Purley: AdBlue in the Diesel Tank? Find Your Situation
Has your motor run since the AdBlue was put in? That one point decides almost everything else from here. Not started yet? Then keep it like that, wherever the vehicle sits — Purley or Roundshaw. Leave the engine and the ignition off then call 0333 366 0103; it is generally a drain and a thorough flush, done where the car is around Purley. If it's run, stop as soon as it is safe and switch off. The job is bigger, but the first step is the same.
Match what happened to one of the list below, anywhere in Greater London you are.
At the pump in Purley: AdBlue in a diesel
You are at the petrol pump, the nozzle or the bottle still in your hand, and you have just noticed the cap you opened was the wrong one. Maybe you are at the Tesco, possibly at the Shell, maybe somewhere else in Purley.
What it means: this is the ideal place to find out. Only that tank has AdBlue; no component beyond it has taken any in.
Your move: stay out of the driver's seat, even if the queue wants clearing. Ask the attendants to help you push your car into a parking spot, keep the till receipt or the bottle, and ring us from the forecourt. If it cannot be moved, it can be drained at the petrol pump: the equipment is explosion-proof and safe on a busy forecourt.
AdBlue in your diesel tank on a Purley drive?
For days the dashboard had been nagging you. A bottle bought at the garage, tipped in on the driveway — and it's just at the recycling that the cap got your eye. Right off Brighton Road is not less likely from any other place.
What it means: if you haven't driven since, this is almost as good as the forecourt. AdBlue doesn't mix with diesel; it sinks to the bottom of the tank and waits there. Overnight doesn't change that.
Next: the keys indoors, so nobody takes your vehicle off first thing. Then, phone. Our technicians drain the car on your drive, whether that is in Purley or out in Russell Hill. Even at night, the pumps are quiet enough for a residential street.
Purley: drove off with AdBlue in a diesel?
A short way after topping up, the motor started misbehaving: rough running, smoke, lost power, lights on the dash. Somewhere on Russell Hill Road or heading to Westminster — under 15 miles away.
The point: your system has pulled AdBlue through by now. The injection pump and every injector get it as well on a longer run, after your filter and pipework have it. Every restart, like each mile, pushes it on.
Your move: pull up somewhere safe, then turn your engine off. Purley sits under 5 miles from the M23; on it, pull off at the first junction rather than pushing on for the services. No test restarts: clearing itself isn't something AdBlue does. Phone us and say how far you went.
Hire, lease or company car with AdBlue in the wrong tank
It is a car you have had for a week. The AdBlue filler is right alongside the diesel filler, which you did not know, because your own motor either has no AdBlue or keeps it somewhere else. Anywhere you happen to be around Greater London, any driver can be caught.
What it means: the same as the situations above, depending on whether it's run, with one more stage. Many rental and fleet agreements need the owner's approval before repairs.
Do this: rental firm or your fleet manager first, us next, since sorting it early saves time. Keep the car switched off as the answer arrives, whether you're parked outside the nearest station or near Purley Baptist Church.
Purley: unsure whether it was AdBlue in the diesel tank?
Now and then, "I think so" is all anyone can truthfully say. The bottle is lighter than it should be, there's a faint smell of ammonia round the filler, and you cannot remember which cap you took off. The gates of Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley) in a hurry, perhaps, or someone's drive out in Woodcote Green.
The upshot: the motor is not hurt by a little AdBlue spilled around the filler. A diesel tank with AdBlue in it is another story. You cannot tell which by turning the key, and doing so would suck in any AdBlue that is in your tank.
Next: act as though it went in, then leave your motor off. Phone and give the details: we'd rather confirm a tank free of AdBlue than drain one once your engine has been run.
Each AdBlue drain around Purley shares these steps
Whichever scenario you are in, the job starts the same way. Three things are asked when our technicians reach your car — on a filling station, a driveway, a street by The Downlands Shopping Precinct or the car park at Jolly Farmers: the liquid, the amount, and whether the motor has been started. Over the phone, before dispatch, you are told our quote, and those answers shape the job too.
A thorough flush comes after this drain. With petrol it's routine; with AdBlue it's crucial, because deposits form and some metals are attacked, and none of it washes away unaided. The filter is flushed, or replaced where it needs to be; clean diesel goes in; and the car is tested. Not started? Then about half an hour once we are there covers most jobs.
The final step is starting the car. Before our technicians go, it's checked to be sure it runs smoothly on new diesel. Long-term damage is very rare when it is noticed quickly, and the whole job is done where the vehicle is. Payment comes that day, never upfront. For your insurer, there is a VAT invoice and a report from the engineer. Worth knowing: many insurers offer misfuelling cover, so a check of your documents while you wait pays.
About Purley and where it is
Purley is a locality in south London, situated approximately 11.7 miles from central London and 11.2 miles from Westminster. Purley sits at an elevation of around 68 metres, near the North Downs, and is surrounded by nearby places such as Russell Hill, Woodcote, and Riddlesdown. Purley is predominantly composed of flat housing and has a population of around 3874 residents. Purley is a residential area with a mix of local amenities and services.
AdBlue drains in Purley, and across Greater London too
Woodcote and Riddlesdown get the same vans as Purley, a small village, plus other towns throughout CR postcodes. A postcode starting CR8 2 is the quickest way to tell us where you are.
Central Purley or a lay-by towards Rotary Field: wherever it is, the car never needs to shift an inch for us. Our van empties it in place. If you're somewhere hard to explain, near Purley Library or close to a border, ring and ask rather than assuming.
Your scenario, in one line
Still unrun? Leave it off then ring. Started by now? Pull over, turn off, phone. Petrol in Diesel takes over the rest whichever case, across Purley and Greater London, on 0333 366 0103.