Think it'll be allright?

[edible_hat]

Had a strange one today. This customer filled up with unleaded, came into the store, and this conversation took place:

C: "I just put unleaded in a diesel engine. Will that affect it at all?"
Me: "I think it will cause some problems."
C: "Oh" (hands me exact change for the fuel, so at least that's paid for) "I think I'll try it anyway, I think it'll be alright."
Me: "If I were you I'd call the RAA" (road service association)
C: "Ok but I think they'll just tell me it will be OK."
Me: "Call them anyway."
(customer calls, after being on hold for half an hour:
customer (into phone) "Hello? Hello I put unleaded in my ute, it's a diesel. ... Yeah but I think it should be OK. ... 8 kilometers? I'm at [suburb] ... nah, what I'll do is, I'll use half the tank then refill it with diesel ... it was fine when I moved it (a grand distance of six feet so other customers can use the pump) ... I don't know the address anyway ... no I think these engines work fine with unleaded ... ok ok stop hassling me (to me) can I have something to write on? (I give him a piece of paper and a pen) thanks (back on the phone) so that's Smith Street ... sorry Jones Street ... phone XXXX-XXXX ... look I think it'll be allright ... no I can drive there after work ..." (continue for another 5-10 minutes)

Eventually he drove off, I don't know how his story ends.


What I want to know is what kind of mythical engine takes diesel and unleaded? He might be OK to drive it to the nearest mechanic, but I don't think he'll get through his work day (the name of a local courier company was on the side of his ute).

The part that makes him an SC is that after calling the people who are supposed to know about this kind of thing, he ignored their advice and decided it would all be OK. Come to think of it he probably called them just to avoid offending me.

[Jadedcarguy]

He's so boned.

He'll be lucky to get half a mile.

[Peppergirl]

Ok - this one has me mystified. Seriously,

Why the hell would someone do that?

[StevieJD]

What an idiot.

[Jadedcarguy]

Ok - this one has me mystified. Seriously,

Why the hell would someone do that?

We get a car or truck in the shop about once a month with the wrong fuel in it, usually diesel trucks with unleaded. It's a pretty common mistake, but I have no idea how people do it, being that diesel nozzles are bright frickin' green.

[edible_hat]

It's a pretty common mistake, but I have no idea how people do it, being that diesel nozzles are bright frickin' green.

Around here diesel nozzles are black, they also have a catch you have to press before you can lift the nozzle (they usually have "WARNING DIESEL DO NOT USE IN PETROL ENGINES FOR DIESEL ENGINES ONLY" written in black on bright yellow). Other handle colours vary between brands, ours has yellow for regular unleaded, green is ethanol and red is premium.

I'm just waiting for the day somebody manages to put LPG into a petrol tank. I know it's physically impossible but that won't stop somebody somewhere doing it.

[Andara Bledin]

Not only does that douchenozzle ignore the advice of the people whose jobs it is to know this stuff, but he bitches at them to stop "hassling" him about it.

^-.-^

[edible_hat]

Thinking about it on my way home (I went from work to uni, posted from there. My class finished and now I'm at home), I think maybe he thought it was like what happens if you put regular unleaded in an engine that's tuned for premium.

[Bobsentme]

I think maybe he thought it was like what happens if you put regular unleaded in an engine that's tuned for premium.

I think your right.

I remember once when I was young, and mom got leaded and unleaded mixed up.
The VW van drove, but man, it had PROBLEMS.

[friendofjimmyk]

When I was driving tow truck, most of our vehicles were diesels except for two light service vehicles and they took unleaded. A few occasions, a driver who usually drove the unleaded vehicle, got into a diesel truck and at the end of the shift he put unleaded in the diesel truck. It causes serious problems. The truck has to be taken off the road, gas tank removed, drained, and a few other things...that dude will NOT be okay. But, I'm guessing he figured that out later in the day when his car wouldn't operate properly.

[crazylegs]

He will have caused a *huge* amount of damage to his car, putting petrol into a diesel will essentially strip the lubrication from a lot of the engine because diesel is the lube.

Good luck with your engine pal!

[StarSong]

Wow, good luck with that, buddy. What a moron! You'll have to let us know if he comes back and tries to sue you for selling him the wrong fuel.

[IHateStupidCustomers]

I don't know much about cars, but I have heard that even filling a gas can that has had regular unleaded gas in it with diesel, and putting that diesel in your car will screw it up. I can't imagine filling the whole tank up with the wrong fuel....

[iviles]

I know almost nothing on cars but as soon as I read this I couldnt get my mouth to close. Even I know you cant do that!

[RayvenQ]

What I want to know is what kind of mythical engine takes diesel and unleaded? He might be OK to drive it to the nearest mechanic, but I don't think he'll get through his work day (the name of a local courier company was on the side of his ute).

The engine of my 1974 Honda CB125 (Motorbike) managed alright with both, alright, using diesel on it isn't reccomended nor really good for the engine when run for a long time (more than one or two days), but if you were in a pinch and had run out of fuel and the ONLY other fuel you can get is diesel, then it'd work.

Hell, my old bike could probably run on paraffin and wishes and prayers (These last two it sometimes kinda did)