Thousands of people end up filling the wrong fuel in their cars. In most cases, it is the diesel car owners who end up accidentally filling their cars with petrol. In fact, putting petrol in a diesel car is worse than filling diesel in a petrol car.
It is always easier to end up putting petrol in diesel cars. This is because the nozzle for the diesel is slightly wider in diameter and this nozzle usually does not fit petrol cars. This means it is difficult for petrol car owners to fill up their cars with diesel.
However, since diesel cars have a slightly bigger opening to the fuel tank, it is easier to fit the slimmer petrol nozzle. As a result, it is easier to end up filling petrol in diesel cars.
Though diesel has a lower Self-Ignition Temperature (SIT) than petrol at 210°C (Vs 247°C to 280°C), it is not as combustible as petrol. As such, diesel requires more exposure to a certain temperature in order for the combustion to take place. In contrast, petrol can be ignited with a spark.
Since petrol cars have spark ignition, igniting diesel with spark plugs becomes more difficult, which may result in juddering of the car due to the inability of the diesel to ignite with a spark. However, it is highly unlikely to cause any major damage to the engine.
Diesel engines are usually much more complex than petrol engines. Also, diesel acts as a lubricant for a few crucial parts such as injectors. On the other hand, petrol does not have any lubrication properties and it can damage ant rubber sealants.
As such, even accidentally filling petrol in modern diesel cars can even result in permanent damage to critical engine components such as fuel injectors, engine gaskets, cylinder heads and more.
There are numerous cases of filling up the wrong fuel in cars. However, diesel car owners must be extra cautious as filling petrol in a diesel car can cause major damage to the powertrain. Also, here’s an article about
