A6 tdi filled up with diesel

[fish6634]

My brother in law wants to sell me his T reg A8 tdi with 80000 miles on the clock because he half filled it with petrol and it hasn`t run right since. When he did this he filled the rest of the tank with diesel and continued to top it up. After a week he used the tank up and filled it completely with diesel. He has now used the full tank of diesel up and it still isnt running right so he has give up on it and opted to go into his companies "company car scheme". He offered me the car for a very silly low price and i am very tempted. I took the car for a drive to day and the symptoms were that it is very sluggish almost like it is in a limp home mode, there is almost no boost available but i know the turbo is fine. Also hard to start when the engine is warm. Any advise on this matter would be helpful I want to buy this car but i am unsure of the damage it may have cause. I do know that when he originally did it there was more diesel than petrol in when he drove off. The car has never cut out and died altoghether its just very sluggish. If i buy the car i plan to change the fuel filter and clean the pump out and fill up with diesel as well as a full service. As i said any help would be great on this matter.

[john from Staffs]

All I can offer is the comment that I half filled my old Golf 1.9TDI with unleaded, but realised what I had done while still on the forecourt. I called out the breakdown service which the car was registered with and the first question from the fitter was "have you started it up at all?" When I said no, his reply was that if I had, the abrasive qualities of the petrol would have blown the injection pump.

If you want to go ahead and buy this car, find out the price of fitting a new lift pump and fuel injection pump and also a top overhaul and a new set of pistons and rings, and compare it with the discount your brother in law is offering. I bet you're still on the losing side. I wouldn't touch it with ten foot tongues.

best regards

john from Staffs

[fish6634]

thanks for replying john

[dean warren]

Originally Posted by john from Staffs

All I can offer is the comment that I half filled my old Golf 1.9TDI with unleaded, but realised what I had done while still on the forecourt. I called out the breakdown service which the car was registered with and the first question from the fitter was "have you started it up at all?" When I said no, his reply was that if I had, the abrasive qualities of the petrol would have blown the injection pump.

If you want to go ahead and buy this car, find out the price of fitting a new lift pump and fuel injection pump and also a top overhaul and a new set of pistons and rings, and compare it with the discount your brother in law is offering. I bet you're still on the losing side. I wouldn't touch it with ten foot tongues.

best regards

john from Staffs

Think the above is well ott! it may well need a new/2nd hand pump as diesel lubricates the diesel pump, unleaded doesen't it is in no way abrasive, if it was it would wreck any engine, i've seen this done loads of times, new fuel filter first, then a good used pump if it still doesen't run properly.

[fish6634]

just so you know guys i did abit of work on the car at the weekend. Drained the tank, changed fuel filter, oil filter and drained and topped up with new oil. Also put some fuel treatment additive in the drained fuel tank followed by filling to the brim with "Totals" equivilent to city diesel (extra cleaning properties etc). The verdict is she`s purring like a kitten (touch wood)

Thanks for both of your help hope to see you more on the club

[john from Staffs]

I always was a pessimist! Well played and I hope it stays good.

jfS