Already Driven With Petrol in a Diesel Volvo 850?
The engine needs turning off then leaving off as soon as you can pull over somewhere safe, if you have travelled with petrol in a diesel Volvo 850. Caught early, it very rarely leaves lasting harm, while sorting it out where you have stopped is still possible.
Your Volvo 850 can remain wherever it has stopped, as Petrol in Diesel comes out to it, drains its fuel tank there then cleans its fuel system of petrol. Once we go, your vehicle is back on fresh diesel.
Spotting petrol in a diesel 850
To begin with, petrol inside your fuel tank frequently makes little difference to how a diesel 850 feels, and the symptoms appear a few miles later on. These are the ones most often spotted if your tank has AdBlue or petrol in it:
- the engine loses power, particularly whenever you ask it to pull
- lumpy running, or an uneven idle
- more smoke than normal appears from the tailpipe
- a warning light comes on
- it stalls and might not start again
If any of these began after you filled up, look at your receipt to confirm what went in.
What travelling does with wrong fuel in your Volvo 850
Till the motor pulls it out, wrong fuel in your Volvo 850 stays in your fuel tank, and driving pulls it on to your fuel filter, then to the high-pressure fuel pump and the fuel injectors. Petrol thins the diesel fuel that protects your pump and your fuel injectors while it runs through them, and driving the 850 on carries that mix into more of the system.
This is the reason to stop the moment you can rather than complete the journey. Travelling a long way on tainted fuel is what can cause harm, and when a vehicle is stopped soon, a drain and a clean are usually all it needs.
Another version of the 850 is no different from the 850 2.5 TDI Estate in this, and so which version is yours makes no difference.
Where you've pulled up
You do not need to get the 850 anywhere. We come to it at the side of the road or outside your home, so there is no reason to restart it or arrange a tow.
With the hazards on, wait away from the traffic somewhere safe when the road next to you is fast.
When you call 0333 366 0103, tell us where you are, which 850 it is and roughly how far you went. If the badge gives the version, such as the 850 2.5 TDI, it helps too.
Fuel drain on your Volvo 850 when you've driven it
Once it has been driven, a fuel drain on your Volvo 850 involves a step more than one on the forecourt. Draining your tank comes first. After that we open your fuel lines and flush them through with the filter, so there is no petrol remaining between your tank and the engine. Before we go, the motor is started to make sure it's running properly on clean diesel, once your fuel system has been primed.
After it has run: AdBlue in a diesel Volvo 850
Uneven running, smoke and warning lamps are the usual signs after you've driven on AdBlue in a diesel Volvo 850, and the car may then stall. Settling to the base of your fuel tank, where your pump draws fuel, AdBlue gets into your fuel line fast, and it does not burn or lubricate. As its water evaporates, the urea forms crystals in your fuel lines and your fuel filter.
How AdBlue removal from a diesel Volvo 850 is done
Draining the fuel tank comes first with AdBlue removal from a diesel Volvo 850 that has been run, and then the crystals are cleared from the fuel lines and your fuel filter, with your fuel filter changed if it needs it.
A dedicated AdBlue tank, if your 850 has one, is left as it is. The job is about fluid in the diesel tank, and does not involve taking out or switching off an AdBlue system.
The Volvo 850 fuel tank capacity and its engines
73 litres is the size of the diesel tank on each version of the Volvo 850 in our figures.
Diesel 850 versions have TDI badging.
Engine size is 2.5 litres across the versions listed.
Among them are Estate versions.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Volvo 850 2.5 TDI | 73 litres |
| Volvo 850 2.5 TDI Estate | 73 litres |
The cost of a fuel drain on the Volvo 850 after a drive
How far it travelled and where it has ended up are what mostly settle the price of a fuel drain on the Volvo 850 after driving, and petrol or AdBlue makes a difference as well. Give us those details on a call and then we can say what's involved in the job.
Common questions after driving with petrol in a diesel Volvo 850
Has the petrol ruined my 850?
It is very unlikely. Permanent harm is rare when the car is stopped early and the fuel system is drained and flushed, and that is what we do wherever you have stopped.
Should I drive it home first?
We'd sooner you didn't. Contaminated fuel gets further into the fuel system with each mile, so keep the 850 where it is while we empty it there, with no reason to move the vehicle.
It will not restart after stalling. What now?
Please don't try once more. Leave it as it is, because each attempt draws more of the mixture through. We prime the system and get it started for you once it has been emptied and flushed and fresh diesel is in.
Does it matter which 850 I own?
There are 2 diesel versions of the 850, and the badge on the boot shows which one you have. Knowing that helps us when you ring.
Does my insurance cover wrong fuel in my Volvo 850?
Once the car is sorted out, it's worth looking at your policy, as some offer misfuelling cover. We come out whether it does or not.