r_1_c32

my friend mistakenly filled her car, 05 C240, with diesel ... "luckily" she realized it before driving off from the gas station. What to do now?? she sounds very desperate on the phone ...

Blake P

I can't imagine the car would run well, or at all, with diesel. I'm guessing the gas station attendants might have encountered this problem before, so I would suggest she ask them if they can drain the tank before she even attempts to drive away and potentially ruins something.

mctwin2kman

I thought Diesel spouts were diferent so that this does not easily happen? Aside from that she has to drain the tank completely, may have to drain the lines as well if she started it. If not probably could get away with not draining the lines and all. Man that is a kick in the teeth though, ton of money that will now be wasted since the diesel will be tossed!

r_1_c32

great, thanks for the advice guys ... but how do you drain the line? I hope the attendants can do it, thx once again ...

PHXATC

Draining it is the only option. Maybe you can get lucky and siphon it out.

Not good, not good at all.

PHXATC

Most tanks (I'm unsure of the C class, somebody mo' smarter will have to answer that) have a pit****/plug somewhere on the tank.

JeT

The attendants should have experience in syphoning it out. I hope she didn't fill it all the way!

Moviela

Attendants with experience? Who are you kidding....they can't make change unless it shows on the display.

I find this hard to believe, if it happened in the US. Diesel nozzles are much larger than unleaded nozzles. That is done in part to keep diesel fuel out of gasoline tanks. Did she use a funnel to get the diesel in the tank?

Just to cover all the bases, is it possible this is a dual hose pump, labeled gas and diesel, and the graphic is confusing? It might be that the unleaded hose was used, and only the signage on the pump has her confused.

I would call roadside, and let them fix it. They might tow it to a dealer, and get the tank drained, dropped, and cleaned.

It is a splendid day in San Diego today, why should it be wasted? Drop the car. Spend the afternoon strolling the waterfront.

JohnCL

Open the eyes and read at the pump!

She could be talking quite a bit of money here to get this done. Not only is there maybe 16 gallons of diesel in the tank, like mentioned above it will be in the lines also. You have to take into consideration the fuel filter and pump as well. Best of luck to her.

PHXATC

It's simple really, stick your nose up to the gas tank and smell it, if you've an ounce of red blooded male testosterone in your body, you'll be able to smell the diesel fuel.

How did she get the larger nozzle in the fill hole?

jlee-

You guys all ask these questions of how and its pretty obvious. Cause shes a girl. :v XD

She probably saw diesel and thought Vin Diesel SUPER GAS

Amy_fl

Instances like these give women everywhere a bad rep

Now I don't know about the larger nozzle or different smell but I make sure I put the right gas in my car by reading the pump. Also, here the diesel fuel is on it's own pump, whereas the 89, 91, and 93 octanes are on another.

Saprissa

they're like that in San Diego too....
so obviously someone wasn't paying attention, and now they're gonna pay !


TOO BAD SO SAD !

waaahhhh !

hybrid_girl

Yikes, that is very scary. At least she didn't drive away.

As everyone said there has to be a way to siphon the diesel fuel out.

FrankW

sigh..........sad, but funny. I have no solution other than the ones provided already. good luck.

amdeutsch

Another opening......

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The h3ll with it.

Suck, Baby, Suck

Capt Nemo o2

quick test on if its gas or diesel... Pour some into a plastic soda bottle or metal can and drop a lit cigarette in it... If it blows up its gas, if the cigarette goes out is diesel! If its gas... dump in some foam peanuts and you got napalm!!! Fun with fire!!!

r3v1ls

Hah i remember my soccer coach did that once, he was in a rush to get to a game didn't look when he put the nozzle in the car, and then went to the bathroom. Heh he was dubbed "Diesel" for the rest of the season... :p

advans

I remembered my friend stuck the diesel nozzle on her ml320, it would sit in the hole, but it would not go in...so did she drip it in or soemthing? lols the nozzle heads from the diesel and the unleaded are completely diff? how she mess it up? maybe she filled up unleaded and read the diesel sign?

JeT

Well, I don't know about the US but attendants in Australia must at least have common sense to work in a petrol station. We have certain standards I guess!

I think it is the same here...you should have trouble getting a diesel pump nozzle into the normal petrol nozzle. At least she didn't try putting LPG in it!

Moviela

My wife is an expert with large nozzles!

Capt Nemo o2

I think its in New Jersey where you actually have to pass a test to fill a gas tank. There is no self serve.

swale

drain the tank, and if you attempted to start it may be worth draining the fuel line aswell

integlikewhoa

Even to push the car out of the way you would have to turn on the key. And when you turn on the key the fuel pump coems on. So even if the car wasnt started and on only the key was turned on i would say you still have diesal in the lines. I would drain the tank and fill with regular then pull off the fuel line goign into the fuel rail and turn the key on for a few seconds to blow out the lines a bit. Then hook it back up and pray. Im sure some is still going to make it by and its not going to be good for alot of things but no choice. Im not sure but maybe adding some fuel cleaner additive to the new tank of regular would help clean out the fuel system of diesal too. Atleast it couldnt hurt.

Tishers

I want to fill up with petrol in OZ, it sounds like there is actually "qualifications" for people working in a filling station.

Here in the states they need to have a pulse and a body temperature greater than the room that they sit in. Most cannot do the mental math to make change. Most of our filling stations are "mini-marts" that have more of a grocery store than a filling station aspect to them.