Mobile service
Wrong fuel drain and contaminated fuel
It happens to careful people, usually in a hurry. The single most important thing is this: do not start the engine, and do not turn the ignition on. Ring us.
- Allow
- 1 hr 30 mins
- Where
- At your address
- Booking
- By phone
Do we cover you?
Put your postcode in and we'll tell you straight away.
Misfuelling is only expensive if the wrong fuel gets pumped round the system. If the engine has not been started, it is usually a drain, a flush and fresh fuel — a job of an hour or two and no lasting harm.
If the engine has been run, it is a bigger job, because petrol in a diesel system strips the lubrication out of the pump and injectors. Either way, ring us before you do anything else. There is no booking form on this page because waiting for a slot is exactly the wrong thing to do.
When you need this
Any of these sound familiar?
- You have just filled up with the wrong fuel and not started the engine
- The engine was started and has cut out, or is running very badly
- The car is on a forecourt and will not move
- Fuel has been contaminated with water or dirt
What the job covers
- Drain the contaminated fuel from the tank safely
- Flush the fuel lines through
- Replace the fuel filter
- Prime the system and get the vehicle running on clean fuel
- Check for damage where the engine has been run on the wrong fuel
- Dispose of the contaminated fuel properly
Why have it done at home?
You don't lose a day to it. No dropping the vehicle off, no arranging a lift back, no waiting for a phone call to say it's ready. We turn up where it's parked, do the work, and you carry on with whatever you were doing.
Priced by the vehicle and whether the engine has been run. Ring us and we will tell you where you stand.
Before we arrive
Do not start the engine. Do not even turn the ignition on — on many cars that runs the fuel pump. Leave it where it is and call us.
Questions we get asked
I have not started it. How bad is this?
Not bad at all, relatively speaking. If the wrong fuel is still sitting in the tank it is a drain, a flush and a filter. Leave it alone and ring us.
I drove it a few miles. What now?
Still ring us, and stop driving it. Petrol in a diesel system does its damage through lack of lubrication, and every mile makes it worse.
A bit of petrol in a diesel — does it matter?
Yes. Modern diesel injection systems run at very high pressure and rely on the fuel itself for lubrication. Even a small amount of petrol is worth taking seriously.
Need wrong fuel drain?
Book a slot online, or ring and speak to the mechanic who will be doing the job.
Broken down or won't start? Ring rather than book — roadside work can't wait for a slot.