Subaru Outback Forums banner

Which gas?

7K views 9 replies 8 participants last post by  Unibody62 
#1 ·
I just bought a 2017 Outback. @ weeks into purchase I began smelling a surfer/hard boiled egg scent. It's not constant, but there on and off each drive.

I took it to service; they said during 1st road test there was a smell but believed it was coming from the cars ahead going up a small hill; they asked did I want the service manager to test it the next day- he did and no smell. They said they also found no alerts, program problems. I wanted the exhaust checked and he said they did that as well, although that wasn't listed as done on my report.

he said see how it does up until my 1st oil change in March.

also said it could be the gas used. I told him the gas used was still the gas I drove off their lot with, and wouldn't other customers also have had an issue with smell if it was their gas?
A few days before I took it to service I did put BP gas in, but the smell was there before that.

He said gas changes because of the additives any company wants to put in it.

So, I still don't know whats causing the smell. I can say the last few drives it still comes and goes but not as strong.

It's not the smell they said new cars give off after the 1st few drives, I never had that.

1. Is there a particular brand of gas I should use? Normally we use mostly Shell and sometimes BP.

2. Do I have to use the lowest octane like the manual and my sales guy said to do?

3. will a higher Octane be better?

4. Any suggestions what the smell could be?


My exhaust fumes do seem strong. If I have my window down and the wind brings it my way, there's no way I could possibly keep my window down without being overcome by the fumes.

1. Is that normal?


Sorry for the novel, I'm second guessing if I made the right choice buying a Subaru if problems have started already.

Confused, frustrated, and worried.
 
See less See more
#2 ·
Which engine/trim do you have?

1. Is there a particular brand of gas I should use? Normally we use mostly Shell and sometimes BP.
I don't think there's a "particular brand" that's good or bad. I recall my Grandparents Hyundai had a bad sulfur smell when I started going to Exxon instead of Hess (because it was a right-turn on my way home from class). I switched to filling up on my way to class (right turn into Hess) to make them happy. For my Outback, I typically switch off between WaWa, Murphy, or Sheetz fuel depending who has a better price that day. When I've gone to visit friends they have BP and Kroger gas, I've tried them without issue but that's also usually only 1/2 tank so it would be diluted if it did smell any.

The more important thing is what grade of fuel, use whatever your car calls for octane-level. If the smell bothers you, I'd try changing to some other brand for a couple tank-fulls and see if it goes away.

2. Do I have to use the lowest octane like the manual and my sales guy said to do?
Use "at least" the octane that the manual calls for. If it calls for "regular" you can certainly buy "premium" or "mid-grade". I went a few weeks in my 2012 3.6R buying ethanol-free mid-grade fuel because it was only a couple pennies more than regular E-10 but switched back to regular when the price went up. While running the ethanol-free I did notice a more "lawnmower exhaust" type smell from the exhaust when I first started the engine but I don't see how 10% makes a difference, maybe it had different additives too.

Buying premium instead of regular when your car calls for regular won't hurt anything except your bank account.

3. will a higher Octane be better?
It probably won't make any difference assuming everything is running properly. The higher octane will be less likely to "knock" (detonating early) but the car's computer will re-adjust the timing to avoid knocking.

Will it help the smell? Maybe. If it does though, I would expect it to be the "different formula" of additives in the fuel not the octane making the difference.

4. Any suggestions what the smell could be?
Probably bi-products of whatever additives are in the fuel you're getting. Places change for winter/summer blends as well as who knows what all other kinds of things. Each "brand" wants you to think that "their blend" of additives is "better" than their competition.

It also may depend how much you drive, if the engine and emissions system can't reach full operating temp on a short trip it may not be fully burning everything. If that's the case, maybe try and plan a new route for a week and see if it goes away when you drive an extra couple miles. My parents have this with a short drive to a commuter transit lot (not Subaru but at that time we had Ford and GM vehicles), they had a car rust thru a couple mufflers...the roads for a "A" or "triangle" shape, they found simply driving the "long way" around 2 legs of the triangle warms up the car enough that it let the engine and exhaust reach proper operating temp before it was shut down for the day. It's a difference of driving 2 miles vs 4 miles but makes a massive difference letting the car and exhaust system reach operating temp before parking for the day/night.

I'd run down to 1/4 tank or so and fill up with another brand of fuel, do that a couple times and see if the smell goes away. I'm guessing it will.

he said see how it does up until my 1st oil change in March.
One other thing comes to mind re-reading this -- I wonder if any of the smell could be any manufacturing "stuff" cooking off similar to how new computers often have a "burning electricity" smell when you fire them up for the first few hours? Not sure if there's anything to that but it's worth a thought.
 
#8 ·
I've actually only seen E85 at ONE gas station somewhere in the Carolinas and that was a bit of a surprise, that's the only time I ever saw the E85 sold anywhere. It was labeled fairly clearly. I think the pump handle was yellow or something too.

Up here in Virginia we have the standard 87/89/91 octane gasoline with a label "contains 10% ethanol" on the pump, usually with a black or white pump handle and label. The short-name people use for that is E10.

A few (currently 2 that I know of) stations are starting to jump on the also offer "ethanol free" E0 (blue handle or label) aimed at boats and small engines as well as adding tanks for diesel (green handle or label) to compete with the few truck-stops. As an aside, everyone keeps telling me "electric is the future" but I've only seen about 3 charging stations ever - and none of those are anywhere near where I live or work.

I've attached a pic of the newest station near where I work for fun. In the one pic you can see I'm filling up with regular E10 87-octane.
 

Attachments

#5 ·
1. Is there a particular brand of gas I should use? Normally we use mostly Shell and sometimes BP.

2. Do I have to use the lowest octane like the manual and my sales guy said to do?

3. will a higher Octane be better?

4. Any suggestions what the smell could be?
1 - No.
2- Use what your owner's manual says.
3- No.
4- No idea.
 
  • Like
Reactions: patrikman
#7 ·
I believe just the octane required is all that is needed.

I get good results at Cumberland farms, Gulf; Valero and Stewart's shops (convenience store). Buy from a busy place and get fresh gas.

We can only get non ethanol in 93, fine if you need that octane but not needed in my 2.5.




Bill P. Albany area NY
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top