xaflatoonx

Does the 2106 RX have a gas tank drain plug?

Dad by mistake put some deisel in our gasonline RX.
need to siphon out all thats in the car - and wanted to drain the rest as well.

any links, pics, directions to do that would be really appreciated.

thanks so much.

ggebhardt

No gas drain plug in American units. How much diesel did he put in the tank? How full was the tank when he put the diesel in it?

If you want it all out you need to have an expert remove the gas tank and clean it out. I am not sure how much diesel there is in you tank and at what concentration it is.

Please take care as it is very dangerous to remove a gas tank, even the experts do not like to do so.

xaflatoonx

damn - no drain plug??? that sucks.

the car was close to E - but the light had not come on when he pumped the diesel.
He put about 7-8 gallons.

I am thinking - take out as much as i can with a fuel siphon pump - and fill the car with gasoline and start driving.
The little diesel thats in there will burn off -

just wondering if it will be damage the car or the ignition or the engine.

what do you think>?

ggebhardt

Yes it could damage the car if concentrated enough.

If he put 7-8 gallons in, how much are you getting to siphon out. This is the information that would tell how much diesel is still in there.

Call the Lexus people and tell them how much diesel is left in the tank and ask if filling it the rest the way with gas would be safe.

I did not think the diesel pump handle would even fit in a car with a fuel opening made for unleaded.

FastFord

I'm assuming that your Dad has his own pump as I believe that diesel handles do not fit an unleaded tank. Guess it doesn't matter cause there's diesel in the tank.

You can siphon out as much fuel as you can, hopefully most of it. Then fill the tank with unleaded, I would use highest grade gas you can get, maybe 91+ octane. Do not drive the car until filled. Use gas cans to fill it, don't drive to the gas station.

Or you can have it towed to a mechanic that can provide the proper service.

If you have driven with the diesel in it and has worked it's way thru the system, it may take a bit more service than just flushing the tank.

New car, I would get it towed and checked properly.

Good luck, sorry.

dchar

Any bit of diesel in the system can have seriously detrimental effects on your engine. The worst thing anyone can do after doing this is starting the car and driving it (any distance). Best to have it towed and addressed properly.

Siphoning the gas from the tank might not be an option since many newer cars have an anti-siphoning valve. You will probably need to have the tank dropped, emptied, and cleaned. If the car was started, then the fuel lines need to be cleaned of the diesel too. It won't be enough to "dilute" the tank with gas.

Call Lexus or a local shop, you dad isn't the first person to do this. Be careful about giving any identifying info at Lexus, this may void your warranty if any engine issues pop up.

mjeds

I can't remember the last time a car was made (in the US) with a drain plug for the fuel tank, had to be in the 1970s or earlier. There is no way the EPA would ever allow that, the fuel system is required to be sealed and has been for a long time.

you will need to have the tank dropped and drained, siphoning the tank will not work, as I said, it is a sealed system and most modern vehicles are designed so you cannot get a siphon hose into the tank via the fill spout, you might be lucky to be able to do it by removing the fuel pump, but if you are going to that level, dropping the tank is a much cleaner and better solution.

ggebhardt

I suggest that no one drop their fuel tank unless they are an expert.

xaflatoonx

damn... this is not good news at all.

i was hoping taking as much out as i can - and filling in regular gas will help.
but sounds like it wont.

this is not good.

ggebhardt

I would not run the vehicle and have it towed to the dealer.

If you so much as start it for only a minute the diesel will then get into your entire fuel system and the repairs will cost way more.

Did your Dad pump this diesel into your tank at a gas station?

xaflatoonx

that has already happened essentially.

dad pumped diesel at the gas station and drove it home.

the distance between the gas station and the house is a quarter mile. (probably a little less)

but since then - the car has been off.

kalvink

There are a bunch of YouTube videos on this type of situation and how to fix it. Thankfully, it is much easier this way to fix (opposed to gas in a diesel car). Most of the videos recommend getting as much of the gas out and then just driving with fresh gas to get it out of the fuel system.

xaflatoonx

Yeah Kalvink - that was my plan actually.

kalvink

I did this on a Ford but you could disconnect the fuel lines going to the engine (at fuel filter), jump the fuel pump relay, then use the fuel pump to pump out all the fuel inside the tank. Not sure if it is as easy on a Lexus, but that's one option if you cannot siphon it out.

ggebhardt

How much diesel fuel were you able to get out of the vehicle?