Tank Sizes and Petrol in a Diesel Subaru Outback
The size of the fuel tank is one of the first points to know once you have got petrol in a diesel Subaru Outback, as the proportion of the fuel that is currently petrol rests on it. We set out the tank size for every version of the Subaru Outback which we have figures for here, together with the engines it was sold with.
The advice does not vary with the size after it has occurred. With the motor left off, phone Petrol in Diesel and the vehicle can be drained where it sits.
Subaru Outback fuel tank capacity, by version
The Subaru Outback uses the same diesel tank across every version we hold data for, and that tank takes 64 litres.
Wrong fuel in your Subaru Outback: what a couple of litres amounts to
Whatever diesel is still inside the tank blends with the wrong fuel in your Subaru Outback, and how full the tank was when you refuelled decides how much of that mix is petrol. In a tank that takes up to 64 litres, a couple of litres of unleaded added to a nearly full tank makes a small share of the total, and the same few litres going into a tank which was almost empty makes up a much bigger share of what your engine would draw.
People commonly ask how much petrol is too much. It is more useful to know whether your engine has run, because a running motor is what moves that mixture out of the tank and through your pump and your injectors.
Having it emptied is the sensible option whatever the share is. When the quantity is modest, your Outback normally needs no more than that.
Diesel Outback engines and the badges
When you call, it is useful to have read the badge first, since the name of the version on it shows us which motor your Outback has.
Once you ring, we can figure out which version it is together, even if you are not sure of it yourself.
What goes on with AdBlue in a diesel Subaru Outback
Where AdBlue is concerned, your fuel tank size counts differently. The fuel pump draws its fuel from the bottom of the tank, and that is where AdBlue settles, so even a small volume gets into your fuel line. If you have got AdBlue in a diesel Subaru Outback, your diesel around it doesn't weaken it, as AdBlue is mainly water and does not mix with diesel.
AdBlue gives the pump no protection and won't combust. Its water dries out as it stands, leaving urea that forms crystals in the fuel filter and the fuel lines, where it attacks the metal it sits against.
A second tank with its own filler holds the AdBlue on certain diesel cars, often next to the diesel filler under the same flap. If your Outback has an AdBlue filler, the diesel nozzle is the larger of the two, and the AdBlue cap is normally blue.
How a fuel drain on your Subaru Outback works
Whatever size the tank is on your version, a fuel drain on your Subaru Outback clears the lot, just where your car is parked. Pumping out the tainted fuel comes first, followed by a rinse of the lines and the filter. Then we top up with fresh diesel, prime the system and start the motor.
Parked at home or still at the pump, your Outback receives the same job. After we finish the drain, the car is running on fresh diesel and free to drive away.
What AdBlue removal from a diesel Subaru Outback takes
AdBlue removal from a diesel Subaru Outback begins with draining your tank entirely, since AdBlue collects at the bottom rather than blending in. Where the motor has run, we rinse the fuel lines and the filter through as well and replace your fuel filter if it needs it.
What this covers is AdBlue that ended up in your diesel tank, not removing or disabling the AdBlue system on your car.
How the quote of a fuel drain on the Subaru Outback is worked out
Two jobs on the same model can be quite dissimilar, so we don't give a fixed price. Whether the Outback has been run or driven affects it most. After that it rests on how much got in against the fuel tank size, whether petrol or AdBlue went in, and the car's location.
Phone with those details and we can tell you what this job will take.
Tank queries about petrol in a diesel Subaru Outback
What does the Subaru Outback fuel tank capacity come to?
The same tank is used on each version in our figures, holding 64 litres.
Is petrol less of a worry in a larger tank?
A larger tank means a couple of litres make up less of the whole, but the petrol is still in there and still gets to your pump when the engine runs. With your Outback turned off, a drain removes all of it.
Which fuels, other than diesel, would be wrong fuel in my Subaru Outback?
Only diesel goes in your diesel tank. Petrol of any type, super unleaded included, is wrong fuel, and so is AdBlue, which goes in a tank of its own.
Can you drain the Subaru Outback where it is?
Yes, we can. We travel to the car, whether it is still at the forecourt or left at home, so it doesn't need to be shifted or switched on.