Smokin Joe
Member
A week ago, in a state of almost incomprehensible absent-mindedness and utter stupidity, I unknowingly put 9 gallons of 87 octane regular in my 15 gallon '13 Golf TDI, completely filing the tank (9 gallons of gas w/ 6 gallons of diesel). Drove home (1 mile) completely oblivious. Car ran fine (on the diesel still in the lines).
The following morning, I started the car and let it idle for15 minutes while I loaded some things for work. When I went to move the car, it would only reach about 1500 rpms and would barely move (I was able to move it about 100' from my home office entry to my garage). Still in a state or utter ignorance, I loaded some more stuff (5 more minutes of idle) and then tried to drive the car away. The engine would not rev past idle and I was getting an engine code "service immediately" (or something like that). The engine quit, but restarted instantly.
At that point, my head popped out of my rectum and I realized what I'd done. Needless to say, I had a lot of anxiety wondering whether I'd ruined the fuel pump and damaged the engine.
Here is how I fixed the problem and the outcome (at this point):
1. Remove the rear seat (lots of vids on YouTube---piece of cake).
2. Remove "in-tank" fuel pump (lots of vids on YouTube---piece of cake).
3. Siphon 15 gals of contaminated fuel from the tank using an electric drill-powered transfer pump ($12 bucks at Napa). You must use a corded drill because you need 1200 rpms. You'll also need a helper to manage the two hose and also priming the siphon pump can be a bit of a challenge. (Use a funnel to pour diesel down the output hose and reverse the drill so you are putting the diesel you are funneling into the output end of the hose into the tank. When the hose seems full, reverse the drill immediately and put the output end into your 5 gallon cans. You should be able to siphon out all but about 3/4 of a gallon remaining in the tank. You can reach in through the fuel pump access hole and mop out the remaining fuel if you want. I chose not to.
4. Refill with 15 gallons of diesel and a lubricity additive.
5. Reinstall in-tank fuel pump.
6. Replace fuel filter (more on this later).
7. Purchase the Ross-Tech HexV-2 VCDS module and download the software to your laptop.
8. Use the VCDS tool and software to prime your fuel system (cycle at least 3xs for at least 60 seconds each cycle. (See YouTube videos----piece of cake.)
After doing all this I restarted my engine. Took about 30-40 seconds of intermittent cranking before she would fire and keep running. Several times the engine seemed to seize up (starter wouldn't turn the engine). I kept bumping the starter and eventually she turned, fired and stayed running. Lots of grey smoke. The reason I went this route (not purge injector pump or injectors and all lines) is because I found no metal particles in my filter when I changed it. No particles in the filter pleats. None on top of the filter. Swept the filter cannister with a magnet and picked up zero metal particles. Wiped out the canister with a rag and saw 4-5 small glints of light (probably aluminum particles). The filter had 12,000 miles on it so 4-5 minute particles of probable aluminum did not suggest to me that the contaminated fuel had damaged the fuel pump, hence the decision (albeit risky) to run the rest of the contaminated fuel in the injector pump and lines through the engine.
Took a couple of minutes at idle and a minute or two at 40 mph to blow out all the gray smoke. Time will tell, but the engine seems to run fine. Power seems the same. Not showing any engine codes. I will run for a week and then recheck the filter cannister for metal particles. I'll also check fuel economy in the coming week.
I estimate my engine ran close to 20 minutes at idle with a mixture of 2/3 gas and 1/3 diesel and it appears I have escaped serious damage.
Total repair cost: About $280.00 ($200.00 for the Ross-Tec Hex V2, $12.00 for the drill powered siphon pump. $10.00 for some cheap garden hose at Ace. Around $50.00 for new fuel and then $10-12 bucks for the lubricity additive.
It could have been far, far worse.
Smokin Joe
The following morning, I started the car and let it idle for15 minutes while I loaded some things for work. When I went to move the car, it would only reach about 1500 rpms and would barely move (I was able to move it about 100' from my home office entry to my garage). Still in a state or utter ignorance, I loaded some more stuff (5 more minutes of idle) and then tried to drive the car away. The engine would not rev past idle and I was getting an engine code "service immediately" (or something like that). The engine quit, but restarted instantly.
At that point, my head popped out of my rectum and I realized what I'd done. Needless to say, I had a lot of anxiety wondering whether I'd ruined the fuel pump and damaged the engine.
Here is how I fixed the problem and the outcome (at this point):
1. Remove the rear seat (lots of vids on YouTube---piece of cake).
2. Remove "in-tank" fuel pump (lots of vids on YouTube---piece of cake).
3. Siphon 15 gals of contaminated fuel from the tank using an electric drill-powered transfer pump ($12 bucks at Napa). You must use a corded drill because you need 1200 rpms. You'll also need a helper to manage the two hose and also priming the siphon pump can be a bit of a challenge. (Use a funnel to pour diesel down the output hose and reverse the drill so you are putting the diesel you are funneling into the output end of the hose into the tank. When the hose seems full, reverse the drill immediately and put the output end into your 5 gallon cans. You should be able to siphon out all but about 3/4 of a gallon remaining in the tank. You can reach in through the fuel pump access hole and mop out the remaining fuel if you want. I chose not to.
4. Refill with 15 gallons of diesel and a lubricity additive.
5. Reinstall in-tank fuel pump.
6. Replace fuel filter (more on this later).
7. Purchase the Ross-Tech HexV-2 VCDS module and download the software to your laptop.
8. Use the VCDS tool and software to prime your fuel system (cycle at least 3xs for at least 60 seconds each cycle. (See YouTube videos----piece of cake.)
After doing all this I restarted my engine. Took about 30-40 seconds of intermittent cranking before she would fire and keep running. Several times the engine seemed to seize up (starter wouldn't turn the engine). I kept bumping the starter and eventually she turned, fired and stayed running. Lots of grey smoke. The reason I went this route (not purge injector pump or injectors and all lines) is because I found no metal particles in my filter when I changed it. No particles in the filter pleats. None on top of the filter. Swept the filter cannister with a magnet and picked up zero metal particles. Wiped out the canister with a rag and saw 4-5 small glints of light (probably aluminum particles). The filter had 12,000 miles on it so 4-5 minute particles of probable aluminum did not suggest to me that the contaminated fuel had damaged the fuel pump, hence the decision (albeit risky) to run the rest of the contaminated fuel in the injector pump and lines through the engine.
Took a couple of minutes at idle and a minute or two at 40 mph to blow out all the gray smoke. Time will tell, but the engine seems to run fine. Power seems the same. Not showing any engine codes. I will run for a week and then recheck the filter cannister for metal particles. I'll also check fuel economy in the coming week.
I estimate my engine ran close to 20 minutes at idle with a mixture of 2/3 gas and 1/3 diesel and it appears I have escaped serious damage.
Total repair cost: About $280.00 ($200.00 for the Ross-Tec Hex V2, $12.00 for the drill powered siphon pump. $10.00 for some cheap garden hose at Ace. Around $50.00 for new fuel and then $10-12 bucks for the lubricity additive.
It could have been far, far worse.
Smokin Joe
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