[missin44]

No offence to anyone but really need only people that know what they are talking about to respond. Yesterday my wife mistakenly filled her TDI with gas (13 gallons), she drove it barely over a mile before it died. Other than draining the tank and refilling with diesel, what else needs to be done? Will there be any long term damage, etc. I'm sure this is not the first time something like this has happened.
Thanks
DJ

 

[Honda_Appliance]

Re: TDI Experts Help - Gasoline in TDI (missin44)

Quote, originally posted by missin44 »

No offence to anyone but really need only people that know what they are talking about to respond.

Get ready to fork over major $$$ for a new injector pump.

 

[Ronman2006]

Seen it many times. If you have drained the tank and cleared the lines, replaced the fuel filter, you should be ok. I would suggest adding a diesel fuel treatment ( oneshot, diesel aid) to add lubricity to the diesel fuel to counteract any gasoline left behind. Our shop has seen it many times and we haven't had to replace an injector pump due to gasoline yet.

 

[dubCanuck1]

Re: (Ronman2006)

VW has it in their owners' manuals (or used to) that you could have a certain percentage of gasoline mixed with the diesel and that it was acceptable, so don't fret about getting every little bit of gas out of the tank. A diesel treatment, as well as the advice given above should be sufficient.

 

[missin44]

Re: (Ronman2006)

Thanks for replies guys

 

[nu-to-vw]

Re: TDI Experts Help - Gasoline in TDI (missin44)

Quote, originally posted by missin44 »

Yesterday my wife mistakenly filled her TDI with gas (13 gallons), she drove it barely over a mile before it died. DJ

One word of advice from a non-diesel expert, mistakes happen, the outcome sounds like it will be fine, go easy on your wife....cuz when you goof up along the line....the payback will be sheer misery for you

 

[missin44]

Re: TDI Experts Help - Gasoline in TDI (missin44)

All turned out as well as possible. Replaced fuel filter, cleared fuel lines and drained tank...$300. So we got away for about $600 total: repair, tow bill, lost gas and refill with diesel, etc..
Thanks Agian

 

[RideVR6]

Re: TDI Experts Help - Gasoline in TDI (missin44)

Glad it worked out good.

 

[Passenger Performance]

The reason for adding gasoline to diesel as stated in the old rabbit diesel owners manuals was to help fight the excessive sulphur in the old fuel, but thats around 20-30 years ago, even our current fuel, the non ULSD has signifgantly less sulphur than it used to. Diesels will run on just about anything, for a while, I've had to fix some gas into diesel mishaps, usually ends up being ok. But they really can run on all sorts of fuels, including the waste oils and the different bio diesel types, you could almost run pig **** hahaha

 

[missin44]

Re: (Passenger Performance)

But it ain't going to run with 13 gallons in a 14 gallon tank, not to mention that hte injection pump is lubricated with the deisel fuel it's self.

 

[MXTHOR3]

Re: (missin44)

Quote, originally posted by missin44 »

But it ain't going to run with 13 gallons in a 14 gallon tank, not to mention that hte injection pump is lubricated with the deisel fuel it's self.

He is lucky he got 13 gallons of gas into the tank instead of say 7 gallons.
If he did get 7 gallons in, there would have been enough diesel still in the system for it it actually run. This is where you would have seen massive IP failure.

 

[bdsxxx]

Re: (MXTHOR3)

what did you do to punish your wife, I'd take here TDI away and make her drive a gasser for a week.

 

[janb]

I would run some 'stanadyne' for pump lubricant (good idea in general)

 

[h2ovwlover]

Re: (janb)

Sorry to bring this back from the dead and hijack it while I'm here, but I have a similar story to share. Two weeks ago my sister was driving my mom's "old" TDI (1999 Jetta GL) she stopped for fuel about 7gal. She left the gas station and drove for about 5 miles when the engine "took off" it over revved for about 10 min. before the engine died (she said she couldn't stop it.). I told her she should have put it in 5th gear and choked it down, but too late for that now. I told her I think she put gasoline in it instead of diesel. She said she was at a diesel only pump she has the receipt to prove it. I went to look at the car and took off the fuel cap off sure smelled like gas in the tank. After calls to the store and the fuel distributor (both deny any responsibility) it looks like we will have to take them to court.

Now the search is on for a replacement engine........

 

[stolpsGTI]

Re: (h2ovwlover)

Take them to court? Good luck with that.

I bet that the turbo went vs. her putting the wrong fuel in it...

 

[h2ovwlover]

Re: (stolpsGTI)

Quote, originally posted by stolpsGTI »

Take them to court? Good luck with that.

Unfortunately that seems to be my mom's only recourse in recovering the costs of repairs.

Quote, originally posted by stolpsGTI »

I bet that the turbo went vs. her putting the wrong fuel in it...

where did you come up with that one? How would a bad turbo make the fuel smell like gasoline and cause the engine to run on with no way to shut it off.

 

[MXTHOR3]

Re: (h2ovwlover)

Quote, originally posted by h2ovwlover »

where did you come up with that one? How would a bad turbo make the fuel smell like gasoline and cause the engine to run on with no way to shut it off.

I think it's obvious, he has no idea what he's talking about

 

[burn_your_money]

Re: (MXTHOR3)

It definitely sounds like a runaway engine, which would not be caused by gas in the diesel. You would still be able to turn the car off in this situation.
An oil seal (rings, turbo etc) likely failed and the engine was running off of it's own engine oil. It's probably low if you check it.
Diesel smells like old gas to me.

 

[h2ovwlover]

Re: (burn_your_money)

Quote, originally posted by burn_your_money »

It definitely sounds like a runaway engine, which would not be caused by gas in the diesel. You would still be able to turn the car off in this situation.

I know there is gasoline in the tank. I was just sharing my experience with a gas station that filled their diesel tank with gasoline and refuse to admit it.
Yes gas in a diesel engine will cause it to "run away" I have seen it happen. well back to the 'Rocco forum for me.

 

[1point9turbo]

Re: (h2ovwlover)

A couple weeks ago I stopped at a place I never went to by my friends house...i was running on fumes. So I wanted 20 bucks...it was one of those pumps with gas on one side and diesel on the other. I dont remember if i said diesel or not but I jumped when I saw the green pump (the diesel one) still sitting in the harnes and the pump pumping away.
only got 2.5 gallons in there. So, filled up the rest with diesel, added some dino-oil and it was fine. I did have one really cold start where one of the cylinders missed for about 10 seconds but that was all that was wrong...smelled kind of funky too with frankenfuel.