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Old 11-19-2018, 09:33 AM
 
8,073 posts, read 9,993,317 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LKJ1988 View Post
6 months is a long time. I would it use up as much as i could and get the tank empty as i could.

If this is suggesting to keep your tank close to empty, I would say NO due to condensation. If condensation does occur, add dry gas.


Sure, put some fuel stabilizer in the tank, then make sure it is full. Run the car enough to distribute the treated fuel throughout the system.


I use Stabil in my small engines and have had no problems starting them the following season. You can definitely tell when fuel is stale, but it does seem to work okay. Stabilizer is cheap insurance.


As stated, dead batteries are by far and away the bigger problem. Disconnecting the positive terminal on the battery leads to a whole host of other 'issues'. Go with the trickle charger if batteries are an issue.
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Old 11-19-2018, 10:01 AM
 
599 posts, read 490,864 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stonepa View Post
Anecdotally I'd say 'no'. If the car sat for years then maybe. But even 6-12 months doesn't seem to require it. I have a lot of cars in various locations that get driven rarely. Never has gasoline been the issue. Batteries? The bane of my existence. Gas? No.
Can't imagine where you get the idea that 6-12 months on stale gas is just fine? Any small engine repair shop will tell you that spring brings a parade of mowers and other equipment that have completely gunked fuel systems, coated in varnish, from stale gas that sat for the last six months. When I bought my latest Stihl brand trimmer the dealer handed me a $9 bottle of Starton gas stabilizer. He gave me a coupon to get all my money back from Stihl. He also told me that he agrees 100% with what Stihl was trying to do. If you use a stabilizer for infrequently used gas engine equipment it won't varnish up, and you won't be unhappy with the tool or the shop that sold it to you.

As another poster correctly stated. If you are leaving a vehicle sit for a long time, it's simple. Step one, fill the tank with ethanol free fuel. Step two, use a stabilizer additive.
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Old 11-19-2018, 11:23 AM
 
3,455 posts, read 4,788,665 times
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The ethanol in most gas now is the problem. It breaks down and creates gum and varnish. That is why if you leave gas with ethanol in a lawnmower over the winter, the carburetor often gums up and has to be cleaned. If you are going to let something sit for a long time like that I would use only ethanol free pure gas and the problem is solved with no need for a stabilizer. If you have gas with ethanol in it, use a fuel stabilizer like Sta-bil to prevent the ethanol from breaking down.
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Old 11-19-2018, 11:51 AM
 
Location: Metro Detroit Michigan
6,977 posts, read 5,308,796 times
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if Vehicle is sitting all winter get oil change fits, run some Stabil Gas Additive in the fuel tank let engine run a bit for fuel pump to push treated fuel through the system. Un hook battery use battery tender to keep battery charged all winter long, that’s it if stored outside give a good coat of wax if in garage your good to go. Its not complicated people people.
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Old 11-19-2018, 07:32 PM
 
Location: San Ramon, Seattle, Anchorage, Reykjavik
2,254 posts, read 2,699,462 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wharton View Post
Can't imagine where you get the idea that 6-12 months on stale gas is just fine? Any small engine repair shop will tell you that spring brings a parade of mowers and other equipment that have completely gunked fuel systems, coated in varnish, from stale gas that sat for the last six months. When I bought my latest Stihl brand trimmer the dealer handed me a $9 bottle of Starton gas stabilizer. He gave me a coupon to get all my money back from Stihl. He also told me that he agrees 100% with what Stihl was trying to do. If you use a stabilizer for infrequently used gas engine equipment it won't varnish up, and you won't be unhappy with the tool or the shop that sold it to you.

As another poster correctly stated. If you are leaving a vehicle sit for a long time, it's simple. Step one, fill the tank with ethanol free fuel. Step two, use a stabilizer additive.
We are talking cars, not small engines. Cars are a completely different animal. I stand by my statement.
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Old 11-19-2018, 09:03 PM
 
Location: Not far from Fairbanks, AK
20,243 posts, read 36,912,118 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Retired in Illinois View Post
An empty gas tank it the perfect home for condensate leading to........RUST!! Keep it full 100% of the time then add a bit of stabul to the tank for good measure.
You are correct about the fuel tank of an automobile. Keep it as full as possible, specially if you use ethanol-base fuels.
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Old 11-19-2018, 09:37 PM
 
Location: SCW, AZ
8,231 posts, read 13,312,163 times
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California fuel starts gelling after several months. 7-8 months it is like a thick honey.
After a year, you will likely to replace fuel lines, fuel pump, etc.

Most quality vendor gas has detergents in it but, they do work adequately when the vehicle is regularly driven. Stabil really helps if the vehicle, especially with CA gas in the tank, going to stay parked for 3+ months. Even Stabil won't keep the fuel in good conditions for extended periods. I would say 10 months, maybe a year, tops.

