Filling the Tig with Diesel

[harrip]

Last week I had a drive out from my local area and called at two filling stations to fill up with diesel. At both pumps the fuel pipe nozzle was too big to fit in the Tigs fuel tank. It appears these wider bore nozzles do not fit.

Newer pumps where diesel, unleaded and premium are available in the same pump work fine. Older diesel pumps that were used by lorries and the like and often stand away from the main pumps cause the issue.

One reason I bought the diesel Tig was that I thought the wider availability of diesel compared to premium petrol may be an advantage when travelling further afield.

An easy way round this problem is to carry a funnel - but I wondered if anyone had any other solutions - can the Tig's fuel hole be adapted?

[gerhard]

Last week I had a drive out from my local area and called at two filling stations to fill up with diesel. At both pumps the fuel pipe nozzle was too big to fit in the Tigs fuel tank. It appears these wider bore nozzles do not fit.

Newer pumps where diesel, unleaded and premium are available in the same pump work fine. Older diesel pumps that were used by lorries and the like and often stand away from the main pumps cause the issue.

One reason I bought the diesel Tig was that I thought the wider availability of diesel compared to premium petrol may be an advantage when travelling further afield.

An easy way round this problem is to carry a funnel - but I wondered if anyone had any other solutions - can the Tig's fuel hole be adapted?

Tig's fuel hole cannot be changed.

You will have to suffer the small inconvenience that high-flow truck bowsers will be of no use to you.

Good luck trying to use a funnel and a high flow bowser. I wouldn't consider that a serious option, since you would likely splash diesel all over your clothes, and would then have to store the funnel in the car where you would very quickly tire of the smell and mess it would create.

[Arctra]

Yeah, I've experienced that too. Sometimes you'll find that one side of the pump is Hi-Flo (as in, the big nozzle) and the other side is Lo-Flo which fits in the Tig.

You can still use the Hi-Flo to fill up tho. What you do is hold the nozzle to one side of the filler hole so that the fuel goes down one side, and the air comes up the other. Then you have to control the flow by not pulling the handle all the way in. Be more and more careful as you get closer to filling the tank to avoid a nasty back-spurt. Foam is also an issue so let the foam settle a bit then slowly top it off.

[harrip]

You will have to suffer the small inconvenience that high-flow truck bowsers will be of no use to you.

Where I live it is of little inconvenience, but when travelling out of any main populated area the truck bowsers are common place and it then becomes an inconvenience that is not so small. Just driving 150KM from home took 3 garages to find one I could actually fill up at. Imagine if it were 500KM to the next station.

I agree a funnel is not ideal, but in some situations could become a necessity.

Either the garages or VW have lost the plot on this one.

[gerhard]

Where I live it is of little inconvenience, but when travelling out of any main populated area the truck bowsers are common place and it then becomes an inconvenience that is not so small. Just driving 150KM from home took 3 garages to find one I could actually fill up at. Imagine if it were 500KM to the next station.

I agree a funnel is not ideal, but in some situations could become a necessity.

Either the garages or VW have lost the plot on this one.

I fail to see how you can blame VW for "losing the plot". The same issue applies to diesel cars from EVERY manufacturer.

It's probably a good thing that you can get 800-1000k from each fill, so driving 150k from home would not require you to fuel up - you could probably do it three times

A more practical solution along the funnel lines could be to make a reducer "funnel" from tubing that fits snugly over the large pump but still fits into your tank opening. I'm visualising some cheap plastic clear hose from Bunnings that could be cut into 6" disposable lengths....buy hose that fits over large nozzle, squash other end and insert into tank. When finished, just leave the piece on there for the next motorist, or the next truckie can scratch his head and pull it off and throw it in the bin.

[Ivica]

Hi Guys,
I am hopefully getting my Diesel Tig next week. Because this is the first diesel vehicle I'll ever own, and because I am forgetful, and the wife will often drive it, I ordered the misfuelling device,basically so I dont fill it up with petrol by mistake one day and screw the engine up.

