I fell victim today...

[Mongrel]

Of using the Unleaded pump instead of the Diesel pump!

So the story goes like this...

I pulled into my local servo beside the Diesel pump, lifted the handle and started pumping. At 18 litres I realised I hade the unleaded hose which is on the oposite side of the Diesel pump. I stopped pumping, went in a paid for it.

Now... Lucky for me the local mechanic owns a workshop less than 30m from the servo, so a quick phone call and he tells me to drive it straight through to the workshop and he will sort it out.

So I get there and he pops the line off the fuel filter, plugs in a little 12v pump connected to my battery and sucks my tank dry.

Then we pour in 20L of Diesel and he uses the pump again to flush the lines clean with new fresh Diesel. Primes the fuel pump and away we go! All up 15 minutes.

AND... because I offered him some assistance a couple of weeks ago with a dodgy computer, he didn't charge me a cent!

This time I was lucky. I will pay more attention in the future.

Cheers all
Mongrel

[gregned]

So you drove it to the workshop?
Did I read that correct?

[4WD Supplies]

I bet Amanda will be happy with this story.

[chick_magnet_0001]

So you drove it to the workshop?
Did I read that correct?

im more shocked that he rang them.......its 30m how unfit are you

[Mongrel]

Actually I called them because I didn't want to have to leave the car in the servo.

And yes I drove it to the workshop. 30m is probably wrong, but it is very close.

He and I both agreed that there would be no chance of any of the unleaded getting to the engine as the engine would not be running long enough to pull all of the diesel through that was currently in the lines.

I have since driven it 45km and no I'll affect.

I was lucky I was not somewhere else where I would need to be towed.

[trickydevil]

Very lucky. There's usually about 10kms worth of diesel in the fuel lines. I found this out the hard way with my rodeo.

[Mongrel]

I have to say though... I am thinking on getting one of those 12v pumps. He just plugged it into the intake line of the fuel pump, and then little aligator clips to the battery and it sucked out the 30 odd litres of diesel and unleaded in about 20 minutes. Might have to keep one of them in the truck.

Once we had the tank empty, we used it again to suck clean diesel through the lines and ran about a litre through to flush. Then plugged back on and I was off.

Better than dumping the tank from underneath or trying to syphon.

[ag9111]

I have to say though... I am thinking on getting one of those 12v pumps. He just plugged it into the intake line of the fuel pump, and then little aligator clips to the battery and it sucked out the 30 odd litres of diesel and unleaded in about 20 minutes.

Probably used to all the idiots doing the same thing

Glad no damage done

[Mongrel]

Yep - He reckons he gets one every couple of weeks. The servo is right on the hwy between Canberra and Yass - and they obviously send everyone to the workshop just up the road. LOL!!

I am glad no damage too!! It could have been nasty if I had not realised.

[trickydevil]

I've also noticed a few servos changing the colour of the diesel pump stickers. I was so used to looking for the black sticker. Bastards

[Henry]

Might have to keep one of them in the truck.

I suppose the real issue is what you're going to do with 30 litres of mixed fuel after you've finished pumping it out. It's not like you can just pour it down the drain :/ If it's happening regularly use the mine method and write "diesel only" in permanent marker on the side of your truck

[Tony]

Actually I called them because I didn't want to have to leave the car in the servo.

And yes I drove it to the workshop. 30m is probably wrong, but it is very close.

He and I both agreed that there would be no chance of any of the unleaded getting to the engine as the engine would not be running long enough to pull all of the diesel through that was currently in the lines.

I have since driven it 45km and no I'll affect.

I was lucky I was not somewhere else where I would need to be towed.

FYI,
I hate to frighten you, but, erm, the fuel system is constantly open on these things. Lift pump runs 100% and what fuel the common rail pump doesn't use get returned to the tank as fresh fuel gets charged in. ( only takes seconds to happen). This applies for most fuel injected set ups.

[Tony]

Might have to keep one of them in the truck.

I suppose the real issue is what you're going to do with 30 litres of mixed fuel after you've finished pumping it out. It's not like you can just pour it down the drain :/ If it's happening regularly use the mine method and write "diesel only" in permanent marker on the side of your truck

Give it to me and I'll run it in my old landy Mix some oil in and she'll be right in old school diesels.
Or use it as lighting fluid.

