Diesel in gas vehicle situation. Help from experts.

[fanofbmwe46]

Bought a brand new Honda Pilot a few weeks ago and my wife took it for the day for first time. She rarely drives as I do most of the driving. Anyways, she filled up the car with diesel on way home tonight (she said she used the “green” pump) by accident and then drove 10 miles on highway until the car made horrible sounds and eventually stalled out. She called me and I came and got her and we had car towed to the dealership. I’m so nervous that the engine is totaled and or they are going to void the engine warranty after a huge repair bill.

Any ideas from experts?

[Marcoose]

Attaboy. Always blame the wife. Classy.

Hefty repair bill, but likely not totaled.

It’s grounds for divorce, though.

[thebmw]

The diesel pump nozzle is supposed to be too big to fit in a gas car hole. So either Honda has a large hole (I mean Hondas are like the village bicycle...everyone has had a ride) or the diesel nozzle was smaller than usual or maybe your wife shoved the nozzle in the hole.

Either way, the longer she drove with that nozzle shoved in the hole, the more f'ed she is/you are. I see a new baby on the way...name BM f'ing W.

[clutchdj]

Not an expert.

This is what probably is gonna happen:
Any competent dealer should drain the fuel tank and flush it with regular fuel.
Change out the fuel filter.
What is left in block is poooobably gonna stay there.
I don’t know if there is a way to purge fuel lines but that typically is done.
Im not gonna bet on the service dept pulling plugs and coils in order to deflood the engine, but a compression test should also be done. I think they might do a compression test if it doesn’t start after the flush.
Diesel fuel is a slow burn but still highly flammable, so a tech with experience has to do it.

[fanofbmwe46]

Couldn’t sleep. Went to dealer this morning at 6am when service opened. Told them what happened. They had me approve 3hrs of labor to drain the tank and diagnose from there.

[Oldgixxer]

Originally Posted by thebmw

The diesel pump nozzle is supposed to be too big to fit in a gas car hole. .

First thing that came to mind,it's designed to purposely not fit into a gasoline engine's fuel port

Anyways,drain,rinse,repeat

[Car-Addicted]

Apparently your wife doesn't know that size matters?

SIZE MATTERS There’s a key difference between gas and diesel pump you probably never noticed but clocking it saves a costly mistake

https://www.the-sun.com/motors/95979...ters-mechanic/

[///MPhatic]

This literally can't be done without making a huge mess and knowing something is very, very wrong. It just won't fit (no matter how much lube you use lol).

Either she made a huge mess doing this (impossible to do by accident), or someone isn't telling the truth.

[fanofbmwe46]

Originally Posted by ///MPhatic

This literally can't be done without making a huge mess and knowing something is very, very wrong. It just won't fit (no matter how much lube you use lol).

Either she made a huge mess doing this (impossible to do by accident), or someone isn't telling the truth.

Depends on the gas station and state, not every single one is set up to not fit. She said the nozzle fit fine.

[///MPhatic]

Originally Posted by fanofbmwe46

Depends on the gas station and state, not every single one is set up to not fit. She said the nozzle fit fine.

Yup, it appears that it wasn't made a law because of how few issues they figured there would be, she just happen to use a junk/poor gas station that hasn't switched the nozzles. In her defense, I've seen bright green plastic handles on pump gas nozzles, so it's not entirely her fault.

https://www.epa.gov/fuels-registrati...dispenser-have

[Chihuahua]

Originally Posted by clutchdj

Not an expert.

This is what probably is gonna happen:
Any competent dealer should drain the fuel tank and flush it with regular fuel.
Change out the fuel filter.
What is left in block is poooobably gonna stay there.
I don’t know if there is a way to purge fuel lines but that typically is done.
Im not gonna bet on the service dept pulling plugs and coils in order to deflood the engine, but a compression test should also be done. I think they might do a compression test if it doesn’t start after the flush.
Diesel fuel is a slow burn but still highly flammable, so a tech with experience has to do it.

This is correct ^. Get the diesel out and you should be OK. Gasoline in a diesel motor, now that's potentially catastrophic.

[Prince Thundernight.]

Green pump in the UK (and Europe) is unleaded, black is diesel.
Took me ages to get used to it when I moved to the US.

[fanofbmwe46]

Ok dealer called. They said $1,800. Way less than I was expecting. Drop the tank, flush everything, new spark plugs and fuel filter.

[gblansten]

Glad you got this wrapped up. Hope the vehicle runs like a champ going forward.

[Marcoose]

Originally Posted by fanofbmwe46

$1,800

That comes straight out of her beauty parlor fund.

[fanofbmwe46]

Originally Posted by Marcoose

That comes straight out of her beauty parlor fund.

Yea I said no more shipments from Sephora!

[fanofbmwe46]

Originally Posted by gblansten

Glad you got this wrapped up. Hope the vehicle runs like a champ going forward.

Same. Definitely won’t be keeping this one for very long, not past any warranty duration.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by fanofbmwe46

Same. Definitely won’t be keeping this one for very long, not past any warranty duration.

Why? The only thing one would be concerned about is hydrolocking the engine from over loading a cylinder with diesel fuel, but it appears this isn't the case based on the dealership's report. The diesel just fouled the plugs and the engine shut off.

If there is any engine damage it will show up long before the warranty time/miles are reached.

[whyzee125]

I did this years ago. Your engine is fine. The dealer will drain the tank and probably replace the fuel filter. What’s left in the fuel lines will burn through shortly once the car is running. Should be zero harm.

I later bought a 4runner that had the same thing happen based on looking through the service records. Dealer dropped the tank and cleaned it and all was well.

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by fanofbmwe46

Yea I said no more shipments from Sephora!

'I bought so much because it was all on sale, I had to buy it".

6 months later it is all sitting unopened then gets chucked after 2 years

[fanofbmwe46]

Originally Posted by whyzee125

I did this years ago. Your engine is fine. The dealer will drain the tank and probably replace the fuel filter. What’s left in the fuel lines will burn through shortly once the car is running. Should be zero harm.

I later bought a 4runner that had the same thing happen based on looking through the service records. Dealer dropped the tank and cleaned it and all was well.

Good to know.

[thebmw]

Originally Posted by fanofbmwe46

She said the nozzle fit fine.

Wow, literally "that's what she said'.

So the hole was not too big, the nozzle was small. Got it.

In all seriousness, glad this will be resolved for you but she owes you big time!