Petrol in diesel car - help!

[Monoceros]

I'm usually very careful and today it happened! A momentary lapse in focus and I started filling my diesel car with petrol!!! I realised my mistake after filling the car with 11 litres of petrol (that's about 1/5 of the tank capacity I think). I then was advised to fill it up with diesel and hope for the best. I got home without any problems. Has this happened to anyone else? Is a visit to a car mechanic necessary? I've since read some advice on the internet and I'm starting to panic at the extensive damage this could have caused.

Who advised you to fill it with diesel and drive it home?

It depends on the age of your car.

I did the same to my Mums car, filled it with diesel and it was fine.

DH recently did it to his car (only £5 worth before he realised) and he only put half a tank of diesel in and the car wasn't too happy. Was fine when he filled the tank though.

If your car is fairly new I'd phone a mechanic for advice.

Um... there’s every possibility you’ve just killed your car tbh.

You’re supposed to drain it without starting it.

Diesel in a petrol isn’t as serious, but petrol can really damage Diesel engines.

You shouldn't drive the car if you've out petrol in. You are supposed to ring a mechanic or someone who knows how to properly drain it out so it doesn't get into the engine.

Our mechanic told me once to do as you've done if caught early: fill up the tank with what you're supposed to put in it and you should be fine.

See if there is a Diseal Doctor near you. They drain the engine and clean it all out.

I've put petrol in a diesel car and vice versa before. Was advised by AA in those circumstances to fill to brim with the correct fuel. Ime I haven't had a problem or a killed car.

GoFiguire, it was on the advice of the guy from the gas station that I did that. I had two children in the car and was returning home after a long drive, so was eager to get going. After I got home, I checked the internet and realised that I did exactly the opposite of what I should have done.
Thank you everyone for your replies, some are giving me hope that the damage is not too extensive.

Oh yes I did it 3 x in my second pregnancy, probably about £10 of petrol each time before noticing then filled up with diesel to the brim. No problems with car 3 yrs on

Thank you Kel801! I'm feeling better and not panicking so much any more. Did you take your car to a mechanic after misfueling or just kept driving it without draining the tank/ checks?

I did the same and man at pump told me not to start car and call AA. They drained fuel out for me. It can kill a car.

Yep brim the tank, to dilute the petrol, you will be fine.

It’s only a issue if you fill the tank with the wrong fuel, they you have to get a hose pipe and siphon it out.

I did that not too long after getting a diesel after years of petrol cars. Didn’t realize until it started to be really unhappy (wouldn’t start, clouds of white smoke out the back) but was 100% after a garage had drained the tank.

I thought petrol in a diesel was better than diesel in a petrol because the petrol just sits on top whereas the diesel would sink and gum up the engine?

I did it and mechanic advised me to do what you did and keep it full for a few weeks after.

I had the fuel cover with my breakdown insurance so had it drained. If I hadn’t I would have followed that advise.

Diesel into a petrol is way more serious.

I heard that up to 25% you may get away with but keep topping up with diesel. You can't do it in reverse because the pump is a different diameter

@monoceros just kept driving. It was fine. X

I've done it twice! First time we just filled it up with diesel and it was fine!

2nd time filled it up and drove. Thought i had got away with it as drove to work but when i left work it kept stalling and finally broke down after a few miles.

Got a mobile van to come and fix it and he said it was fine and it wouldnt cause lasting damage. Only cost me about £100 plus the cost of petrol/diesel!

Sounds like you will be fine!