Already Driven With Petrol in a Diesel Land Rover Defender?
Keeping the motor off is what matters once you've travelled on petrol in a diesel Land Rover Defender, which means you should stop once it's safe and then turn the motor off. We can still deal with it where you've pulled up, and if it's caught early, permanent harm is very rare.
Where your Land Rover Defender has ended up, Petrol in Diesel comes out to empty your tank there and clean the petrol from the system. By the time we go, your vehicle is back on clean diesel.
Spotting petrol in a diesel Defender
At first, petrol in the fuel tank often makes little difference to how a diesel Defender feels, and the symptoms show up a couple of miles later. If your fuel tank has petrol or AdBlue in it, people normally spot these:
- the motor is short of power, particularly whenever it has to accelerate
- it runs roughly, or your idle turns uneven
- the exhaust puts out more smoke than normal
- a warning light lights up
- it stalls and may not start again
One of these beginning after you fuelled up is a reason to look at your receipt to see what was put in.
How far wrong fuel in your Land Rover Defender gets when you drive
Wrong fuel in your Land Rover Defender sits in your fuel tank till the engine draws it out, and driving is what draws it through the filter, your injection pump and your injectors. The mix gets into more of your system the further the Defender is taken, because petrol weakens the diesel that lubricates your fuel pump and the injectors as it passes through them.
That's why it's better to stop the moment you can than to finish the journey. Normally, a drain and a clean are all a motor needs when it's stopped soon, as what can cause harm is travelling far on fuel that is tainted.
If you have the Defender 110 Td5 Station Wagon or another version of the Defender, nothing changes.
Just where you stopped
You don't need to get the Defender anywhere. The roadside and outside your home are both places we come to, and so it does not need restarting or towing.
If you are beside a busy road, turn your hazard lights on then wait somewhere safe, clear of the traffic.
Phone 0333 366 0103 then say where you are, what Defender it is and roughly how far it has been driven. Knowing the version on the badge, such as the Defender 90 Td5 Station Wagon, helps too.
The fuel drain on your Land Rover Defender after a drive
There is a step more to a fuel drain on your Land Rover Defender after it has been driven than to a drain at the forecourt. Draining the fuel tank comes first. Then we open the lines and rinse them through with the filter, until there is no petrol left between the tank and the motor. Clean diesel goes in, the fuel system is primed, and our technicians start the motor to confirm it runs properly.
The fuel tank drained first on the Defender 110 Td4 Hard Top takes 75 litres.
AdBlue in a diesel Land Rover Defender once driven
If you have AdBlue in a diesel Land Rover Defender and have driven on it, the signs are normally rough running, smoke and warning lamps, and the vehicle may cut out. AdBlue does not burn or lubricate, and it sinks to the base of the fuel tank where the fuel pump picks up fuel, and so it reaches the fuel line fast. Crystals build up in your lines and your fuel filter once its water dries out.
AdBlue removal from a diesel Land Rover Defender
Emptying the fuel tank comes first in AdBlue removal from a diesel Land Rover Defender that has been run, then the crystals are flushed out of your lines and your filter, with the filter replaced if it needs it.
Nothing here involves disabling or taking out the AdBlue system. It covers fluid in the diesel tank, and a separate AdBlue tank your Defender has is left as it is.
Land Rover Defender fuel tank capacity and engine sizes
Diesel fuel tanks on the Land Rover Defender run from 60 to 93 litres over its versions, with the Defender 110 Td5 Crew Cab at the top end and the Defender 90 Td4 Hard Top at the bottom.
A tank of 93 litres is fitted on the Defender 130 Td5 Crew Cab, for example.
You'll see TD5 and TD4 badges on diesel Defender versions.
The Defender 90 Td4 Pick Up is one of those badged TD4 instead of TD5.
Amongst them are Crew Cab versions.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Land Rover Defender 110 Td4 Hard Top | 75 litres |
| Land Rover Defender 110 Td5 Crew Cab | 93 litres |
| Land Rover Defender 110 Td5 Pick Up | 93 litres |
| Land Rover Defender 110 Td5 Station Wagon | 93 litres |
| Land Rover Defender 130 Td5 Crew Cab | 93 litres |
| Land Rover Defender 90 Td4 Hard Top | 60 litres |
| Land Rover Defender 90 Td4 Pick Up | 60 litres |
| Land Rover Defender 90 Td5 Station Wagon | 93 litres |
Fuel drain on the Land Rover Defender after a drive: what it costs
The price of a fuel drain on the Land Rover Defender after it has been driven depends mainly on how far it went and where it has ended up, and whether it was petrol or AdBlue makes a difference as well. Those details are what we need when you call, and with them we can tell you what the work will involve.
Common questions after driving with petrol in a diesel Land Rover Defender
Will my Defender be ruined?
It's very unlikely to be. When your car is stopped soon, draining and flushing your fuel system is what we do where you have pulled up, and harm that lasts is uncommon after that.
Should I drive it home first?
It's wiser not to. Tainted fuel reaches further into the system with every mile, so leave the Defender where it stands while we empty it there, with no reason to shift the car.
It won't restart after stalling. What now?
Please leave the vehicle rather than trying again, because each try pulls more of the blend through. We prime your system and get it started for you after it has been emptied and rinsed and fresh diesel is in.
Does it matter which Defender I own?
There are 8 diesel versions of the Defender, and the badge on the tailgate shows which one you have. Knowing that assists us when you ring.
Does my insurance cover wrong fuel in my Land Rover Defender?
When the car is dealt with, it's worth looking at your policy, because some offer misfuelling cover. We come out whether it does or not.