Ideally, you would want to drive the vehicle for 20-25 minutes at highway speeds (65+mph) once a month.
That would burn off contaminants in the oil and vaporize the moisture (water) retained in the fuel, oil and hydraulic system (brake fluid, transmission). DOT3 Brake fluid attracts water like crazy, which is why unused new DOT3 or even DOT4 brake fluid should be discarded after no more than a month after the seal is broken. DOT4 is more resilient but it will still retain water, eventually. Driving the vehicle at highway speeds for 20+ minutes once a month, will also charge the battery. At the very least, I'd recommend disconnecting the negative post of the battery during the time the car remains parked. A good trickle charger is a worthy investment. I use it on my vehicles that sit no more than a week. Keep the battery in tip top condition, no unpleasant surprises. Also, a fully charged battery means better spark which means better burning gas which means better and quicker elimination of unwanted contaminants in the fuel system, and also better gas mileage, less emissions, less carbon deposits....you get the point.

Using Seafoam once a month (or every 5-6 fill-ups) for vehicles does wonders, especially if you are using lower octane or suspect quality gas. I use Seafoam in all my motorcycles, it is a mild cleaner and also slows down degrading process of the fuel. Lucas oil treatment or even MMO works well for cars/trucks. I regularly use Lucas gas treatment (every 3-4 fill ups). Keep tank as full as possible. Fuel in your tank lubricates fuel pump so running the car with less than 1/4 full tank is not wise. Letting it sit extended times with empty tank is also a bad idea. Keep the tank as full as possible and when adding the fuel conditioner, do it at the gas station BEFORE you fill up the tank. Heck, I often put 8floz of Lucas gas treatment in my tank and then drive a while before filling up. High concentration of Lucas or Seafoam doesn't hurt anything. Instead, since it is less diluted, their cleaning if much more efficient.

Thank all the (crook) politicians and corporations for Ethanol that has zero benefits to consumer and the planet yet cause nothing but headache. If some of the motorcycles start misfiring and choking even on low octane E10, and almost all of them experience similar issues on E15, it tells you what a gimmick it is.

My $0.02's worth, and sorry for the long post.
Hope it helped!

If your fuel is already gelled, or got crap in the fuel system, Star Tron Fuel Enzyme is probably your best bet to clean up the system before taking it in to a shop.
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Old 11-19-2018, 11:28 PM
 
15,692 posts, read 20,198,574 times
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I usually store my car in October and start it up in March. All I've ever done is top the tank off and let it sit. Always starts right up and runs well first crack. Been doing that...20 years now


PS, there's nothing inferior about 87 octane gas. I often see it mislabeled as crap fuel. It's not. It's just lower octane.
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Old 11-20-2018, 09:04 AM
 
955 posts, read 2,003,014 times
Reputation: 1415
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stonepa View Post
We are talking cars, not small engines. Cars are a completely different animal. I stand by my statement.

Yes to this. Although, more specifically it is fuel injected versus carbureted. Some equipment manufacturers of lawn mowers and snow blowers and such have released fuel injected versions of their small motors and advertise them as not needing to worry about fuel troubles and adding things to the gas, etc. That said, some stabalizer isn't going to hurt...although I have modern vehicles that sit a lot and I never add any.


Quote:
Originally Posted by RayinAK View Post
You are correct about the fuel tank of an automobile. Keep it as full as possible, specially if you use ethanol-base fuels.

The full tank is becoming less true for modern vehicles, although the manufacturer generally won't tell you so you have no idea what the "right" thing to do is. With better and extra sealing on the fuel filler and charcoal canisters, there is much less moisture in the tank than the "olden" days and not generally a concern anymore. On the other hand, the sulfer in fuel will tarnish the sending unit causing gas gauge problems. Some mechanics have now indicated it is better to store with 1/4 tank so that the fuel is off of the sending unit.
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Old 11-21-2018, 03:58 PM
 
599 posts, read 490,864 times
Reputation: 2191
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stonepa View Post
We are talking cars, not small engines. Cars are a completely different animal. I stand by my statement.
You can stand where, and by, whatever blows your skirt up. Fact is, ethanol laden gas has a very short shelf life, and can cause issues in ANY internal combustion engine, if it is allowed to sit for months. You are not as special as you think, and chemistry doesn't give any special exemptions for you, or anybody else. Untreated fuel can clog everything from float bowls and needles on small engines to injectors and pump screens on modern vehicles. Deciding to not properly care for a vehicle, because you are too stubborn to deal with the facts, is your right. Presenting BS as fact, when discussing the issue on a forum, is not.
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