SEAT Ibiza - Put diesel into petrol engine by mistake - please - geek84

Hi Folks

My wife owns a Seat Ibiza mark 4 and earlier on today she accidentally put diesel into the petrol engine while filling up at the petrol station. After she drove for about half a mile. and stopped at a set of traffic lights, the car engine cut off and did not start again.

She called out the AA who drained out all the diesel and put in enough petrol to get her home.

She tells me that the chap from the AA made a passing remark saying that it would be a good idea to get the fuel filter changed asap.

Do you think this is as urgent as it sounds, or can I get it changed in the next few weeks, or get away with not having it changed at all !!

Thanks in advance for your responses.

SEAT Ibiza - Put diesel into petrol engine by mistake - please - Railroad.
It'll be fine, don't worry. The worst that'll happen is the engine may smoke for a while because diesel is an oil. There's a school of thought that a bit of diesel actually does the engine good by burning off some of the carbon in the combustion chambers and cleaning the fuel injectors.
SEAT Ibiza - Put diesel into petrol engine by mistake - please - geek84

Hi

Thanks for your reply. However, a few of my friends have advice to get the fuel filter changd asap, since the diesel could damage the engine.

So, in your opinion, they are incorrect?

SEAT Ibiza - Put diesel into petrol engine by mistake - please - elekie&a/c doctor

As above,diesel is an oil. Have you got oil in your engine?Get the filter changed if you want,but don't make it a priority.

SEAT Ibiza - Put diesel into petrol engine by mistake - please - FP

According to the OP, diesel has been put into a petrol car. After draining and refilling with petrol it presumably drives OK. No problem.

Possibly the opposite scenario of petrol into a diesel car is in people's minds. This is totally different and is a major disaster, especially if the car has been driven on mainly petrol until it conked out.

The OP can relax. Change the fuel filter by all means - it will do no harm.

SEAT Ibiza - Put diesel into petrol engine by mistake - please - skidpan

How can you put diesel into a petrol car? Petrol fillers are designed to use the narrow neck of the pump handle, the fatter diesel ones will not physically enter the narrow neck. Its been like this since the early 90's when cats were fitted. Leaded petrol fillers were fatter and did not fit into the tank of unleaded cars.

As for advice as to what to do aas other have said it will likely do no harm to the engine but it could damage the cat. If a large quantity was put in probably best to get it drained, cheaper than a new cat.

SEAT Ibiza - Put diesel into petrol engine by mistake - please - FP

Skidpan: "If a large quantity was put in probably best to get it drained..."

OP: "She called out the AA who drained out all the diesel and put in enough petrol to get her home."