Misfuelling or wrong fuelling are both the names of the same thing. No matter how simple these words may appear, the practical occurrence of them can be a disaster. People tend not to give significant attention towards this aspect and thus end up putting the wrong fuel in their vehicle tanks and things arguably go out of their hands.
Therefore, to have the know-how of wrong fuelling is quite essential. It is pertinent to describe what actually wrong fuelling is. Wrong fuelling, as the name depicts, is the act of putting a fuel type in the fuel tank of a vehicle or other fuel type. Filling diesel in petrol tank or petrol in the diesel tank are both the examples.
You might find it funny if you have never committed the mistake of wrong fuelling. However, people who have actually gone through this phase know exactly what a blunder it can be and how disastrous its consequences can be.
Wrong fuelling is never done intentionally. Most of the people fall prey to this mistake usually when they are in a haste. The rest of them are those who are mentally disturbed due to some ongoing issue that runs in their mind.
A few people also get caught in this due to some sort of misunderstanding due to the fuel signs at fuel pumps.it does not matter what leads to wrong fuelling, but the thing which really matters is what you are supposed to do after you have done this mistake.
There are two most common fuels used in the world, therefore, there are two most common types of wrong fuelling. First one is Petrol in diesel engine and the second one is Diesel in a petrol engine.
Petrol in Diesel
This type of mistake is easy to make because petrol nozzles easily fit most of modern diesel filter necks. Putting petrol into a diesel tank causes a lot of damage since diesel acts as a lubricant which helps the fuel pump do its job without friction.
Therefore, when petrol is filled in a diesel engine, it works in the opposite manner, that is, it increases the roughness and friction among parts in the diesel engine. This friction tore apart the engine in a brutal fashion and leave the engine in shambles.
Even though the diesel fuel nozzle is larger than the most petrol filler necks which makes it less likely to put diesel in the petrol tank. However, still many cases of diesel in petrol tank are reported regularly.
This type of mistake is less severe than petrol in a diesel engine but can still put you in a very uncomfortable position. Petrol engines work very differently from a diesel engine since petrol is ignited by spark plugs.
Hence, when diesel is filled inside a petrol engine, it blocks up the spark plugs and diminishes the working of the fuel system. This activity would stall the engine and the vehicle will refuse to start. It can be a pretty time-consuming practice to recover the engine.
If unfortunately, you do not realise the mistake and start the engine, you might witness some signs which occurs due to the filling of diesel in a petrol engine. The first one is Engine misfiring which means that the engine skips in the processes of its combustion cycle. This activity leads the engine to become rough and jerky. It may also affect the efficiency of the engine.
The second symptom can be that the engine will not start at all. This happens because the diesel diminishes the ability of spark plugs to produce a spark. Your vehicle may also experience engine cut-outs and your vehicle may stop suddenly.
Another very clear symptom is smoky exhaust while driving which is exactly due to the diesel which is prone to producing smoke. These symptoms should be enough for you to realise your mistake and rectify it.
Diesel in Petrol
Making mistakes is a part of human nature but the good thing is that they realise their mistakes and learn from them. There are some don’ts you must follow if you have already committed the mistake.
First of all, don’t panic. Keep your nerves calm and try to analyse the extent of the damage. Mostly, people take a decision in haste which can lead to cause more problems from them.
Secondly, if you recognized the mistake during the course of misfuelling, don’t start the engine. Push it to the safe place so that the wrong fuel do not mix up with the right fuel. In case you already started driving, don’t drive any further soon as you come to know the mistake and park it on the roadside.
Thirdly, don’t try to mingle with the engine unless until you are a professional technician with complete knowledge of how the engine works. Because if you are not, things can get worse instead of improving. On the contrary, there are a few things you must do to avoid any further discomfort.
The first thing you must do is to read the fuel signs when you enter the fuel station and not just rely on the colours in order to avoid the problem in the first place.
Furthermore, if you have already put diesel in the petrol vehicle, what you have to do is to stop. No matter what stage you are in, stop at once. This way you would be able to avoid spending more.
The most important thing to do is to call some wrong fuelling service provider. They have professionals which know exactly what to do and how to do. They reach your location and analyse the extent of the damage. Usually, diesel in petrol is recovered by draining all the fuel and washing flowing petrol through the engine.
Wrong Fuel Recovery
Easier said than done, but if you really want to prevent filling diesel in a petrol engine, you will have to be cautious and keep in mind following measures.
Most of the people rely only on the colour of the hose for deciding the fuel type. However, you must read the label indicating the fuel type.
Sometimes, when you switch from diesel to petrol car, your mind is trained to fill diesel so you are more likely to put diesel in a petrol car. To avoid it, leave yourself with reminders.
Soon as you enter the fuel station, focus on what are you doing and not on other matters since prevention is always better than cure. Therefore, try to avoid refuelling when you’re in a hurry or mentally disturbed.
Finally, if you do not trust your memory, there are petrol specific nozzles available in the market which allow only petrol fillers to fit. This measure can significantly lower the risk of putting diesel in the petrol tank.
