Petrol in a diesel car in Essex? We fix it on the spot
Petrol in a diesel is the most common fuel mix-up in Essex and the one that does the most damage if the engine runs. Our mobile vans cover Colchester, Chelmsford, Grays and Thurrock and the towns between, 24 hours a day.
Why petrol in a diesel car needs draining, not driving
Diesel lubricates the high-pressure fuel pump and the injectors; petrol strips that lubrication away. Run the engine and the pump grinds itself, sending fine metal particles through the fuel rail. Drained before the engine runs, it’s usually a straightforward job. Driven on, it can mean a new pump and injectors from a main dealer.
Our van drains the tank, flushes the system and refills it with the right fuel, wherever the car is safely parked in Essex.
Petrol in a diesel car in Essex
From £120
A fixed price on the phone before the van sets off, 24 hours a day.
Call 07900 379492 Send your locationWrong fuel in Essex? Do this first
Leaving the engine off keeps the wrong fuel in the tank, where it can be drained cleanly. That’s the difference between a drain and a new fuel pump.
- Keep the ignition off. Even turning the key far enough to light the dashboard starts the electric fuel pump, which draws the wrong fuel into the lines and the engine.
- Keep the car where it is. Don’t drive it. If it’s blocking a pump, put it in neutral and push it by hand into a parking bay.
- Don’t top up with the right fuel. Adding fresh fuel won’t dilute the mix enough to protect a high-pressure pump.
- Call us straight away. Tell us where you are and what went in, and we’ll send the nearest van.
How to tell you’ve put petrol in a diesel
Often you’ll realise at the pump: the nozzle was green, the receipt says unleaded, or the smell is sharper than diesel. If you’ve already driven off, the signs are a knocking or rattling engine, loss of power, more smoke than usual and, in the end, a stall that won’t restart. Petrol nozzles fit diesel fillers easily, which is why it’s the most common mix-up of all. If any of this sounds familiar, pull over safely, switch off and don’t try to restart.
Roads in Essex where we can’t work
Essex’s busiest roads (the A12, A13, A120, A127, A130 and the M11 and M25) are motorways or fast dual carriageways where we can’t work. If you misfuel and then lose power on one, have the car recovered to a filling station or car park, then call us.
Petrol in a diesel car drains across Essex
We cover the whole county. These are its main towns, each with what to do on its local roads.
Colchester
Including Stanway, Highwoods, Lexden, Mile End and Wivenhoe.
Chelmsford
Including Springfield, Great Baddow, Broomfield, Writtle and Galleywood.
Grays and Thurrock
Including Chafford Hundred, West Thurrock, Purfleet, Tilbury and Stanford-le-Hope.
Petrol in a diesel car in Essex: your questions
How much is a petrol in diesel drain in Essex?
It starts from the price shown on this page. We agree a fixed price with you on the phone before the van sets off.
I drove a few miles before I noticed. Can you still fix it?
Usually, yes. Switch off as soon as it’s safe and don’t restart. A car that has run on petrol needs a deeper flush, but we can still do it on site.
How quickly can you get to me in Essex?
Our vans are based around the country and usually reach you within 30 to 60 minutes, at a forecourt, at home or at work.
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Petrol in a diesel car in Essex? Call now
Tell us where the car is, how much went in and whether the engine has run. We’ll give you a fixed price and send the nearest van.