesel), the diesel was the lubricant in the injection pump. If you mixed too much petrol in it would seize.
I'm not sure what it breaks now but I'm sure you've done the right thing & you probably wont do it again.

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"Some  cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go." - Oscar Wilde
 

Posts: 222

Date Joined: 14/12/09

You are right!

Mon, 2012-03-05 19:47

 I certainly won't do it again.... I have the excuse that I was quite distracted... My toy poodle was attacked by a big mongrel dog, and I am still rather unsettled from the experience. Mongrel chased my dog onto our property and I dragged him off her, locking him in my shed till the ranger took him away. Now I have my little 3kg dog looking like a patchwork quilt. At least she's alive...

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Save the Whales! May as well - they won't fit in my catch bag!!!

Posts: 730

Date Joined: 29/05/08

Bugger At least all is well

Mon, 2012-03-05 20:07

Bugger

At least all is well now. :)

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"Some  cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go." - Oscar Wilde
 

Faulkner Family's picture

Posts: 18011

Date Joined: 11/03/08

 good call. not a good mix

Mon, 2012-03-05 23:18

 good call. not a good mix running petrol through the diesel. your poodle is on the mend and the car is ok, now you just need to get out there and catch some good fish. 

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RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together

Posts: 26

Date Joined: 19/12/10

mixing petrol in your diesel

Thu, 2012-03-08 19:31

mixing petrol in your diesel fuel is good for cleaning the injectors.

adam87's picture

Posts: 291

Date Joined: 16/05/11

but no good for the pistons

Thu, 2012-03-08 23:59

but no good for the pistons or con rods hey?

Wes F's picture

Posts: 1067

Date Joined: 07/01/12

Ya right there Adam   there's

Fri, 2012-03-09 10:39

Ya right there Adam   there's proper injector cleaner fuel addatives these days

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 Old fishermen never die they just smell that way.