HELP! HELP! HELP! OH MY GOD, DIESEL GAS IN MY HIGHLANDER!!

Guys,
a STUPID newbie question here....
My mom has accidentally put in DIESEL gas in my highlander.
(I KNOW IT’S NONSENSE!!)

then she drove about 25 miles on freeway before it didnt accelerate
anymore. we dropped it at a toyota service department at the dealer.
they are saying they need to flush fuel lines and replace plugs....
(also saying the diesel may have damaged the sensors)...

I just need to know
what exactly should be done to my car. So I won’t get ripped off.
My friend was saying they could just flush the fuel lines.

Please advise....I’m in a deperate need of answers....
Thank you in advance.

--
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"swinkim" <UseLinkToEmail@AutoForumz.com> wrote in message
news:1_680829_6f7b492a3b93d8cc06f8939dbfcdddc0@autoforumz.com...[color=blue]
> Guys,
> a STUPID newbie question here....
> My mom has accidentally put in DIESEL gas in my highlander.
> (I KNOW IT'S NONSENSE!!)
>
> then she drove about 25 miles on freeway before it didnt accelerate
> anymore. we dropped it at a toyota service department at the dealer.
> they are saying they need to flush fuel lines and replace plugs....
> (also saying the diesel may have damaged the sensors)...
>
> I just need to know
> what exactly should be done to my car. So I won't get ripped off.
> My friend was saying they could just flush the fuel lines.
>
> Please advise....I'm in a deperate need of answers....
> Thank you in advance.
>[/color]

At the least, you will need to pump the bad fuel out of the fuel tank and
flush the fuel lines. The mixed gas-diesel will be considered hazardous
material so be prepared to pay a fee to dispose of it.

You will need to replace the fuel filter.

Spark plugs and sensors may or may not need replacement. Start with the
flush and fuel filter and see what happens. If it doesn't start, replace
the plugs and if you get a check engine light, replace sensors as indicated.
--
Ray O
correct the return address punctuation to reply

In article <1_680829_6f7b492a3b93d8cc06f8939dbfcdddc0@autoforumz.com>,
swinkim <UseLinkToEmail@AutoForumz.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
> Guys,
> a STUPID newbie question here....
> My mom has accidentally put in DIESEL gas in my highlander.
> (I KNOW IT’S NONSENSE!!)
>
> then she drove about 25 miles on freeway before it didnt accelerate
> anymore. we dropped it at a toyota service department at the dealer.
> they are saying they need to flush fuel lines and replace plugs....
> (also saying the diesel may have damaged the sensors)...
>
> I just need to know
> what exactly should be done to my car. So I won’t get ripped off.
> My friend was saying they could just flush the fuel lines.
>
> Please advise....I’m in a deperate need of answers....
> Thank you in advance.[/color]

Well at least she didn't put gas in a diesel.

Let them flush the shit out and maybe you'll be ok. Keep your fingers
crossed.
--

"swinkim" <UseLinkToEmail@AutoForumz.com> wrote in message
news:1_680829_6f7b492a3b93d8cc06f8939dbfcdddc0@autoforumz.com...[color=blue]
> Guys,
> a STUPID newbie question here....
> My mom has accidentally put in DIESEL gas in my highlander.
> (I KNOW IT'S NONSENSE!!)
>
> then she drove about 25 miles on freeway before it didnt accelerate
> anymore. we dropped it at a toyota service department at the dealer.
> they are saying they need to flush fuel lines and replace plugs....
> (also saying the diesel may have damaged the sensors)...
>
> I just need to know
> what exactly should be done to my car. So I won't get ripped off.
> My friend was saying they could just flush the fuel lines.
>
> Please advise....I'm in a deperate need of answers....
> Thank you in advance.[/color]

Diesel fuel nozzels are larger than Unleaded gasoline nozzels so she could
not have fully inserted the nozzle into the filler restrictor. You can have
nearly 50% diesel/gasoline before the engine has a hard time running. So
your Highlander must have been pretty low on fuel when she misfueled the
vehicle.

O2 sensors are the only items that may become fouled. You're ECM will light
the Check Engine light if this is the case. All you need do is drain the
fuel tank. NO need to replace filters or all that other BS. Spark plugs
.... maybe.