Im not sure what size the hole is where the nozzle fits, will double check.

[harrip]

Oh - whats the "misfuelling device"? Sounds interesting and probably a good idea.

[Ivica]

I saw it on "Dragons Den" show a couple of months ago, and thought it was a good idea. Its meant to ONLY fit diesel sized nozzles through the hole and wont allow petrol nozzles to fit in (even though they are narrower)

Apparently its very common that people put petrol in a diesel car, and if you do, then you are in deep trouble.

I called the inventor and placed the order.

Unfortunately they have to be ordered through the UK, that have it patented

I still have it in the box, and when I get my Tig, I will install it. Looks pretty simple...no special tools etc.

This is the website.

http://www.misfuellingprevention.co.uk/

[gerhard]

Here's another one http://www.stopdieselmisfuelling.co.uk/

I wonder if our fuel nozzles are identical in sizes to the UK ?

I still remember a PMG truck driver filling up with petrol into his diesel truck when I was a lad - we didn't have a diesel pump at our servo, so he just filled it anyway

Don't know how far he got, but he did get out of sight.....

[T&M]

We use BP Ultimate exculsively in our Tiguan and so far around SE QLD have found only 1 location that has "only" high-flow pumps, the other locations so far have the narrower version required for the Tig.

You'll probably find more and more bowsers now will soon be able to accommodate the influx of small diesel cars hitting the market with the narrow nozzles.

As far as a "misfueling device" is concerned - I'm a little confused...?? How is a narrow diesel nozzle any different to a narrow ULP nozzle...?

[brad]

I fail to see how you can blame VW for "losing the plot". The same issue applies to diesel cars from EVERY manufacturer.

Don't think so.

Our Captiva took the high flo nozzle I'm sure. It was a tight fit but it went in (as the actress said to the bishop-boomtish). That was one of the reasons we went away from diesel - got sick of standing in a filthy truck fill area getting crap on shoes & hands.

[T&M]

Don't think so.

Our Captiva took the high flo nozzle I'm sure. It was a tight fit but it went in (as the actress said to the bishop-boomtish). That was one of the reasons we went away from diesel - got sick of standing in a filthy truck fill area getting crap on shoes & hands.

hahaha.... I've heard of people deciding to go to a diesel car or vice versa... but never because of the size of the fuel nozzle hole....???
I've had diesel cars for years and never got fuel on my clothes etc... You see more and more diesel pumps now at service stations, yes some are high-flow truck pumps, but there's a stack of them located in the car aisles too.

[NZTiguan]

I've yet to find a service station in NZ without a diesel pump in the main car lanes, sounds as if Ausi is taking a while to catch up ?

[Ricardo]

How much is diesel vs petrol in NZ? Currently diesel in our area is 125.9 and petrol is 121.9. I noticed once when I was holidaying in NZ that diesel was a lot cheaper than petrol which made me wonder if diesel cars might be more popular in NZ than Australia.

[Tigga1]

forgetful...

Because this is the first diesel vehicle I'll ever own, and because I am forgetful, and the wife will often drive it, I ordered the misfuelling device,basically so I dont fill it up with petrol by mistake one day and screw the engine up.

aha! My Golf Diesel was the first diesel I ever owned....and I loved it.
However, because I am forgetful, especially after a big night the day before, I filled it up with unleaded twice.
First time turned out ok, realised it after about 10 litres ands stopped. Then frantically looked around, rang dealership, tried VW assist (good luck there!) and finally talked to a backhoe driver who told me a bit of unleaded in diesel is ok, in some very cold countries they even use this as an "anti-freeze"... just keep driving and fill up with diesel again soon.
Second time unfortunately I filled up whole tank before realising...drove away ok, then about 2 k's down the road started to play up and eventually I stopped. Ended up being towed to dealership who emptied tank etc. etc. cost me couple of hundred but no great harm done. Diesel in petrol cars is far worse!
Or, apparently, unleaded in diesel BMW, as they use different fuel pumps that need replacement at great cost.

just my 2cents

happy diesel tigging!