What the Tank Holds: Petrol in a Diesel Nissan Pathfinder
Anyone who has put petrol in a diesel Nissan Pathfinder needs to find out the size of its tank early on, since that settles how much of the fuel in there is now petrol. Our guide sets out the tank for each version of the Nissan Pathfinder we keep figures for, together with the motors it was sold with.
Regardless of what the number is, there is one piece of advice after the mistake. Once you leave your engine off then ring Petrol in Diesel, we'll come to drain the car where it is.
The Nissan Pathfinder fuel tank capacity on every version
On the Nissan Pathfinder, the fuel tank holds 80 litres, and it's the same on every version we hold data for.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Nissan Pathfinder 2.5 dCi | 80 litres |
| Nissan Pathfinder 3.0 dCi | 80 litres |
What a few litres amounts to for wrong fuel in your Nissan Pathfinder
Wrong fuel in your Nissan Pathfinder blends with whatever diesel is still inside your tank, and so the part of the fuel that is petrol rests on how full the tank was when you refuelled. In a tank that holds up to 80 litres, a few litres of unleaded added to an almost full tank makes a minor part of the total, and the same few litres going into a tank which was nearly empty makes up a far larger part of what the motor would draw.
Frequently, people want to know at what point that petrol becomes too much. Whether the engine has run is the more helpful thing to check. After it runs, the pump pulls that blend from your tank and passes it on to the fuel injectors.
Whatever the share, the safe thing is to have it emptied, and with a modest quantity a fuel drain is usually all your Pathfinder needs.
Which engines the diesel Pathfinder came with
The version name on the badge tells us which engine your Pathfinder has, so it's worth noting before you ring.
Our figures give dCi badges on the diesel versions of the Pathfinder.
The Pathfinder 3.0 dCi carries the biggest engine at 3.0 litres, and the Pathfinder 2.5 dCi the smallest one at 2.5 litres.
Once you ring, we can work out which version it is together, even if you're not sure of it yourself.
What goes on with AdBlue in a diesel Nissan Pathfinder
Where AdBlue is concerned, the fuel tank size counts differently. AdBlue is mainly water and doesn't mix with diesel, and so with AdBlue in a diesel Nissan Pathfinder, the diesel surrounding it does nothing to thin it. Since it settles to the base of the tank, where the fuel pump draws from, even a small volume reaches your fuel line.
Nothing in AdBlue combusts, and your pump gets no lubrication from it. After its water evaporates, urea is left in your lines and the fuel filter as crystals, and the metal next to it corrodes.
A separate tank with a dedicated filler carries the AdBlue on some diesel vehicles, often alongside the filler for diesel under the same flap. If your Pathfinder has an AdBlue filler, the AdBlue cap is generally blue and fits a smaller pump nozzle than diesel.
Fuel drain on your Nissan Pathfinder
A fuel drain on your Nissan Pathfinder clears the whole tank, whatever its size in your version, and it is done where the vehicle is parked. First the contaminated fuel is pumped out, then the fuel filter and fuel lines are flushed. After filling up with fresh diesel, we re-prime the fuel system and start the motor.
It doesn't matter whether your Pathfinder is sitting at the station forecourt or parked on your driveway. You can drive it away when the drain is finished, and it'll be running on fresh diesel.
What AdBlue removal from a diesel Nissan Pathfinder takes
With AdBlue lying at the bottom of your tank and not blended in, AdBlue removal from a diesel Nissan Pathfinder begins by emptying the tank entirely. Where your engine has been run, we flush your lines and the fuel filter through as well and change the fuel filter if it needs it.
Removing or disabling the AdBlue system on the vehicle is not what this is about. It's about AdBlue that has gone into the diesel tank.
Pricing a fuel drain on the Nissan Pathfinder
We do not publish a fixed price, because two jobs on the same model can be quite different. What changes it most is whether the Pathfinder has been run or driven, and next how much was put in compared with the size of your tank, whether it was petrol or AdBlue, and where the vehicle is now.
Those facts are what we need to explain what this work involves. Call with them ready.
Queries on your tank and petrol in a diesel Nissan Pathfinder
How many litres is the Nissan Pathfinder fuel tank capacity?
80 litres, with each version we have figures for using the same tank.
Is petrol less of an issue in a bigger tank?
A bigger tank means a couple of litres form less of the whole, but that petrol is still there and still gets to the pump when your engine runs. Leave your Pathfinder switched off and draining it gets all of that petrol out.
How many versions of your diesel Pathfinder are in your figures?
We hold figures for 2 diesel versions of the Pathfinder, so you can find yours in the table above by the model name on the badge.
Is it wrong fuel in my Nissan Pathfinder if it is not diesel?
Just diesel goes in the diesel tank. Petrol of every type, super unleaded included, is wrong fuel, and so is AdBlue, which goes in a tank of its own.
Can you drain the Nissan Pathfinder where it is?
There is no reason to shift or start the vehicle. Whether it's parked on your drive or still at the forecourt, we travel to it.