Wrong diesel ???

[MustangLady]

I drive a Honda Civic 1.7 CTDi (diesel) new model ... recently i fuelled up at a garage, the usual diesel pumps were out of order, so thought i'd use the other diesel pumps which I know to be used usually by trucks (artics etc). Someone told me today that the lorries use a different type of diesel and that i should not have put this diesel into my car, that i could experience problems. I've got a full tank of this diesel now and wonder if i've done any damage to my car/engine. I've driven to/from work today and so far no problems, but could i have caused any long term damage? I just thought it was on different pumps at garages so the lorries didn't have to wait for cars to vacate a pump or for the height access of lorries on certain pumps. please help me, should i try to empty my fuel tank or is it ok to continue driving.. Is this diesel any different from the normal diesel pumps?

[ArchieWW]

Diesel fuel available at filling stations is suitable for all diesel engines, whether in cars or lorries. You have no reason to be concerned.

[ArchieWW]

Your friend may be getting confused with so called 'red' diesel, which is dyed red because there is no duty payable (since it should only be used in static, non-roadgoing plant or vehicles). But 'red' diesel is not available at filling stations - and in any case, the diesel is still to the normal specification - it's only its red colour that makes it any different.

[Panic Button]

Yes, same diesel, but usually the ones for the trucks are high pressure pumps to fill the huge tanks quickly.

You are lucky you didn't spray yourself with diesel.

Interestingly my truck fuel tank has a label saying it cannot take biodiesel, so it seems that a truck can be damaged by fuel that your car can take, but you have no worries.

[Teddio]

You'll have no trouble at all, don't worry about it. Trucks use the same diesel fuel as cars.

[MustangLady]

Thank you both for your quick replies ...certainly put my mind at rest. I thought i was going to start having problems driving my car around by putting 'wrong' diesel in. I did say to my friend that it unusual the till operator at the garage didn't say anything to me when i'd fuelled up at that pump, obviously because it's the same, i realise that now. ps to PanicButton, the diesel did come out quite quickly from that pump, filled my car lot quicker, obviously due to the higher pressure. Thanks again, i can drive around with peace of mind.

[MustangLady]

PanicButton, excuse my ignorance but what is Biodiesel? I have heard of it and seen signs at garages, but don't know what the difference is. Is that another type of diesel i can use, or do i need a certain type of car for it?

[Panic Button]

It is a diesel with a small percentage created from some agricultural crop.

There is significant effort going into developing fuel from crops for ecological reasons, but one of the effects may be more loss of forest, as land is put into use for this.
Also part of the reason for the rise in wheat prices is due to farmers switching to beans for fuel.

I don't know enough to be able to say if bio fuel is available at British fuel stations, but perhaps someone here does?

[Disco Fever]

Try looking at www.biodiesel.co.uk

[MustangLady]

Thank you again.... very helpful info and i will certainly refer back to my mate with the 'correct' info.

[stocksman]

I'm not 100% sure of this but I believe ''red'' diesel is no longer used. The government knew that 'a few' people were using red in unauthorised vehicles and said they would make the system different so the authorised people paid the tax but were able to claim it back. As I said I'm not sure if it did happen, but it was supposedly being brought in.