""Dbu''" <nttspam@s2-pc.om> wrote in message
news:nttspam-F8D49B.16044204102005@news-rdr-03.rdc-kc.rr.com...[color=blue]
> In article <1_680829_6f7b492a3b93d8cc06f8939dbfcdddc0@autoforumz.com>,
> swinkim <UseLinkToEmail@AutoForumz.com> wrote:
>[color=green]
>> Guys,
>> a STUPID newbie question here....
>> My mom has accidentally put in DIESEL gas in my highlander.
>> (I KNOW IT'S NONSENSE!!)
>>
>> then she drove about 25 miles on freeway before it didnt accelerate
>> anymore. we dropped it at a toyota service department at the dealer.
>> they are saying they need to flush fuel lines and replace plugs....
>> (also saying the diesel may have damaged the sensors)...
>>
>> I just need to know
>> what exactly should be done to my car. So I won't get ripped off.
>> My friend was saying they could just flush the fuel lines.
>>
>> Please advise....I'm in a deperate need of answers....
>> Thank you in advance.[/color]
>
> Well at least she didn't put gas in a diesel.
>
> Let them flush the shit out and maybe you'll be ok. Keep your fingers
> crossed.[/color]

And don't *ever* let that broad use your car again - GEEZE

Natalie

In article <1_680829_6f7b492a3b93d8cc06f8939dbfcdddc0@autoforumz.com>,
[email]UseLinkToEmail@AutoForumz.com[/email] says...[color=blue]
> then she drove about 25 miles on freeway before it didnt accelerate
> anymore. we dropped it at a toyota service department at the dealer.
> they are saying they need to flush fuel lines and replace plugs....
> (also saying the diesel may have damaged the sensors)...
>[/color]
Drain, flush and plugs yes, sensors maybe.
They will consider ripping the customer off a stupid tax. I mean why was
it there in the first place.
--
Carl Robson
Car PC Build starts again. [url]http://smallr.com/rz[/url]
Homepage: [url]http://www.bouncing-czechs.com[/url]

On Wed, 05 Oct 2005 13:13:34 +0100, NeedforSwede2 wrote:
[color=blue]
> In article <1_680829_6f7b492a3b93d8cc06f8939dbfcdddc0@autoforumz.com>,
> [email]UseLinkToEmail@AutoForumz.com[/email] says...[color=green]
>> then she drove about 25 miles on freeway before it didnt accelerate
>> anymore. we dropped it at a toyota service department at the dealer.
>> they are saying they need to flush fuel lines and replace plugs....
>> (also saying the diesel may have damaged the sensors)...
>>[/color]
> Drain, flush and plugs yes, sensors maybe.
> They will consider ripping the customer off a stupid tax. I mean why was
> it there in the first place.[/color]


LOL! We used to charge a minimum 1/2 hour ($30) for computer repairs. If
someone came in with something like, I can't load anything on my computer,
we would first check their Internet Explorer cache, and sure enough, it
would be about 150Mb. We'd delete the files, set up Task Manager to delete
the files once a week (all of about 15 minutes...) and then charge them a
full hour.

We had other "Stupid taxes" as well...

But in this case, it was not the OP's fault.

And it must have taken Mom some doing to put that square peg (the larger
Diesel nozzle) into that little round hole!

In article <pan.2005.10.05.13.23.23.326652@ae86.gts>, [email]Trueno@ae86.gts[/email]
says...[color=blue]
> But in this case, it was not the OP's fault.[/color]

No, but how many "My mom/dad/brother/sister, the inbred idiot put the
wrong fuel into my car" do you reckon they get. Being cynical is easy
when you are charging.
[color=blue]
> And it must have taken Mom some doing to put that square peg (the larger
> Diesel nozzle) into that little round hole!
>[/color]
Agreed. To manage it you would have to be much stronger than a frail old
easily confused woman. More like a big strong truck driving son?
--
Carl Robson
Car PC Build starts again. [url]http://smallr.com/rz[/url]
Homepage: [url]http://www.bouncing-czechs.com[/url]

>>[color=blue]
> Drain, flush and plugs yes, sensors maybe.
> They will consider ripping the customer off a stupid tax. I mean why was
> it there in the first place.
> --
> Carl Robson[/color]


My fleet includes a diesel powered Datsun pickup. The previous owner lent
the truck to a friend who misfueled it with roughly 6 gallons of gasoline.
The tank holds 13 gallons. It started up and ran for 50 miles. But before
the guy shut it off, the engine was knocking loudly. It would not restart
afterward. Fortunately, diesel systems have fuel tank drain plugs, filters,
and a hand priming pump on the injection pump so correcting the problem was
not a big deal. And, apparently no damage was done to the engine. That was
40k miles ago.

