2015 Toyota Yaris Fuel

CWB927

MEMBER
2015 TOYOTA YARIS
0.5L
4 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
14,000 MILES

My car was 3/4 of a tank full with gas I topped it off by mistake with diesel. I drove the car for 10 miles when I realized I put in the wrong fuel. I took it straight to a mechanic and had the tank drained. After the tank was drained I filled the tank with the correct fuel. I then drove another 8 miles. The car never had any symptoms of the wrong fuel being used and the mechanic said everything should be okay since the tank was drained. Should I have anything else looked at or done to the car?

1 Reply

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,738 POSTS

Hmm. I guess I'd start with checking the prescription for your glasses, but there's nothing else to lose sleep over. Diesel fuel burns hotter than gasoline but it has lubricating properties that are not found in gasoline. If there was just a few gallons of diesel, I wouldn't have drained it. I would have run it to near empty to get all the diesel out, then added fresh gas, rather than keep on diluting the diesel that was remaining.

The bigger worry is when people put gas in a diesel tank. Gas waits for a spark to ignite it. Diesels use the heat from compression so they have a much higher "compression ratio" to generate those higher temperatures. That high temperature will self-ignite gas too soon and cause severe running problems. Also, the diesel fuel, being more of an oil, lubricates numerous parts. Gas won't provide that lubrication.