diesel in petrol dangers

[84mars20v]

what damage could it cause if there was to be some diesel was mixed with the petrol? I did this a tank full ago, approx 5-10 litres. Now im hearing a knocking sound when going on or off the throttle. Also i had an oil change last week and they had over filled it. Could this have been the cause of the engine rebuild i am facing?

[...joe]

i wouldn't worry about the oil but the petrol isn't too good. you should have drained the fuel system and cleaned/re-filled it before starting the thing. you can get away with it the other way round (petrol in a diesel) but your way aint so good. you may be lucky and get away with it.

[84mars20v]

damn! whats the damage involved do you think? Is the engine wrote off?

[...joe]

nah not written off, but will need some tlc. garages normally charge around £165 for a clean out, but as you've driven it thats irrelevant. i'll try and find out worse case scenario. might just be a head off clean up, nothing too scary. fingers crossed eh?!

[84mars20v]

Cheers Joe. Am getting the man who fitted the engine to have a look soon. Will keep updated..

[...joe]

so you gat a 20vt in a mars red mk2 then? cool! might make the diesel situation a bit more costly as thats a more technical engine than your standard mk2 gti! i'd get the guy to look at it, hows it running at the moment? other than the knocking noise.... could that be a dodgy engine mount making the engine knock against the bulkhead? put the car in gear and get some one to pull away with the handbreak on, watch the engine and you'll know if its the engine mount, it'll look like its trying to climb out the engine bay! scary!

[Mr Blue]

i got away with this problem once. filled a tenners worth of diesel by accident. It ran like that for a few miles with white smoke from the exhaust. It did clean out the whole system though

[monzablue16v]

could that be a dodgy engine mount making the engine knock against the bulkhead? put the car in gear and get some one to pull away with the handbreak on, watch the engine and you'll know if its the engine mount, it'll look like its trying to climb out the engine bay! scary!

Still loving the lines Joe

[...joe]

its true though isn't it!!?! freaked me out when someone did it to mine when the mounting bracket broke!!