--

- Philip

Hachiroku <Trueno@ae86.gts> wrote:[color=blue]
>
>And it must have taken Mom some doing to put that square peg (the larger
>Diesel nozzle) into that little round hole![/color]

Hell, maybe she got a kick out of it...
--

-Gord.
(use gordon in email)

"Philip" <1chip-state1@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:PsE0f.8592$QE1.4000@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net...[color=blue]
>
> "swinkim" <UseLinkToEmail@AutoForumz.com> wrote in message
> news:1_680829_6f7b492a3b93d8cc06f8939dbfcdddc0@autoforumz.com...[color=green]
> > Guys,
> > a STUPID newbie question here....
> > My mom has accidentally put in DIESEL gas in my highlander.
> > (I KNOW IT'S NONSENSE!!)
> >
> > then she drove about 25 miles on freeway before it didn't accelerate
> > anymore. we dropped it at a Toyota service department at the dealer.
> > they are saying they need to flush fuel lines and replace plugs....
> > (also saying the diesel may have damaged the sensors)...
> >
> > I just need to know
> > what exactly should be done to my car. So I won't get ripped off.
> > My friend was saying they could just flush the fuel lines.
> >
> > Please advise....I'm in a desperate need of answers....
> > Thank you in advance.[/color]
>
> Diesel fuel nozzles are larger than Unleaded gasoline nozzles so she could
> not have fully inserted the nozzle into the filler restrictor.[/color]

We had this discussion before. As far as I can tell there is no
rule/law/regulation that requires this to be true (at least in the US in
general). After we first argued about this, I started paying attention to
diesel nozzles. As you say, MOST are larger, but at three different stations
I found nozzles that were the same as unleaded fuel nozzles. And I
personally know a person who filled their S10 Blazer with diesel because the
station had a small nozzle.

And interestingly, I watched a lady yesterday try to jam one of the larger
diesel nozzles in the fuel filler on Her Ford Freestyle. At first it did not
occur to me what she was trying to do. However, after her third try at
forcing the nozzle in the tank, I gently asked her if she had the right
nozzle. This was one of the pumps that has two nozzles, one for gasoline
(all grades) and one for diesel. She had selected the wrong one. After my
prompting, she realized her mistake and thanked me.
[color=blue]
> You can have
> nearly 50% diesel/gasoline before the engine has a hard time running. So
> your Highlander must have been pretty low on fuel when she misfueled the
> vehicle.
>
> O2 sensors are the only items that may become fouled. You're ECM will[/color]
light[color=blue]
> the Check Engine light if this is the case. All you need do is drain the
> fuel tank. NO need to replace filters or all that other BS. Spark plugs
> ... maybe.[/color]

I'd be surprised if the diesel fuel hurt anything. Personally I'd just empty
the tank, flush the lines, and replace the fuel filter. I'll bet it would
run just fine. I believe replacing the fuel filter is probably a good idea
just to make sure you get all the diesel fuel out of it and because I'd
worry that the flushing procedure might have damaged it. Besides, it is
cheap. I can't see how the spark plugs would be damaged - fouled maybe, but
they'll be dry by the time you get the other work done. Running the vehicle
for a few miles should burn any diesel deposits off the O2 sensors.

Ed

"C. E. White" <cewhite3@removemindspring.com> wrote in message
news:4343eb0a_4@news1.prserv.net...[color=blue]
>
> "Philip" <1chip-state1@earthlink.net> wrote in message
> news:PsE0f.8592$QE1.4000@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net...[color=green]
>>
>> "swinkim" <UseLinkToEmail@AutoForumz.com> wrote in message
>> news:1_680829_6f7b492a3b93d8cc06f8939dbfcdddc0@autoforumz.com...[color=darkred]
>> > Guys,
>> > a STUPID newbie question here....
>> > My mom has accidentally put in DIESEL gas in my highlander.
>> > (I KNOW IT'S NONSENSE!!)
>> >
>> > then she drove about 25 miles on freeway before it didn't accelerate
>> > anymore. we dropped it at a Toyota service department at the dealer.
>> > they are saying they need to flush fuel lines and replace plugs....
>> > (also saying the diesel may have damaged the sensors)...
>> >
>> > I just need to know
>> > what exactly should be done to my car. So I won't get ripped off.
>> > My friend was saying they could just flush the fuel lines.
>> >
>> > Please advise....I'm in a desperate need of answers....
>> > Thank you in advance.[/color]
>>
>> Diesel fuel nozzles are larger than Unleaded gasoline nozzles so she
>> could
>> not have fully inserted the nozzle into the filler restrictor.[/color]
>
> We had this discussion before. As far as I can tell there is no
> rule/law/regulation that requires this to be true (at least in the US in
> general). After we first argued about this, I started paying attention to
> diesel nozzles. As you say, MOST are larger, but at three different
> stations
> I found nozzles that were the same as unleaded fuel nozzles. And I
> personally know a person who filled their S10 Blazer with diesel because
> the
> station had a small nozzle.[/color]

