Have You Put Petrol in a Diesel Alfa Romeo 159?
The motor is best left off when it has not been run since you put petrol in a diesel Alfa Romeo 159, and that covers moving it away from the pump. Draining the tank is normally enough to put your 159 right, provided that petrol stays in your tank, which it will whilst your engine is off.
We go to misfuelled vehicles instead of the other way round, so with Petrol in Diesel your Alfa Romeo 159 remains at the forecourt or wherever it ended up. Ring us before anything else then let us talk you through it, instead of trying anything on your own.
Got petrol in a diesel 159? First steps
- Don't start the engine, even though a diesel 159 will normally run with petrol inside your tank. It can feel normal for a while, and that is how people often drive away without noticing anything is wrong.
- The ignition has to remain off as well, since turning it on starts the fuel pump priming on plenty of diesels, and your pump then draws fuel from the tank.
- Topping up with diesel to thin it is a mistake, even with super unleaded, which counts as petrol too. The tank on the 159 holds up to 70 litres, and each litre of diesel put in is more tainted fuel for us to empty.
- A car blocking a pump can be popped in neutral and pushed clear, and the forecourt attendants are normally happy to help.
- Phone 0333 366 0103 then let us know which 159 you have and where it is, approximately how much petrol went in, and whether your engine has run. If the exact variant is on the badging, for example the 159 Sportwagon 2.4 JTDM 20V Q4, tell us that too.
Wrong fuel in your Alfa Romeo 159 once your motor has been started
The engine is not touched by wrong fuel in your Alfa Romeo 159 until it's drawn out of your tank, and starting the motor is what pulls it out. The high-pressure pump and the fuel injectors in a diesel motor are lubricated by the fuel flowing through them. That protection is washed away when petrol dilutes your diesel, so the harm, where there is any, comes from driving on that blend.
Stop in a safe place then turn off when the 159 has already been on the road. All the same, we can get all the contaminated fuel out, by emptying the tank and then cleaning your fuel pipes and the filter. When it's caught early and cleaned out thoroughly, permanent damage is very unusual.
The 159 Sportwagon 2.0 JTDM 16V is no different here from any other variant of the 159.
Knowing the Alfa Romeo 159 fuel tank capacity
Because the risk depends on what share of the fuel is petrol, the size of your tank counts, and a couple of litres in a tank that was almost empty are a bigger problem than the same in a fuller one.
In our data, all of the diesel variants of the Alfa Romeo 159 share one tank of 70 litres, so the sum works out the same for every one.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Alfa Romeo 159 1.9 JTDM 16V | 70 litres |
| Alfa Romeo 159 1.9 JTDM 8V | 70 litres |
| Alfa Romeo 159 2.0 JTDM 16V | 70 litres |
| Alfa Romeo 159 2.4 JTDM 20V | 70 litres |
| Alfa Romeo 159 2.4 JTDM 20V Q-Tronic | 70 litres |
| Alfa Romeo 159 2.4 JTDM 20V Q4 | 70 litres |
| Alfa Romeo 159 Sportwagon 1.9 JTDM 16V | 70 litres |
| Alfa Romeo 159 Sportwagon 1.9 JTDM 8V | 70 litres |
| Alfa Romeo 159 Sportwagon 2.0 JTDM 16V | 70 litres |
| Alfa Romeo 159 Sportwagon 2.4 JTDM 20V | 70 litres |
| Alfa Romeo 159 Sportwagon 2.4 JTDM 20V Q-Tronic | 70 litres |
| Alfa Romeo 159 Sportwagon 2.4 JTDM 20V Q4 | 70 litres |
Finding your diesel 159 version
It helps us to know the version when you ring, and it's usually on a badge at the back of the car.
On the diesel 159, the badging found is JTDM.
The 159 Sportwagon 2.4 JTDM 20V has the biggest engine, at 2.4 litres, and the 159 1.9 JTDM 16V the smallest, at 1.9 litres.
The list also has Sportwagon versions.
AdBlue in a diesel Alfa Romeo 159
To treat their exhaust, some diesel cars use AdBlue, a mix of water and urea that is put in its own tank through its own filler. Even to shift your vehicle, do not turn the key when you have AdBlue in a diesel Alfa Romeo 159 after it went into the wrong filler.
Even a tank holding up to 70 litres won't dilute AdBlue as it would dilute petrol. AdBlue doesn't mix with diesel, so it sinks to the base, right where the pump picks up its fuel, and being mostly water it neither burns nor gives the fuel pump any lubrication.
Even a small amount is drawn into your fuel line. Within the system the water dries off and lets the urea crystallise, in the filter and injectors and elsewhere, where it eats into the metalwork it sits against.
Look under your fuel flap if your 159 has an AdBlue filler, as on many cars it is right next to the diesel filler. AdBlue caps are normally blue and fit a far narrower nozzle than diesel.
Fuel drain on your Alfa Romeo 159: what we do
There's no garage needed, since we carry out a fuel drain on your Alfa Romeo 159 at your car itself. We start by finding out what was put in and whether the engine has been run, then drain the tank, which on the 159 holds up to 70 litres. Then we clean your fuel pipes and the fuel filter and refill with clean diesel, and your system is primed before we fire it up.
By the time we leave, your 159 is running on fresh diesel again and ready for you to drive away.
AdBlue removal from a diesel Alfa Romeo 159
AdBlue removal from a diesel Alfa Romeo 159 takes the same stages as draining petrol. AdBlue settles at the base of the tank instead of blending in, and if the 159 has been run it may form deposits in the lines, so we clear those through as well and replace your fuel filter where needed.
Here, AdBlue removal means getting AdBlue back out of a diesel tank it was put into through the wrong filler. Disabling or taking out the AdBlue system on a vehicle isn't what it means.
What sets the price of a fuel drain on the Alfa Romeo 159
We do not publish a fixed price, because this work changes from one job to the next. These are the main things that shape it:
- most of all, whether the 159 has been driven or even started
- the size of your tank, set against how much went in
- what was put in, petrol or AdBlue
- whether the van can safely reach the 159 where it is
We can tell you what the work will probably need once you phone and give us those answers.
Questions on petrol in a diesel Alfa Romeo 159, with answers
The Alfa Romeo 159 fuel tank capacity: how many litres?
It takes 70 litres, and our figures show the same tank on every version.
Can I top up with diesel if I just put a little petrol in my 159?
Topping up just cuts the share of petrol. None of it is removed, so it is all still there when you drive, which is why we would not recommend it. Your 159 usually needs nothing more than a drain when only a modest amount was put in, and that gets that petrol out entirely.
Do I need to take my 159 to the Alfa Romeo dealer?
You do not need to. We have no connection with Alfa Romeo or any of its dealers, being independent, and your 159 is drained and cleaned wherever you have stopped.
Does it matter which 159 I own?
Knowing your version helps when you ring, since there are 12 diesel variants of the 159 in our figures.
Will my insurance policy pay for wrong fuel in my Alfa Romeo 159?
We will still come out to drain it for you, covered or not. Look at your insurance anyway, since not every policy includes misfuelling cover.
What happens if I pour diesel in the AdBlue tank of my 159?
Don't put the key in your ignition then either. The AdBlue system will need emptying, and when your car is driven like that, it'll most likely display a warning and drop into limp mode. Which tank the fuel went into is worth telling us when you phone.
I drove my 159 before I noticed. What do I do?
Look for a safe spot to pull over, then turn your motor off and keep the car that way till we arrive. We empty and clean your fuel system where you have stopped, and when it is caught soon like this, lasting harm is very rare.