Oh s**t Oh S**t Oh S**T! Have I killed the E320?

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
E

E55BOF

Hardcore MB Enthusiast
SUPPORTER
Joined
Mar 11, 2013
Messages
10,689
Location
South Bucks
Car
CLS63 SB, SLK55, CLK350 'Vert, Triumph Sprint (Bike not Dolly...),
Oldest mistake in the book - filled it with petrol not diesel. AAAAAAARGHHHHHH!

Sixty litres, to be precise, so it's about 25% diesel still. Not surprisingly, the 'check engine' light is on and it's not running very well...

I've done about a mile and a half. Is it beyond economic repair?
 
Suck it out, fill with diesel. Should be ok. We've all done it.
 
If this isn't devine intervention to get you into an E55, I don't know what is.
 
No chance! Been there, done that...

I've just booked the AA to come out tomorrow morning to drain the tank. That's all they do, then put in some diesel with a cleaning additive.

That will leave the contaminated fuel in the filter and lines to be used up before the engine is back on pure diesel again. Is this likely to cause/be a problem?
 
The theory is that there is not enough in the lines & filter(s) to cause an issue IF you do as you are doing and get clean fuel back into it ASAP.
 
The issues reported from Petrol in Diesel misfuelling range from nothing at all to a having the car written off (seriously). The only way to find out which is it, is by doing what you have done (get the AA to drain the tank) and hope for the best. You do have a good chance of getting away with it - you'll know tomorrow....
 
Now going back to the ancient times of the good old 300D 24v 124. I put a tenners worth of petrol in before I spotted my mistake. Topped it up with diesel and all was good - however I did have the pre and standard fuel filter changed that day as a precaution. Car never missed a beat, the petrol can be seen as a fuel additive, for cleaning the lines on the old girls.

Think you will be lucky here. My brother just put petrol in his diesel motorhome (Fiat) He realised what he had done and didnt drive. He is on holiday in Germany - he got stretchered off by the ADAC (reciprocal agreement with the AA) taken to a depot where they drained the fuel. He put diesel back in and they are now on their way to Denmark with no issues whatsoever. His motor home is only around 3 years old so fuel system is a lot newer than mine.

Hang in the EBOF, its going to be OK.
 
Don't beat yourself up, thus is a very easy mistake to make and I've know at least one VERY experienced vehicle tech that did it. Thankfully I've not done this myself yet and of course hope not to.

No way to tell if the fuel injection system is goosed or not until you have it drained, cleaned and refilled with diesel. If you can, I'd suggest changing the fuel filter too. As a minimum, the AA should flush a few litres of diesel through the system before attempting to restart the engine.

Good luck.
 
Been there and done it, don't worry, the AA cleared my tank out on my VW 2 litre Camper van and I filled it with diesel and it ran as if nothing had ever happened. Smells of petrol for a few hours but no issues at all.

ATB
John
 
Happytalk73 said:
I always wonder why MB can't adopt the same system as Ford: (I'm not sure if any other manufactuers have it too.)

https://www.ford.co.uk/shop/research/technology/comfort-and-convenience/ford-easy-fuel
Click to expand...

How does that work; is it just a filler neck that won't accept the wrong nozzle?

Didn't they do something like that with the switch-over from leaded fuel? Unleaded got a smaller nozzle so that you couldn't fill it with leaded fuel... and since diesel wasn't changed, that wouldn't fit an unleaded tank either.
Maybe that was Australia?
 
My solution to this issue is to always buy V8 petrols.

:bannana:
 
PobodY said:
How does that work; is it just a filler neck that won't accept the wrong nozzle?

Didn't they do something like that with the switch-over from leaded fuel? Unleaded got a smaller nozzle so that you couldn't fill it with leaded fuel... and since diesel wasn't changed, that wouldn't fit an unleaded tank either.
Maybe that was Australia?
Click to expand...


Yeah, as far as I know P & D nozzles are different profiles/diameters in the uk. The easy fuel system is standard on all Fords including the commercial ranges.

Also a capless system.
 
PobodY said:
How does that work; is it just a filler neck that won't accept the wrong nozzle?

Didn't they do something like that with the switch-over from leaded fuel? Unleaded got a smaller nozzle so that you couldn't fill it with leaded fuel... and since diesel wasn't changed, that wouldn't fit an unleaded tank either.
Maybe that was Australia?
Click to expand...

USA more like!
I encountered that nozzle stuff back in the 80's during a work related job over here!

This pet-rol in the diesel is a biggy over here I see one about every month.
The fuel gets slurped out and use for the shop waste oil heater !
A new filter & line purge plus some BG 244 additive in the tank and its as good as it was before!
Of course I have lost count of how many dealers have got on the kahching kahching wagon and stated it needs a new engine!:D
I bet I will see one soon coming in on the hook, dealers says--Yeh yeh!:devil:
Tuercas viejas
 
Yes, I've mentions Fords Heated screen many times here. However, a few member say they're also on Volvo's also. (Ford own Volvo?)

However, I think heated screen is now available on the new E Class?
 
My cars are not garaged, so +1 on the heated screen. It's the one option that I was disappointed to find that the XK did not have, despite being from the Ford ownership era.
 
I once did it by mistake in a works van , although realised after only a gallon or so . Filled the tank rest of way with diesel and no issues .

I paid the £5 of petrol myself and never let on to my boss .

When my dad had his haulage firm , we always used to add petrol to the diesel in winter , this stopped the fuel waxing up .
 
Get it drained and all the filters changed and you should be ok
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)

Similar threads

E
Gremlin In The Machine?
Replies
11
Views
911
E55BOF
E
Steve84N
C63 AMG S204 Final Review
2
Replies
21
Views
6K
amgv12power
A
Alex225
The S Class - Dad Tank II
6 7 8
Replies
143
Views
20K
Alex225
Alex225
merc85
w176 A class a180
Replies
0
Views
470
merc85
merc85
gaz_l
Dead SLK in Holland..
Replies
18
Views
2K
Rory
R
Back
Top Bottom