As our previous exchange revealed, my references are based on what is done
in my home state of California. We ARE the leaders in this country where
vehicle emissions regulations are concerned.

[color=blue]
> And interestingly, I watched a lady yesterday try to jam one of the larger
> diesel nozzles in the fuel filler on Her Ford Freestyle. At first it did
> not
> occur to me what she was trying to do. However, after her third try at
> forcing the nozzle in the tank, I gently asked her if she had the right
> nozzle. This was one of the pumps that has two nozzles, one for gasoline
> (all grades) and one for diesel. She had selected the wrong one. After my
> prompting, she realized her mistake and thanked me.[/color]
snip[color=blue]
> ED[/color]

I was refueling the diesel Datsun recently. A black man approached me and
asked if I would pay him a dollar for washing my windows and finish
refueling my truck. I declined. Then he noticed I was MISFUELING the
Datsun with diesel. He got very animated!! I started laughing and showed
him the diesel sticker inside the fuel door. He'd never ever of such a thing
in an old Datsun. He walked away in disbelief. This has happened before.
What a hoot each time.

--

- Philip

"Gord Beaman" <gord@islandtelecom.com> wrote in message
news:rao7k1hu1ud9mfp8p51566g7g0gulcqss2@4ax.com...[color=blue]
> Hachiroku <Trueno@ae86.gts> wrote:[color=green]
>>
>>And it must have taken Mom some doing to put that square peg (the larger
>>Diesel nozzle) into that little round hole![/color]
>
> Hell, maybe she got a kick out of it...
> --
>
> -Gord.[/color]

Gord, you're channeling Tegger! This is never good...

:-)

Natalie

"C. E. White" <cewhite3@removemindspring.com> wrote:
snip.[color=blue]
>
>I'd be surprised if the diesel fuel hurt anything. Personally I'd just empty
>the tank, flush the lines, and replace the fuel filter. I'll bet it would
>run just fine. I believe replacing the fuel filter is probably a good idea
>just to make sure you get all the diesel fuel out of it and because I'd
>worry that the flushing procedure might have damaged it. Besides, it is
>cheap. I can't see how the spark plugs would be damaged - fouled maybe, but
>they'll be dry by the time you get the other work done. Running the vehicle
>for a few miles should burn any diesel deposits off the O2 sensors.
>
>Ed
>[/color]
I tend to agree with Ed, matter of fact I'd skip the filter
too...hell, lots of people put a little oil into their fuel tanks
as 'top lube'...(especially Wankel engines) the Diesel will just
mix with the gasoline as it flows through the system...hell,
might even do the engine some good because of it's better
lubrication qualities.

I must confess that I have no idea how the various 'sensors'
might be affected though...they didn't HAVE those when I was in
the game. :)
--

-Gord.
(use gordon in email)

"Philip" <1chip-state1@earthlink.net> wrote:
[color=blue]
>
>I was refueling the diesel Datsun recently. A black man approached me and
>asked if I would pay him a dollar for washing my windows and finish
>refueling my truck. I declined. Then he noticed I was MISFUELING the
>Datsun with diesel. He got very animated!! I started laughing and showed
>him the diesel sticker inside the fuel door. He'd never ever of such a thing
>in an old Datsun. He walked away in disbelief. This has happened before.
>What a hoot each time.[/color]

Next time that happens just say, "Yeah, but just LOOK at how much
cheaper it is"...keep making excuses like, "Wadda ya mean 'it
won't work'...how can the engine tell?, it's dark inside
there"...give him a big story to tell his buddies. You might tell
him that you gas up here every Monday...pretty soon he'll have a
big crowd of buddies there to watch...till one of them'll
twig!...then you better RUN...
--

-Gord.
(use gordon in email)