Toyota Hiace - Misfuelling prevention device

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
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Sat 4 Aug 2018 13:12
Toyota Hiace - Misfuelling prevention device - NowWheels

Back in 2009, I bought a Toyota Hiace diesel campervan to which I fitted a misfuelling prevention device. After a discussion here in the Back Room, I chose an RAC FuelSure for about £25.

It worked brilliantly until a mechanic broke it last week when he needed to add fuel from a jerrycan and was too lazy to phone me to ask how to remove it. So he simply broke it apart. Grrrrr. (Yes, the mechanic has indeed been sent to a hard labour camp in northern Siberia. Along with his entire extended family).

Anyway, I now need a new prevention device. My 4WD van is now over 20 years old, but it still drives me in comfort to wonderful places and is worth about as much as I paid for it, so I wanna look after it.

The FuelSure is no longer available, and nor are any of the devices listed in an Ask HJ from 2011

As far as I can see, the only misfuelling prevention device currently on sale is the Diesel Head as used on a 2013 HJ long-term test of a Hyundai i30.

The Diesel Head seems up to the job, but it costs a rather ouch £45. Does anyone know of any alternatives? I am only interested in those which actually prevent misfuelling. No warning devices.

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Sat 4 Aug 2018 13:15
Toyota Hiace - Misfuelling prevention device - NowWheels

PS if you are one of those wonderfully special people who never ever makes a mistake, and therefore sees no need for such a gadget ... congratulations, goddess. I'm happy for you.

But please be kind enough not to use this thread to mock us lesser mortals who can only dream of your error-free divinity. Thanks.

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Sat 4 Aug 2018 13:38
Toyota Hiace - Misfuelling prevention device - RobJP

I'd sincerely hope that nobody would be as harsh as to criticise - there but for the grace of god go I, etc.

I've never misfueled. My wife has, leading to a bill for £6,000. Fortunately this was before insurance companies started excluding such instances, so she only had the £200 excess to pay. Easily done.

However, even if the new unit is £45, I'd suggest giving the bill to the mechanic (or garage) that broke the old unit. 'Duty of care', and all that.

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Sat 4 Aug 2018 14:38
Toyota Hiace - Misfuelling prevention device - nellyjak

As above...^^^^...whoever broke it should pay for it's replacement....simples.

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Sat 4 Aug 2018 18:51
Toyota Hiace - Misfuelling prevention device - NowWheels

As above...^^^^...whoever broke it should pay for it's replacement....simples.

Actually, not so simple in this case, for reasons which I don't want to discuss publicly.

I posted in the hope of finding alternative products to the Diesel Head. I'd still welcome any suggestions about other devices

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Sat 4 Aug 2018 19:20
Toyota Hiace - Misfuelling prevention device - gordonbennet

I haven't fitted a misfuelling device, but i make a big song and dance out of double then triple checking i have the Diesel pump fired up and in my hand, then when the flow has started i check again, it helps that when i fill my Diesel i put a splash of Millers treatment in every fill so i'm aready in Diesel fuel mode.

As said, there but for the Grace etc, i don't think there's many here think they're more clever than thou, most of us know we've been really lucky not to have copped a misfuel so far.

As an aside NowWheels, would you mind reporting on your Hiace for us here please, we're quite fans of that fine Japanese workhorse and would be most interested to hear of your experience.

Edited by gordonbennet on 04/08/2018 at 19:22

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Sat 4 Aug 2018 21:01
Toyota Hiace - Misfuelling prevention device - bathtub tom

A quick google turned up this device for just over a fiver: tinyurl.com/y73ytx3w

It doesn't seem to prevent misfuelling, but gives an audible alarm when fuelling. In effect just a heads-up.

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Sat 4 Aug 2018 21:28
Toyota Hiace - Misfuelling prevention device - Galaxy

Found this device which is not a Diesel Head:

www.misfuellingprevention.co.uk/

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Mon 6 Aug 2018 08:24
Toyota Hiace - Misfuelling prevention device - barney100

Had a Hiace for several years as a camper van. 2.7 petro, 4x4 column shift, normal handbrake, careful driving got 27 mpg which considering the extra wieght easn't bad. So easy to drive and went anywhere. Rust free at 17 years old, radio was designed for Japanese reception and I never got it sorted, easy to drive for long distances and the high driving position made it even better. Servicing was done by most local garages at teasonable cost and passed every MOT with the odd advisory.

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Mon 6 Aug 2018 09:49
Toyota Hiace - Misfuelling prevention device - gordonbennet

Had a Hiace for several years as a camper van. 2.7 petro, 4x4 column shift, normal handbrake, careful driving got 27 mpg which considering the extra wieght easn't bad. So easy to drive and went anywhere.

That 2.7 4 pot was still being offered, maybe still is for all i know, in other markets in Hilux and many other Toyota 4x4's, 27 mpg really was very good for such a vehicle though.

Was the parking brake to the right of the driver's seat, i seem to recall that from delivering rare new Hiace models or am i thinking of something else, i know something i used to deliver until about 10 years ago (when i thankfully got away from transporters) has an unbrella parking brake, Ford's Ranger maybe.

Edited by gordonbennet on 06/08/2018 at 09:49

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Wed 8 Aug 2018 15:23
Toyota Hiace - Misfuelling prevention device - barney100

Brake was between the front seats.

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Mon 6 Aug 2018 08:16
Toyota Hiace - Misfuelling prevention device - barney100

Mock not, it's a sobering day when into your beloved diesel goes litre after litre of petrol and you suddenly realise.... Luckily I twigged on before I started up and the AA took me to a place to drain it out. Told the AA bloke I felt a right pratt and he said he took many many misfuelled vehicles to be sorted.

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Tue 7 Aug 2018 00:00
Toyota Hiace - Misfuelling prevention device - Andrew-T

One simple (and cheap) possibility might be to make a habit of sniffing the nozzle before putting it in the tank. Petrol and diesel are easily distinguished by smell. Come to that, the nozzles are different sizes, so that is another quick (cheap) check.

We have a petrol and a diesel car. I drive both, so I always think carefully before filling. SWMBO only drives the diesel, so that's the pump she always uses. Neither of us has got it seriously wrong yet, but she nearly did once ....

Edited by Andrew-T on 07/08/2018 at 00:03

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Tue 7 Aug 2018 07:36
Toyota Hiace - Misfuelling prevention device - S40 Man

Can you get a Ford filler nozzle from a scrappy? These have different sized apertures. The Diesel one won't accept a petrol nozzle and vice versa. As long as the Ford housing will fit in the hole of the Toyota that will be a excellent solution. And not too expensive probably.

07_13 mondeo definitely have this device so should be plenty in the scrappies by now. I think mk2 focus also had it.

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