[GrahamB]

I stopped in to the Shell there on southern side of Goulburn on Sunday on way to Canberra.

Every man and his dog were filling up... Holidays!

I could see only one diesel pump so went round back to the truck high-flow pumps. No-one at any of the pumps.

Don't know of any trucks that use unleaded.

BTW - Anyone notice the "Curry in a Hurry" Indian sign on other side of road of that servo...

[norto]

Mongrel
My brother just got a diesel key for his Hi lux. It stops you from filling
with anything but diesel.

http://www.hatfactory.com.au/

[Froggy]

how does that actually stop you from putting the wrong fuel in?

[norto]

The anti misfuel device has 3 or 4 "prongs" in the neck that need to be pushed away to let the flap at the bottom fall away to let the fuel in. The petrol filler nozzle is smaller than the diesel one and doesn't contact all the prongs at the same time.

[dan.batto]

The anti misfuel device has 3 or 4 "prongs" in the neck that need to be pushed away to let the flap at the bottom fall away to let the fuel in. The petrol filler nozzle is smaller than the diesel one and doesn't contact all the prongs at the same time.

Aren't they starting to make the diesel pump nozzles smaller due to all the European diesels coming into the country, I guess just fill at the truck high flow pumps.

[Kegsy]

Ford have these fuelling keys in the mondeo's and the focus'. Not sure if the other models have them yet...

But they are a great idea, the bowser nozzle has to push a series of keys to the side all at once to allow the flap to open. So you can't mis-fuel nor be siphoned.

The only time I had troubles with mine is when I needed to add some injector cleaner to the tank, I had to hunt around for a funnel with the exact OD as the unleaded bowser nozzle. Not fun. Would be the same if you needed to fill up from a jerry can.

Luckily they now provide a funnel with the car in the tool kits, wish my early one had that.

[fraz91]

Back when I had the little peugeot 307 I was always scared of misfuelling. Mum had a petrol Merc A160 and I had the diesel 307, and we'd constantly be swapping cars to suit our needs at the time (long-distance driving in the peugeot was MUCH better than the merc). I did notice that the diesel inlet was only slightly bigger than the petrol, and that you couldn't use the high-flow pumps in it because of the small nozzle receiver.

Basically, pumps and bowsers are being made to accommodate these smaller receivers in euro cars, and it's not making people's lives any easier. Fuel companies should all agree on a common colour for their diesel pumps so as not to confuse people when they're trying to fuel up.

[awest]

I'm not going to tell anyone I once put 120l of unleaded into a 127l patrol diesel when on hols at gladstone my mate probably is still using it in his ride on

[Mongrel]

Actually I called them because I didn't want to have to leave the car in the servo.

And yes I drove it to the workshop. 30m is probably wrong, but it is very close.

He and I both agreed that there would be no chance of any of the unleaded getting to the engine as the engine would not be running long enough to pull all of the diesel through that was currently in the lines.

I have since driven it 45km and no I'll affect.

I was lucky I was not somewhere else where I would need to be towed.

FYI,
I hate to frighten you, but, erm, the fuel system is constantly open on these things. Lift pump runs 100% and what fuel the common rail pump doesn't use get returned to the tank as fresh fuel gets charged in. ( only takes seconds to happen). This applies for most fuel injected set ups.

Mate there was no way that unleaded would have made it to the engine. You would get quite a distance with the fuel in the lines alone. So no. I am nit concerned at all.

[Mongrel]

Might have to keep one of them in the truck.

I suppose the real issue is what you're going to do with 30 litres of mixed fuel after you've finished pumping it out. It's not like you can just pour it down the drain :/ If it's happening regularly use the mine method and write "diesel only" in permanent marker on the side of your truck

I could probably use it in my lawn mower. I go through about 20L every few weeks the growing Season. LOL!

[todd.brenda]

My local servo would always have a worker ready to FILL ER UP but now there are so many makes of cars running
diesel this has stopped and it self serve.

Apparently the servo owner was over paying to have cars towed away to be drained,lucky for him he is now paying less in wages

[RHKTriton]

The worst part when you realise you've filled 30+litres of petrols into your diesel is the realisation that you've spent the money and then have to chuck it out!

After having pumped out the contaminated fuel into the mulch at the edge of the servo apron I hoped like hell that some smoker didn't decide to have a sneaky fag out back - would be a blast!