Common Petrol in Diesel questions

• HAVE I WRECKED MY ENGINE?

  It’s unlikely that you’ve wrecked anything, but call us and we’ll give you more exact advice. If you have put the wrong fuel in you shouldn’t drive the vehicle, and you should get it drained as quickly as you can. Driving with the wrong fuel can damage some engine parts, and the longer it’s driven the worse the damage could be. Of course you may not even be able to start the engine if there is a lot of wrong fuel in – but we don’t advise that you try. Call us and we’ll give you straightforward advice and tell you your options.

• MY DEALER SAYS I WILL LOSE MY WARRANTY IF I DON’T HAVE THEM FIX MY CAR

  We do a lot of work for dealers, who know as well as us that you would have to drive a long way with wrong fuel to do serious damage to your car. Most dealers will give you sensible advice, but sadly we have heard too often of repair bills running into thousands of pounds which just weren’t necessary. We also know that customers often pay considerably more for our services when we called in by a main dealer. The fact is that we can get your car going without huge bills and no damage done. Talk to our hotline operators for sensible advice.

• IS A FUEL DRAIN COVERED ON MY INSURANCE?

  Some insurers will cover the cost of a fuel drain, others will not. Some motorists however elect to pay for a fuel drain directly rather than face increased premiums even if the drain could be claimed for. We advise motorists to contact their insurer directly. In any case, we provide detailed VAT invoices for all work carried out.

• I’VE BEEN TOLD MY FUEL TANK CAN’T BE PROPERLY DRAINED. CAN YOU STILL HELP?

  Modern car designs certainly make it harder to drain the fuel tank, and it often requires special equipment and techniques. Many cars now have "saddle" design tanks or are hard to access. It is important to fully drain the petrol tank - our technicians are equipped to deal with all vehicles.

• DO YOU DEAL WITH WITH WATER IN FUEL OR CONTAMINATED FUEL?

  Water in your fuel tank can cause serious engine damage and will certainly badly affect the running of you vehicle. Our mobile units remove fuel contaminated with water, or other liquids, in the same way as we remove petrol from a diesel tank. Water and fuel do not mix, and water will sink to the bottom of the tank, so it is particularly important to have our specialist equipment to make sure that all the contamination is fully removed.

• DO YOU PROVIDE OTHER VEHICLE SERVICES?

  No, we don’t. We specialise in fuel draining and wrong fuel recovery, with a larger fleet of specialist-equipped vehicles than breakdown companies like the AA, RAC or Green Flag. We can usually be there much more quickly than services like AA Fuel Assist, RAC Wrong Fuel, or the Green Flag wrong fuel recovery service. For vehicle locksmith services, we recommend KeyCut Locksmiths mobile locksmith service.

• HOW MUCH WRONG FUEL CAN I GET AWAY WITH, IF I FILL UP THE TANK WITH THE RIGHT FUEL?

  Motoring organisations recommend that any more than 5% of petrol mixed with diesel can cause problems, and should be drained rather than being topped up. Diesel has lubricating qualities for parts such as fuel pumps, whereas petrol washed away the oils which these parts require. Engine management systems, fuel pipes, injectors, cylinders and catalytic converters can also be damaged by wrong fuel.

• I’VE PUT THE WRONG FUEL IN A HIRE CAR: WHAT SHOULD I DO?

  Rental agreements usually require that you inform the hire company in the event of any mechanical problem with the car. They will usually then arrange for a fuel drain through their own contracts with a fuel drain company. Unfortunately there are many stories around of motorists being hit with large bills for the work, well in excess of the fees of independent fuel drain companies. Since the hire company has your credit card and your authorisation to charge it, there is little you can do about such excessive fees after the fact.
  We can and do attend and fix hire cars directly, and treat them exactly the same as any other vehicle, and for the usual (not inflated) fee. Feel free to talk to our operators on the phone number above.

• MY CAR BROKE DOWN AFTER MISFUELING. DO I NEED TO GET IT TOWED TO A GARAGE?

  If misfueling caused the breakdown it will usually be fine after draining it and restarting with the correct fuel. Damage to engine parts is a risk if the vehicle is driven with contaminated fuel, but in our experience it is rare provided the wrong fuel is drained before too long. Our phone lines are open 24 / 7 and we’re happy to give you impartial advice.