Sometimes mistakes could cost you greatly, and the wrong fuel could be one such blunder. Wrong fuel means petrol in a diesel engine car tank or diesel in a petrol engine car tank. These two fuels originate from the same source but produce energy differently, so you cannot mix one with the other.
It has dire consequences for the engine and its related parts. Every driver is well aware of the type of fuel required for his/her car’s engine, so there is very little possibility of wrong fuelling. Just do not take it for granted and pay little attention to avoid the possible consequences of changing the engine.
Diesel engines produce energy without burning fuel. Diesel is not inflammable like petrol, so petrol in a tank could cause serious problems. The supply of petrol through a fuel pump corrupts the pump first of all. Petrol is dry and devoid of lubrication, so the mechanical parts fraction becomes high and these parts get damaged too.
Due to the heat, an incident fire could happen. It is an extreme condition and it is witnessed at the last stage when you fail to realise the mistake after all the signals and alerts. If you are attentive and paying attention, then you can avoid this mistake at earlier stages.
Just notice the strong smell of petrol and stop filling it in the tank of your diesel-engine car. Even before this, you can stop fuelling the wrong fuel in your car by reading the name or code on the fuel dispenser. Another indication is the size of the nozzle, which loosely fits into the opening of the diesel engine car. Petrol in diesel tank is more common than the other way round.
When you shift from a diesel to a petrol engine car or vice versa, then you can commit this blunder too. In routine, you stop near the diesel dispenser at the fuel station and start filling fuel, so you could do it and fill diesel in the petrol engine car. Another possibility is driving someone else’s car, and you do not know what type of fuel it needs to run.
Lack of knowledge about car engines could be a reason for this blunder. People who go to other countries and are unable to distinguish between diesel and petrol dispensers could make this mistake. When you are focused and attentive, you can avoid it. Wrong fuelling in vehicles is now frequently reported.
When you are in a hurry, then wrong fuelling is possible as well. You just want to fill your car tank and move forward, but the wrong fuel causes you to delay and lose money. The change of engine is the biggest loss, and its repair also hurts. The petrol engine car tank has a smart opening because the nozzle is thin.
The nozzle of the diesel dispenser is big, so it does not fit into the smart opening. It is a strong indication and alerts to stop you from misfuelling. This is why incidents of diesel in petrol engine cars are less likely than the other way round.
The diesel in petrol engine cars could not get burnt and the engine would not start, so after repeated tries, you may realise the mistake, but the damage has been done. Whenever you think you have done wrong, just stop there and take the key out of the slot. It is the best thing you can do after making a mistake.
Wrong fuel in the tank does not cause much damage, so do not turn the engine on or try to do so. If the car tank has been filled with the wrong fuel, then make arrangements to drain it out and refill the tank with the right fuel. It does not cost you much, and your time will be saved as well.
Even before this, you can stop filling up the wrong fuel. Diesel in petrol tank is only possible if you persist with your mistake. Only five per cent of fuel mixed does not demand draining fuel, so you can keep running the car. In such a situation, you must be sure that the percentage of wrong fuel is 5 per cent or less than that.
If you are not sure and conscious about the well-being or good condition of the engine, then do not take a risk and drain fuel from the tank. Once this happens to anyone, he or she becomes attentive while doing this routine job. But for all of us, it is better to fill the right fuel and stay focused rather than do this after experiencing a loss of fuel. When you take the key out of the slot or do not insert it in the slot, the fuel pump and engine do not get corrupted.
Sometimes you need to change the fuel pump and other parts and the car is ready to go on the road. Sometimes maximum loss happens and you have to replace the engine to take the car back on the road. If you do not want to get into this situation, then remain focused while fuelling the car tank. You must have knowledge of the engine and fuel type it uses to produce power. When you go abroad, ask people or learn about fuel codes and names so that you do not mistake and always fill the right fuel. It is easy to do rather than get into a worse situation. The solution of wrong fuelling is present, but the cost could be high and take a lot of time.
