You don't know that for sure. In Ireland, there has been a spate of rogue diesel and petrol being sold from trusted forecourts (admittedly not any of the well-known chains). The diesel is laundered agri-diesel, the petrol is cut with kerosene. Either will totally bugger up a modern fuel system and/or engine of the relevant type.
That was (supposedly) addressed by the inclusion of >5% bio-diesel.
Apropos:
/Like I said, it has never had any Petrol in the tank. So this is not the cause. /q
Shit left in "cheap" (for someone) diesel?
'In the Republic, according to figures reported by a Dail (Irish parliament) committee that investigated the issue, the authorities lose about 150m euro each year.'
Jim K
You've not put the green nozzle in the filler. Beyond that? You're hoping.
I twice filled a Mercedes Sprinter with petrol and both times drove it off the forecourt until it started to splutter. Both times We towed it back, em ptied all of the petrol via syphon and finally at the pump, and filled to t he top with pukka diesel. Twice I got away with it. I have a feeling that w as an older type engine from the current breed and I might not get away so lightly if I did it on a current Mercedes van.
The 'dirty' petrol was used in two stroke garden machines. Smoked incredibl y but apart from that no damage.
All those scare stories on TV news that even if you hadn't started your eng ine after filling up with petrol the damage was done and engine replacement was on the cards. Bollix
Well, by hammer it, I meant what my MOT chap advised me a few years ago with my old automatic petrol Rover: get on the motorway and keep a constant 70 for at least half an hour to bed the engine in. (I can't remember the details, just that the magic pixies under the bonnet sounded noticably "nicer" after a round trip to Woolley Services and back. I'd been doing loads of urban stop-start pickup-dropoff driving for months.)
jgh
Is this a fixed term lease or a rolling one? What are the penalty terms of terminating the lease early? Terminate lease, their problem...
What was mentioned earlier about why the garage are spotting "glitter in the tank". Get the garage to demonstrate this to you and explain why they are looking in the first place (spotting bits in the filter is plausable). Get the service manager involved not a desk clerk or the fitter.
Not surprised. I did say that warranties don't cover damage due to fuel contamination. Time to talk to your insurance company. They're sometimes sympathetic. Certainly my friend had his fuel system replaced under insurance after accidental misfuelling.
Tim
I did it twice on the same car (my first diesel).
First time, I topped up the half full diesel tank with petrol and drove home (about 2 miles or so). I went indoors, took the sales slip out of my pocket and realised what I'd done. I got the RAC to take it to my local garage, who drained it, flushed it and changed the fuel filter.
I then bought a Fuel Angel to stop me doing it again.
A few months later I did it again. I thought the pump was being awkward because it filled slowly, but I managed to defeat the Fuel Angel and fill the nearly empty tank with petrol. The car spluttered to a halt after about a mile. I called out the RAC and they drained it by the roadside (their 'misfuelling unit'). Drove to my garage (another mile) and had the filter changed.
I decided to change the car about 3 months later, before anything broke.
Wise move. It can take months/years for the full extent of the damage to become apparent. Intrigued to know how you managed to defeat the Fuel Angel. Did you let the makers know?
Tim
Time
Its fixed term, Have 12 months left of a 3 year lease, am looking at that now.
There are a few options to get out of lease early without penalty. I am looking at them.
Service Manager just handed me a VAG circular that states every time there is Glittering in tank, it is either Wrong fuel or sub Standard Fuel, and is not covered by warranty. He sent this to Lease company also.
They would have to sue me to get the money out of me, and I think it would be hard for them to prove in a court that I am at fault. Think I will get my tools out of van on Monday and leave it there.
No, I was too ashamed! :)
I just filled it rather slowly. Perhaps the nozzle was distorted or something!
They'll just point to the dealer's report.
I'm sure they'll be quite happy with that situation.
It will, but not in the way you suspect. Just look at the evidence available. Main dealer workshop report versus "I definitely didn't, honest."
You think Ford's response would be any different? Or Fiat's, or PSA's, or Mercedes' or any manufacturer's?
Add that to the evidence for their side, then, should it get to court.
No, it'd be very easy under the balance of probabilities, which is the only standard that needs to be met for a civil case, rather than a criminal one.
I believe there was an instance recently of blended forecourt fuel due to tanker driver error.
We used to suffer from *plug sooting* on a TVO powered tractor. The problem was caused by the residual diesel fuel from a previous delivery in the tanker discharge pipe. For a small delivery: 2-300 gallons, this was enough to cause problems.
For a mixed load, the product is changed over prior to completion to allow for this.
The report is not on my Van, it is a general document that states, in all cases investigated glittering in fuel tank was caused by Incorrect or Bad fuel in the tank.
They have not said what caused MY vans failure, just a general report from VAG. If they knew what caused it, they would not say it was either or one of the 2 possible causes.
I don't really care about them..
Then how do you know the fuel system needs replacement?
There will most certainly be a nice paper report produced on your van if there's the slightest whiff of it going to court.
You will do if the same situation arises.
They report recommends that any vehicle with glittering in tank should have entire fuel system replaced. The van was running fine before it went into garage.
I guess it's a bit too late to scrape it out and put it on your Christmas cards. :-)
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