What to do if the wrong fuel is filled?

Refueling with the wrong fuel usually has negative consequences. The least of them is stopping the engine. In modern diesel vehicles, the sensitive injection system can suffer costly damage.

Basic rule: as soon as you find an error, stop refueling and do not start the engine. In some modern cars, the sensitive gas pump turns on when the driver's door is opened or, at the latest, when the ignition is turned on.

If you refueled with the wrong fuel, read the instruction manual to find out what specific actions should be taken in your car. From this review you will find out in which case you need to drain the fuel from the tank, and when you can continue your journey.

Gasoline E10 (A95) instead of gasoline E5 (A98)?

This question is easy to answer if the car can use the E10. However, even a single gas station with a lower octane rating can damage the motor or cause it to become unstable. In this case, read the manufacturer's recommendations, as each manufacturer individually adjusts the fuel system and power unit.

According to experts from the German Association of Automobile Clubs ADAC, it is enough to immediately fill the tank with gasoline with a low ethanol content with better fuel. Due to this, the octane level will not be so critically low. If the tank is completely full E10, only pumping helps.

Gasoline instead of diesel?

If you did not turn on the engine or ignition, it is usually enough to pump out a mixture of gasoline and diesel from the tank. If the engine was running, it may be necessary to replace the entire injection system along with the high pressure pump, nozzles, fuel lines and tank, and this can cost decent money.

Repair is unavoidable if chips have formed in the fuel system. This is due to the fact that the details of the high-pressure pump are not lubricated by diesel fuel, but are washed with gasoline. In many cases, the pump simply stops working. That is why pouring gasoline into diesel fuel for the winter is currently not a useful action.

If the car is older (with preliminary mixing in a separate chamber, and not with direct injection), several liters of gasoline in a diesel tank may not be damaged.

Diesel instead of gasoline?

Do not start the engine under any circumstances, even with a small amount of diesel fuel in the tank. If you notice a mistake while driving, stop as soon as possible and turn off the engine. If you have not found advice in the user manual, contact your service representative.

Depending on the engine and the amount of diesel fuel, you can continue to move carefully and add suitable gasoline. But in order to avoid serious damage, it is necessary to pump out fuel from the tank. Damage to the injection and exhaust systems is not ruled out.

Normal gas instead of super or super +?

In most cases, you can not pump the fuel out of the tank if you can sacrifice the power characteristics of the engine for a while. In this case, you need to abandon high speed, ride on steep slopes or tow a trailer. When low-quality fuel runs out, you should refuel with the right fuel.

 AdBlue in a diesel tank?

It is almost impossible to fill the diesel into the AdBlue tank, since a small nozzle (19,75 cm in diameter) is not suitable for a conventional pistol (25 mm diesel, 21 mm gasoline) or ordinary spare tubes. However, filling AdBlue into a diesel tank is easy in cars without such protection. For example, this can happen if you use a canister and a universal watering can.

If the key in the starter is not turned, it is enough to conduct a good tank cleaning. If the engine is started, AdBlue may enter a sensitive injection system. Such fuel acts aggressively on pipes and hoses, and this can lead to costly damage. In addition to emptying the tank, it is also necessary to replace fuel pumps, pipes and filters.

What increases the risk of refueling with the wrong fuel?

Unfortunately, few manufacturers protect their customers from improper refueling by protecting the filler neck from the wrong gun. According to ADAC, only some diesel models from Audi, BMW, Ford, LandRover, Peugeot and VW do not allow such refueling. Gasoline can also be easily refueled in some diesel models.

The confusion intensifies when some oil companies confuse their customers with marketing names such as Excellium, MaxxMotion, Supreme, Ultimate or V-Power.

Abroad, it becomes even more difficult. In some places, diesel is referred to as naphtha, fuel oil, or gas oil. The European Union has responded by forcing all manufacturers to label their gasoline with up to 5% ethanol as E5 and diesel up to 7% fatty acid methyl esters as B7.

Questions and answers:

What to do if I filled the tank with gasoline instead of diesel? Don't start the engine. It is necessary to tow the car at a safe distance from the dispenser and drain the fuel into a separate container. Or take the car to a car service on a tow truck.

Can gasoline be added to diesel fuel? In emergency cases, this is permissible, and then if there are no other options to start the engine. The content of gasoline should not exceed ¼ of the volume of diesel fuel.

What will happen if instead of diesel you pour 95? The motor will quickly overheat, lose its softness (gasoline will explode from high temperatures, and not burn like diesel fuel), will lose power and will jerk it.