AdBlue in the Diesel Tank in Slideslow, and What to Do Next
One thing counts above all once AdBlue is in a diesel tank, and that is if the engine has been started afterwards. Wherever your vehicle is — Aston Fields, Slideslow — never start a motor that has not been started yet. Leave your engine and your ignition off then ring 0333 366 0103; it is generally a drain and a thorough flush, done where your car is around Slideslow. When your motor has been run, pull in safely straight away, then turn the vehicle off. Stage one remains unchanged, even though the job grows.
Below: the situations we see, wherever around Worcestershire. Choose yours.
Slideslow forecourt: AdBlue in a diesel at the pump
Imagine it: stood by the petrol pump, gripping the nozzle, you spot the filler you opened was not the right one. Anywhere around Slideslow, then — BP, Morrisons, or somewhere else close by.
The upshot: of all places to find out, this is the best. Only that tank holds AdBlue; not one part beyond it has drawn it in.
Your move: stay out of the driver's seat, even if the pump needs freeing. Ring us from the forecourt after the vehicle is in a bay — the attendants will lend a hand to roll it — then save the receipt. If it can't be shifted, it can be emptied at the petrol pump: the equipment is explosion-proof and safe on a working forecourt.
Slideslow, at home: AdBlue in your diesel tank
Several days had passed with the warning light on. You bought a bottle, poured it in on the driveway, and only when you put the empty bottle in the recycling did you look again at the cap. Just off Katmandu Road is no different from any other place.
What it means: if you have not driven since, this is almost as good as the forecourt. As it is unable to mix, AdBlue settles low in the tank and waits. One night parked changes none of that.
Put the keys in the house tonight — or someone might take it off at breakfast — and phone us. Our engineers drain it on your drive, whether that's in Slideslow or out in Finstall. The pumps are quiet enough to use outside a house after dark.
On the road in Slideslow with AdBlue in a diesel
Filled up, drove away, and before long the motor was running roughly, blowing smoke, down on power, or lighting up your dash. Maybe driving for Birmingham, under 15 miles away, or simply down Trianon Road.
In short: the AdBlue has been pulled into the fuel system. The high-pressure pump and each injector see it as well on a longer run, once the fuel filter and pipework have it. Each mile and each restart takes it further.
Pull in safely — that's the next step — then switch it off. Slideslow sits under 3 miles from the M42; on it, come off at the first junction instead of pressing on to the services. Don't restart the car to see if it has cleared; it will not have. Roughly what distance had it go? Tell us as you phone.
A hire or company car with AdBlue in the wrong tank?
A week ago, the car was unknown to you. Unknown to you, the AdBlue and diesel inlets are side by side here — unlike your own car, which has no AdBlue or stores it elsewhere. Anyone, anywhere in Worcestershire, could make the same.
What it means: the same as the scenarios above, depending on whether it has run, with one more stage. Many hire and company contracts want the owner to approve work on the vehicle.
What to do: call the hire firm or your fleet manager first, then us. That is faster settled before our technicians turn up than after. Keep the vehicle switched off while the answer comes, whether you are waiting at Bromsgrove or near Finstall Village Hall.
AdBlue in your diesel tank? Not sure, in Slideslow
Honestly, the only answer might be that you think it did. Which cap was taken off, you can't say; meanwhile the bottle weighs less than expected, and a whiff of ammonia hangs by the filler. A hurried top-up by the gates of Finstall First School, or a call to a friend in Burcot: both fits.
Meaning? Spills outside the inlet don't reach your motor at all. Inside the diesel tank, by contrast, AdBlue damages it. Any AdBlue in the tank would be drawn in by starting your car, and the start wouldn't settle which it is in any case.
What to do: treat it as if it was put in. Do not fire it up. Inspecting a tank that proves free of AdBlue beats emptying one after it's been run — so ring then describe to us what you noticed.
Slideslow: what each AdBlue drain has in common
Each case has the same start to the work. Three things come when our engineers reach the car — on a forecourt, a drive, a street by David Lloyd or the car park outside The Cross Inn: the fluid, the amount, and whether the motor has been started. Over the phone, before dispatch, you are told the price, and those answers decide the job too.
A thorough flush comes after this drain. With petrol it's standard; with AdBlue it's crucial, because deposits build up and some metals are attacked, and neither rinses out unaided. Then comes your filter — flushed, or replaced when necessary — followed by clean diesel, and a test of your car. Where your engine has not been started, allow about half an hour on site, in most jobs.
Starting the engine comes last. Before our engineers leave, it is checked to confirm it runs smoothly on new diesel. The whole job is done where your car is, and if it is spotted early, long-term damage is very uncommon. For your insurer: the engineer's report and the VAT invoice. For you: payment that day, no money upfront. Plenty of insurance policies cover misfuelling, so check yours as we head over.
About Slideslow itself
Slideslow is a locality in Worcestershire, situated inland at an elevation of around 110 metres, approximately 11.6 miles west of Birmingham. Slideslow lies near several other small places, including Finstall, St Godwalds, and Stoney Hill, and is characterized by its predominantly detached housing stock. Slideslow is a relatively small community, with a population of around 1680 people, and is located about 99.4 miles northwest of London.
Slideslow and Worcestershire: AdBlue drains across the area
St Godwalds and Stoney Hill have the identical teams as Slideslow, a small village, plus other towns throughout B postcodes. Telling us a B60 2 postcode finds you fastest of all.
Central Slideslow or a lay-by near Bromsgrove Golf Centre: either way it is, your car never needs to shift an inch for the drain. Our van drains it where it stands. If you're somewhere hard to describe, near St Godwald or close to a boundary, ring and ask rather than guessing.
In one line: your scenario
Unstarted? Keep the vehicle off and ring. Already run: stop, switch off and ring. Either way, Petrol in Diesel takes it from there in Slideslow and anywhere around Worcestershire on 0333 366 0103.