dieselfan

Can you refuel a cdi diesel with the engine running? I have seen posts that this will cause the motor not to start the next time, set off lights, and possibly hurt the emission systems. I have refueled many a diesel (not mercedes) while running and wonder if you can do the same with this?
Thanks
Dieselfan

paco04

Good question, I'd like to know as well

240D 3.0T

It's illegal to refuel a running vehicle.

CE750

it is indeed for extremely obsolete reasons when driving a modern fuel injected car.. todays cars are not unsafe to do so, but it is nevertheless illegal.

As for whether you can or cannot.. I've done it before with not a single symptom.

To be honest, it should be illegal to have a powered cellphone near the gas pump before you make it illegal to run a modern car.

240D 3.0T

Cell phones are 0 risk to fueling. There is nothing in them that can ignite fuel vapors.

CE750

tell that to THIS guy.

There are actually numerous cellphone induces flare ups (certain model cell phones) on record, but nothing from a fuel injected car that I'm aware of.

240D 3.0T

He more likely sparked a static discharge from his hand to the car body.

Kar don

you should refuel that MD-11 while the engine is running too

CE750

We used to re-fuel the M1A1 with it was running and it was a turbine so it can be done.. The MD would be hard as the fuel truck has to pull up too close to the fan and the fueler could get sucked in!

Untertürkheim

I never shut off my diesels when refueling...

DslBnz

I think you may trigger the "check engine electronics" display to appear if you open the cap while the engine is running. I know that if you leave the cap slightly loose after a fill, it will throw a code.

Gas or diesel, I'd never do it that way. Engine's warm anyway, what are you saving? Unless you're driving an old 240D with no charge or battery and you're trying to make a trek across 200 miles before dark.

CE750

In Arizona, if you shut your car down in the sun for a 5-10 minute period of time to re-fuel, you will take 30-45 minutes to recapture that cabin temp again. unless on road trips in cooler climates, I keep it running.

rbordel

This may be true the the cell phones of today, but think back 10-15 years ago when handheld phones were literally the size and weight of bricks. I believe the concern was that the batteries needed to power those things contained sufficient energy to ignite gasoline vapors if their terminals somehow got shorted or otherwise was made to arc.

By this rationale you probably should not be using a laptop while refueling either -- epically one that has a Sony battery.

Diesel Benz

Yes, the battery connectors would have a slight chance to produce a spark if the battery moves and slides against the connector spring.

However, the previous reference was for the case where the phone rang when the person was filling the car. In this case it would be more likely that the spark was from the vibrator alarm. That is a small electric motor which spins an eccentric metal weight. The motor has isn't brushless and may easily make sparks. Depending on the location of this motor, fuel fumes may reach the brushes.

I would like to see one that can ignite diesel fuel fumes with a spark though, when filling the car.

paco04

Back to the original question, will it throw a code? I think us diesel owners are safe from explosive vapors, so the cellphone point is moot.

lkchris

Why wouldn't it throw a code?

If you shut engine off, refill, and then drive away not replacing the cap it will throw a code. What's the difference?

CE750

it has to do with a vacuum that is set up when the car is driving that is no loger there if you drive off without a gas cap.

Nevada Jack

Come on Sam...30-45 minutes to recapture the cabin temp...? You best have your A/C system checked. I encounter temps just as high as Phoenix here in Las Vegas, and have no such problem. Get back in the car and within a few minutes it is cool and refreshing. This goes for my current S and my 2003 E320 and 2006 S.

CE750

It really does.. I don't have tint first off, don't like how it looks on the E in my color, and more over it takes about that long to get that totally cold atmosphere in the car again, no bs. Maybe the S has a better cooling system (which I don't doubt). My X5 does a better job than the E, but it's still brand new.

Nevada Jack

We agree on the tint. Never had any of my cars tinted. The S has IR glass which helps tremendously. The new GL has what is called Blue Glass which is effective in reducing heat levels and it also has the dark "privacy glass" in the rear area.

CE750

Blue Glass (I think it's by one of the German glass makes) is good stuff. I was disappointed that of all places BMW didn't make it available in the US, but instead went after American tastes and did a rear climate package with a tinting of the windows. I did add HuperOptik tint which darkened it a bit more that I would have liked, even though it's white and doesn't look so bad with dark tint. The HuperOptik works AMAZINGLY. Dannys is sadly the only dealer for it, and they want $700!

BTW.. for the record, I just refueled my CDI (happens so rarely I'm still amazed by the milage).. and kept it running with no codes.

CE750

Jack, I wonder if maybe you have a different view of what is "cool" than me.. that might be where we don't see eye to eye. I know for example, my wife goes on about how I freeze her to death at home with the temp set to 70 F at night, when I wake up hot.. In the day we're at 73 due to compromise, as I'd like 72 and she wants 75.. I like to be able to hang meat in my car/home, that's just me. I can't wait to move from AZ for that one reason.

Nevada Jack

That may well be the case. I run the S at about 72-74 and the house about 78 during the day and night in the summer months. The A/C doesn't run so much and the temp stays kind of constant throughout the house.

paco04

Thanks for being the guinea pig, CE750.

Danno4x4

Just saw this thread... looks like it has been resolved...

But for the record, I have re-fueled my 2007 GL320 CDI probably half a dozen times while running....

NO CODES...

Ironically, I live in Arizona and do it for the same heat related reason that CE750 does... But I only do it when my wife and kids are waiting in the car while I am fueling.

I am not worried at all about igniting fumes from the diesel fuel... At least not any more than I am about igniting the olive oil in my salad dressing with my cell phone... Since they are both about the same in terms of ease of ignition.