I put dodgy diesel in my SEAT Ibiza...

Dodgy diesel was put into a 1.2 SEAT Ibiza, which stopped on the road. The car was towed to a garage where the diesel tank was cleaned out, but the car would not start so next step is to get a pump. Would it be a bad idea to get a second hand pump instead of a new one and in your opinion should this solve the problem?

Sandra Campbell (Dundalk)

Mar 2015 Filed under: fault

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Expert answer

Hi Sandra,

Dodgy diesel can do a lot worse than just damage the fuel pump. I reckon, and sorry to be the bearer of bad news, you either need a complete strip-down and rebuild or possibly a complete replacement engine. That laundered diesel (and petrol) is nasty stuff, so avoid any fuel seller that appears to be even slightly less than kosher, especially in the areas around the North/South border. Sticking to the big brands may cost a few more cent per litre, but a new engine is a heck of a lot more expensive than that.

Neil Briscoe - Complete Car Adviser
@neilmbriscoe