Petrol in a Diesel Peugeot 307? Leave It Switched Off
We'd ask you to leave your motor off when you have put petrol in a diesel Peugeot 307 and not started it yet, and that goes for shifting it off the forecourt too. The petrol can't get out of your tank whilst the engine is off, so the 307 can normally be set right with a fuel drain.
We go to wrongly fuelled vehicles rather than the other way round, so with Petrol in Diesel the Peugeot 307 stays at the forecourt or wherever it ended up. Phone us before anything else and let us talk you through it, instead of trying anything on your own.
The first steps after petrol in a diesel 307
- Keep your engine off. A diesel 307 will usually fire up and run with petrol inside its tank, and it may seem normal for a couple of miles, which explains why people frequently drive away without realising something is amiss.
- Fuel can be drawn towards the fuel injectors even before your engine has started, as on many diesel motors your ignition alone starts priming the fuel pump. Keep the ignition off too.
- Topping up with diesel to thin it is a bad idea, even with super unleaded, which counts as petrol too. The fuel tank in the 307 takes up to 60 litres, and every litre of diesel put in is more tainted fuel for us to empty.
- A vehicle blocking a pump can be put in neutral and pushed out of the way, and the forecourt attendants are generally glad to help.
- Ring 0333 366 0103 with where your 307 is and which one it is, the approximate amount of petrol that was put in, and whether it has been run. If you can read the exact variant on the badge, for instance the 307 Break HDi 90, that is useful as well.
What starting the motor does with wrong fuel in your Peugeot 307
Wrong fuel in your Peugeot 307 only begins to reach your motor when it's pulled from your tank, which is exactly what starting your engine does. Whilst it flows through, diesel fuel keeps the high-pressure fuel pump and your injectors oiled, and the motor relies on that. Petrol dilutes your diesel and takes that protection away, which is why it is driving for any distance on the mix that can do harm.
If you have already been driving the 307, stop where it is safe then switch off. It can still be sorted out, with your tank emptied and the pipes and fuel filter flushed until the last of the tainted fuel has gone. As long as it is cleaned out properly after being caught early, it very seldom leaves lasting damage.
The 307 Break HDi 110 is no different in this from any other version of the 307.
Peugeot 307 fuel tank capacity
If you filled up while the tank was almost empty, the same couple of litres make up more of your fuel in it, and the risk depends on that share, so the capacity of the tank matters.
Each diesel Peugeot 307 we have data for uses the same tank, which takes 60 litres, so the variant you have doesn't alter that calculation.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Peugeot 307 Break HDi 110 | 60 litres |
| Peugeot 307 Break HDi 135 | 60 litres |
| Peugeot 307 Break HDi 90 | 60 litres |
| Peugeot 307 CC HDi FAP 135 | 60 litres |
| Peugeot 307 HDi 110 | 60 litres |
| Peugeot 307 HDi 135 | 60 litres |
| Peugeot 307 HDi 70 | 60 litres |
| Peugeot 307 HDi 90 | 60 litres |
| Peugeot 307 SW HDi 110 | 60 litres |
| Peugeot 307 SW HDi 135 | 60 litres |
| Peugeot 307 SW HDi 90 | 60 litres |
| Peugeot 307 SW HDi FAP 110 | 60 litres |
What diesel variant of the 307 is yours?
More often than not the variant is shown on your boot lid, and it's helpful for us to know when you call.
The diesel models of the 307 have been badged HDi.
You can also see SW versions in the list.
AdBlue in a diesel Peugeot 307 by mistake
To clean up their exhaust, certain diesel cars use AdBlue, a blend of water and urea that goes in its own tank through its own filler. The key needs to be kept out of your ignition if you've got AdBlue in a diesel Peugeot 307 through the incorrect filler, and that covers moving your vehicle.
Since it's mostly water, AdBlue doesn't burn and offers the fuel pump no lubrication at all. It does not mix with diesel either, so it settles to the base of the tank where your pump picks up its fuel, and a tank holding up to 60 litres won't dilute it as it would dilute petrol.
Even a little of that is plenty to end up in the fuel line. As the water evaporates, the urea crystallises inside the system, including your filter and injectors, and it attacks the metalwork it sits against.
Look under the fuel flap where the 307 has an AdBlue filler, since on many vehicles it is right beside your diesel filler. You can usually tell the AdBlue lid by its blue colour and the far slimmer nozzle it takes.
Fuel drain on your Peugeot 307: how it works
There's no garage needed, as we do a fuel drain on your Peugeot 307 at your car itself. We begin by checking what was put in and whether the motor has run, then drain your tank, which on the 307 holds up to 60 litres. Then we rinse your fuel pipes and the filter and refill with clean diesel, and your system is primed before we fire it up.
You are free to take your 307 away when we've finished, now running on fresh diesel.
AdBlue removal from a diesel Peugeot 307
The stages are the same as a petrol drain in AdBlue removal from a diesel Peugeot 307. We flush crystals out of the lines too when the 307 has been started, and change the fuel filter where needed, as AdBlue settles in the base of the tank rather than blending in and may leave them there.
On this page, AdBlue removal means taking AdBlue back out of a diesel tank it was put into through the incorrect filler. Switching off or taking out the AdBlue system on a vehicle is not what it means.
What sets the cost of a fuel drain on the Peugeot 307
A set quote isn't something we publish, since no two jobs need the same work. It largely comes down to the following:
- whether anyone has started or driven the 307, the thing that counts most
- a tank's capacity next to the volume that was put in
- which of the two it was, petrol or AdBlue
- whether our van can safely reach the 307 where it sits
We can tell you what this work will probably need once you call with those answers.
Your questions on petrol in a diesel Peugeot 307
What is the fuel tank capacity of the Peugeot 307?
All the versions we have figures for hold 60 litres.
Does filling up with diesel help with a little petrol in my 307?
Topping up just lowers the proportion of petrol. None of it is removed, so it is all still there when you drive off, which is why we wouldn't advise it. A drain gets all of it out, and with a modest quantity that's normally all the 307 requires.
Does my 307 need to go to the Peugeot dealer?
No. We are independent and have no connection with Peugeot or its dealers, and we drain and clean the 307 wherever it has stopped, so there's no need to move it anywhere.
Does the version of my 307 matter?
It helps us to know which one you drive when you ring, since we hold data for 12 diesel versions of the 307.
Will my policy pay for wrong fuel in my Peugeot 307?
We will still come out and drain it for you, either way. Check your policy anyway, because not every policy includes misfuelling cover.
The diesel went into the AdBlue filler on my 307. What now?
In this case, too, the sensible thing is to leave your ignition alone. If it is driven that way, a car will normally show a warning and enter limp mode. The AdBlue system needs draining as well. Do say which tank took the diesel when you call.
Already driven my 307: what do I do?
Find a safe location to pull over, then switch the engine off and keep the car that way until we get there. Where you have stopped, the system is emptied and cleaned on the spot, and caught soon like this, it very seldom leaves permanent damage.