Unleaded into Diesel = No Go
 

I picked up a virus that's doing the rounds over Christmas that's been affecting my brain cells. Filled up at my local filling station this morning, enroute to my son's house to help him start moving to his new home. 2 miles down the road, the engine cut out! It took about 1 1/2 seconds before the penny dropped and I realised the mistake I had made.
So I phoned the A.A. they quoted £195 to drain the fuel but they would tow me to any garage within a 10 mile radius for free. So I suggested that if they tow my car back to my home, less than 2 miles from where I was broke down, it would be better for me. "Sorry we can't do that, we can only recover the vehicle to a garage" So I asked if they could recover my car to the filling station where I had put int the wrong fuel. "Yes, we can do that".
Well the filling station is about 50 yards from my home!
Cut a long story short, my son towed me home in his BMW diesel, we lowered the tank and drained it completely before re-fitting and putting in a couple of gallon of diesel. Undid the fuel line connection the the injector rail and pumped some fresh diesel through the system.
Eventually the engine started, quite a lot of white smoke and a few loud knocking noises at first, but it all cleared and settled into a smooth tick-over after about 10 seconds.
We then took the car for a short run and I'm pleased to report that it seems to be OK now. I think I got away with it. :o

Been there, done that, only the once thank god. I put about a ½ of petrol on top of a ½ tank of diesel. It didn't cut out, but ran like a bag of hammers, I could smell the petrol instantly. I was a mile or so from an ex employer [10 ramps & 15 assorted mechanics] with all the big toys including a big vacuum unit. Pulled the entire system straight out of a flexi pipe in the engine bay, filled it to the neck with trade price road diesel from the employers tanks and was one very lucky boy. Sympathies to you AlanC, but at least your GV survived. You might yet get some benefit back for your efforts - I swear mine ran better and much smoother after the 'clean out'

I thought it was just my imagination :D