Northampton Wrong Fuel

Nothing is worse than that feeling when you discover or realise that you have just put the wrong fuel in your vehicle. It may make you feel a little better to know that someone somewhere in the Uk does this every three and a half minutes, so you are not the only one!

If you realise your mistake as you’re re-fuelling your vehicle, or very shortly afterwards, do not start your engine! Call us straight away, we can help got your vehicle recovered to us and there is every chance we will be able to empty and clean the fuel tank before major damage is done.

Petrol in a Diesel Vehicle
This is the most common mistake as the petrol nozzle fits easily in diesel vehicles. This also causes more damage than if you put diesel in a petrol vehicle. If your vehicle runs on diesel, this acts as a lubricant for the fuel pump ensuring it runs smoothly. However, the petrol will act as a solvent, removing the lubrication and causing the metal parts to grate against each other causing significant damage.

Diesel in a Petrol Engine
This is actually very unlikely as the nozzle for diesel doesn’t fit in petrol vehicle! However, should you manage it, what will happen is the diesel will sink as it is heavier than petrol, and injectors will feed diesel to your engine. When you try to ignite the engine, spark plugs won’t be able to fire the diesel and the engine won’t start.

If you don’t realise your mistake until after you have driven off the forecourt, Service MOT Repairs are able to recommend a reputable and reliable recovery service to collect your car. Upon receiving the vehicle at our garage, we will then drain the fuel tank, change the filters and put in some new fuel to get you on your way!

If you have any questions about what happens when you put the wrong fuel in your car, or any of our other services, don’t hesitate to give us a call on 01604 491011 and one of our team will be happy to help.