New gen small diesels blowing up

[PhilipA]

I was talking to a friend yesterday who is a well respected car insurance assessor.
He did many of the cars in Newcastle May 2007 and wrote off a brand new Commodore ute with no damage but purely on salt water immersion.

Anyway he told me that he had seen several/over a dozen new gen small common rail diesel cars with the engines completely destroyed eg thrown rods, from misfuelling then being driven. This surprise me greatly, as I thought that the only damage would be to the injection pump etc.
When I questioned him he was adamant, rods, holes in blocks etc.

So those of you with new gen common rail cars be careful.
Regards Philip A

[Scouse]

I haven't seen rods out of the side of engines but we've had cars here with very expensive bills as a result of putting unleaded into diesels.

A couple of Freelanders came through, both around the $15-20K mark to repair under insurance.

One new Volvo (XC90) was written off after being driven until the motor stopped. There was no obvious external damage to the engine but the insurance company didn't even want to pull the motor down to see the inside :eek:.

[Blknight.aus]

If the engine starts on diesel and theres enough fuel in the tank to get it up to normal running speed and then the petrol hits it can get very entertaining...

If I ever get a small diesel engine in the barely running class and its not needed for a saver I'll blow it up petrol style.

[one_iota]

I guess that this is a reflection of the increase in Australia of diesel engined cars..Golfs, Alfas and now Holdens...the assumption is that they are petrol and old habits die hard ....pull up at the ULP pump and fill up.

If you lend the car to someone then make sure you tell them.

Never forgot that I drove a diesel though.:p;)

[Olive Drab]

I once maintained a fleet of 8t hino's. A particular driver who was often a little under the weather at work filled it with super, luckily it still had about half a tank of diesel. Lots of white smoke, poor performance. first check was water drain on fuel tank, umm that smells like petrol.
That tank of fuel went in the parts cleaner.
managed to save the engine though.

[CaverD3]

heard of anthing except fuel pump damage. Injector damage may be possible but replacing the fuel system is expensive anyway.
There have been a few misfuels on D3s in the UK (see disco3.co.uk ) but no major physical damage. Are the smaller engines different?

[BigJon]

There have been a few misfuels on D3s in the UK (see disco3.co.uk ) but no major physical damage.

A misfuel with subsequent engine running during warranty requires full replacement of every part the fuel touches to retain warranty.

This means tank to injectors with everything inbetween. Very expensive...

I have seen it done...

[Roverray]

I once maintained a fleet of 8t hino's. A particular driver who was often a little under the weather at work filled it with super, luckily it still had about half a tank of diesel. Lots of white smoke, poor performance. first check was water drain on fuel tank, umm that smells like petrol.
That tank of fuel went in the parts cleaner.
managed to save the engine though.


I have had a similar experience to Olive Drab. A friend accidently put a jerrycan of unleaded into my Mits 2.5 mechanical pump ute. It lacked power and gave out lots of smoke. Worked out it would be a 50/50 mix.

Cut it to 95/5 and it went fine with no lasting problems.

[Captain_Rightfoot]

I believe ford on their euros sold here have some system to stop their diesels being fuelled with ulp.

Read about it here. (http://wot.motortrend.com/6253125/technology/fords-capless-easy-fuel-filler-to-go-standard-across-range/index.html)

[CaverD3]

The FFRR diesel has a system to stop misfuels as well.
There are more problems in the UK with misfuels due to bowser markings/colours by the oil companies. BP have been paying out on some claims.

[Graeme]

I believe ford on their euros sold here have some system to stop their diesels being fuelled with ulp.

Read about it here. (http://wot.motortrend.com/6253125/technology/fords-capless-easy-fuel-filler-to-go-standard-across-range/index.html)
Off topic, but what stops dirt from accumulating in that filler neck and dropping into the tank when the nozzle is inserted?

[Blknight.aus]

the fuel flap door is more or less hermatically sealed... probabley by some 50 squilienty dollar special part that you have to remove the crankshaft to replace.

[mcrover]

This was the sequence of events some mates in the boat engine industry came up with on a Yanmar CRD with an........Alternator problem.....had a con rod through it :o

1. Had about 2/3rds a tank of diesel
2. Was filled by an attendant with Unleaded fuel (more used to filling ski boats and cabin cruisers)
3. Was running fine and got hot and wound up to cruising speed maybe a bit more (in this boat the tank is in 2 segments across the back like running a sub tank but as the level got down a second pump cut in to keep the tanks even so it ran on pure diesel for quite a while).
4. They assume that as the mix thinned out the EGT's rose and killed a piston or pistons causing a build up in crank case pressures feeding the turbo with crankcase oil until it ran out or lost enough to cause damage.
5. at this time it is thought that it let go the conrod on 1 poking it out the left side and causing the boat to turn sharply to the right (twin engined) at which time they shut down the second engine and called for help.

The owner said that it didnt sound right but was going to get it checked out when they got back.

Im thinking maybe something similar is happening here, people topping up when they see cheap fuel but then thinning out the mix enough to do damage but not cause it to run too badly before it dies badly.

[Captain_Rightfoot]

Off topic, but what stops dirt from accumulating in that filler neck and dropping into the tank when the nozzle is inserted?

I have no idea on that at all!

[mcrover]

Off topic, but what stops dirt from accumulating in that filler neck and dropping into the tank when the nozzle is inserted?

The fuel cap.......:confused:

[Captain_Rightfoot]

The fuel cap.......:confused:

I don't think there is one..... Have a look at the pic.

[Graeme]

The fuel cap.......:confused:
The heading states "Ford's capless..."
There could be, rather must be, a dust cover attached to the inside of the flap.

[Jeff]

I once filled the Defender with Premium unleaded. After driving from Phillip Island to Liverpool(about 11 hours with the trailer) I was a little tired and stopped at The Cross Roads to fill up. Only when I was hanging up the nozzle did I see the diesel one still hanging up. They were both black! Luckily I didn't start it, and had a syphon and some empty petrol tins from my race weekend to drain the tank.

Jeff

:rocket:

[vnx205]

A lot of the service stations I use have the diesel pump separated from the petrol pumps. At least the quick fill pump is.

At the new Woolies service station, they are mixed in together.

A mate filled his diesel Ssssssangyonggggg with petrol and noticed his mistake as he was returning the nozzle.

Apparently the NRMA tilt tray operator who took him home so that he could drain the fuel told him that since the servo opened in the middle of this year, he has rescued 20 or 30 drivers who had made the same mistake.

And that's only counting the ones who called the NRMA. :o

[Jeff]

And that's only counting the ones who called the NRMA. :o

I rang them but as it was night time they could only tow it to the nearest place to fix it and leave it outside overnight, including my trailer with race bike, in Liverpool! I said that was not good enough so fixed it myself.

Jeff

:rocket:

[mcrover]

Sorry I entirely missed the link to the story.

I woold imagine that they would have a spring loaded cap on the door like on some of the Merc's.