Driven on Petrol in a Diesel Land Rover Already?
Pulling over the moment it is safe comes first if you've driven with petrol in a diesel Land Rover, and after that the motor goes off and is left off. It is very rare for damage to last if the issue is spotted soon, and we can still sort it out wherever you have stopped.
Wherever the car has stopped, Petrol in Diesel comes out to it. We empty the tank and clean the petrol from your fuel system, leaving it running on fresh diesel once more.
Spotting petrol in a diesel Land Rover
For the first few miles, petrol in the tank often changes little about how a diesel vehicle drives, so the signs tend to show up later. With petrol or AdBlue in your fuel tank, these are the signs people normally notice:
- the engine feels short of power, particularly as it's asked to accelerate
- running that is rough, or an idle that is unsteady
- the exhaust produces more smoke than normal
- the dash displays warning lamps
- the motor cuts out, and a restart might not work
Checking the receipt shows what got in, which is useful if any of these began after you filled up.
How travelling moves wrong fuel in your Land Rover
The fuel injectors, your filter and the high-pressure fuel pump get wrong fuel in your Land Rover only when driving draws it through. Before that, it stays in your fuel tank. Diesel protects your pump and your fuel injectors as it runs through, and petrol weakens it, so the farther the car goes, the more of the system the mix reaches.
It is wiser, because of this, to stop as soon as you can rather than finish the trip. It is travelling a long way on mixed fuel that can cause harm. Stopped early, a car normally needs only a drain and a clean.
It is the same for the Defender as for any other diesel Land Rover.
Where you've stopped
Your car doesn't need taking anywhere. You can leave it at the roadside or outside your home while we come to it, without starting it or organising a recovery truck.
Switch on your hazard lights when the road next to you is busy, then choose a safe spot to wait, well clear of the traffic.
Call 0333 366 0103 then say where the car is, what model it is and about how far it has gone. A model name like the Range Rover Evoque works to start with.
Fuel drain on your Land Rover after it has been driven
After it's been driven, a fuel drain on your Land Rover takes a step more than a drain at the forecourt. We empty your tank first, then open the fuel lines and flush them through with your fuel filter, so that no petrol is left between your fuel tank and the motor. With fresh diesel in and your system primed, we fire up the engine and check it runs correctly.
Emptying the tank comes first, and on the Range Rover Sport it holds up to 84 litres.
If the motor has been run on AdBlue in a diesel Land Rover
Watch for smoke, rough running and warning lamps once you have driven on AdBlue in a diesel Land Rover, as the vehicle might also cut out. Once AdBlue is in the tank, it settles to the bottom, where your pump picks up fuel, so it gets into the fuel line quickly. It also doesn't burn or lubricate. Once its water evaporates, what remains is urea, and it crystallises in your lines and your filter.
AdBlue removal from a diesel Land Rover: what it means
Draining the tank comes first with AdBlue removal from a diesel Land Rover that has been run, and then the crystals are flushed from the lines and the fuel filter, with the fuel filter changed if it needs it.
Only your fuel tank is worked on here. Where the car has a separate AdBlue tank, it's left alone, and the AdBlue system is not taken out or switched off.
Tank sizes in the diesel Land Rover range
The smallest diesel Land Rover tank holds 59 litres and the largest 105 litres, over the line-up.
For example, the Discovery takes up to 93 litres.
Below, there's a page for each of the 6 diesel Land Rover models we list, with each version and its tank.
Pricing a fuel drain on a diesel Land Rover once it has been driven
Where the vehicle has stopped and the miles it covered mostly set the price of a fuel drain after driving. Petrol or AdBlue matters too. Give us those details on a call, and we can explain what is involved.
What people ask after a drive with petrol in a diesel Land Rover
Will my Land Rover be ruined?
The likelihood of that is very small, as lasting harm is rare when the vehicle is stopped soon and we empty and flush the fuel system where you have pulled up.
Could I complete the journey home first?
Our suggestion is not to. Moving it is not necessary, because we can deal with the vehicle where it stands, and every mile on contaminated fuel pushes it further through your fuel system.
What do I do when it has stalled and won't restart?
Each attempt draws more of that blend through, so please leave it rather than having another go. Fresh diesel goes in after we have drained and rinsed it, and then we prime your system and get it started for you.
Will my insurance cover wrong fuel in my Land Rover?
Some insurance policies include misfuelling cover, so it is worth checking yours after the car is dealt with. We still come out regardless.