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#1
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gas longevity?
I am about to work on a "Other Than Miata" vehicle that has been sitting
for almost a year. Are there any big worries about the fuel and oil being in it that long? I have never dealt with storing vehicles and I really don't know how long a car can sit, but I don't want to run bad gas through it. I am already going to change the oil and filter before I do anything else. Would it be a good idea to add anything to the fuel or drain it, or should I just start it up once I have it fixed? Thanks, Pat |
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#2
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gas longevity?
On Jan 24, 11:31*am, pws > wrote:
> I am about to work on a "Other Than Miata" vehicle that has been sitting > for almost a year. Are there any big worries about the fuel and oil > being in it that long? > > I have never dealt with storing vehicles and I really don't know how > long a car can sit, but I don't want to run bad gas through it. > > I am already going to change the oil and filter before I do anything else.. > Would it be a good idea to add anything to the fuel or drain it, or > should I just start it up once I have it fixed? > > Thanks, > > Pat Pat, I have started and run many motorcycles that have had gas sitting in them for a year (and even longer). In general, you shouldn't have a problem actually burning such gas; but in some cases (esp carburated engines) idle quality is poor and hard starting is exhibited. If the tank is full, you might want to consider adding a fuel drying agent and an octane boosting agent *after* getting the car running and *before* running the full tank through the car. As I understand it, fuel is easily contaminated with water condensing in the tank, and the most volatile parts of the fuel (anti-knock properties? not sure) evaporate first when the fuel sits around. If it were me, and I got the car running and the stale fuel burns well enough, I would be tempted to carry around a gallon of fresh fuel with me, and run the car COMPLETELY out of the old, stale gas, before adding the frsh fuel and heading to a gas station. Don't know if this helps or not, Tim |
#3
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gas longevity?
Tim M. wrote:
> Pat, I have started and run many motorcycles that have had gas sitting > in them for a year (and even longer). In general, you shouldn't have > a problem actually burning such gas; but in some cases (esp carburated > engines) idle quality is poor and hard starting is exhibited. If the > tank is full, you might want to consider adding a fuel drying agent > and an octane boosting agent *after* getting the car running and > *before* running the full tank through the car. > > As I understand it, fuel is easily contaminated with water condensing > in the tank, and the most volatile parts of the fuel (anti-knock > properties? not sure) evaporate first when the fuel sits around. > > If it were me, and I got the car running and the stale fuel burns well > enough, I would be tempted to carry around a gallon of fresh fuel with > me, and run the car COMPLETELY out of the old, stale gas, before > adding the frsh fuel and heading to a gas station. > > Don't know if this helps or not, > > Tim This one is fuel injected. I will give it a shot, I think I can get juice to it today. Thanks! Pat |
#4
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gas longevity?
On Sun, 24 Jan 2010 10:31:09 -0600, pws >
wrote: >I am about to work on a "Other Than Miata" vehicle that has been sitting >for almost a year. Are there any big worries about the fuel and oil >being in it that long? > >I have never dealt with storing vehicles and I really don't know how >long a car can sit, but I don't want to run bad gas through it. > >I am already going to change the oil and filter before I do anything else. >Would it be a good idea to add anything to the fuel or drain it, or >should I just start it up once I have it fixed? > >Thanks, > >Pat Just be aware that the old fuel will have lower octane after sitting. If the vehicle requires premium then don't load it up with the old fuel in it. OzOne of the three twins I welcome you to Crackerbox Palace. |
#5
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gas longevity?
I agree with most of what TimM says except that after putting in the
additives I would run it for a few miles and then add fresh gas, run it for a few more miles, add fresh gas, etc. I think diluting the old gas down will be a better approach than running the entire tank of old through. I had a similar experience many years ago when I filled up at a station in SC that was diluting his gas with kerosene. After a few miles the car was running terribly and putting out a lot of white smoke. I stopped about every 30 miles and added a gallon of gas and after 4 or 5 stops the car was running fine. BTW this was a Shell station and when I got home I called Shell and told them the story. They checked the station out, found out what he was doing and put him out of business. Meanwhile, they took my car to a dealer and had everything checked out to make sure there was no damage and would have repaired any if found. TRCSr "Tim M." > wrote in message ... > On Jan 24, 11:31 am, pws > wrote: >> I am about to work on a "Other Than Miata" vehicle that has been sitting >> for almost a year. Are there any big worries about the fuel and oil >> being in it that long? >> >> I have never dealt with storing vehicles and I really don't know how >> long a car can sit, but I don't want to run bad gas through it. >> >> I am already going to change the oil and filter before I do anything >> else. >> Would it be a good idea to add anything to the fuel or drain it, or >> should I just start it up once I have it fixed? >> >> Thanks, >> >> Pat > > Pat, I have started and run many motorcycles that have had gas sitting > in them for a year (and even longer). In general, you shouldn't have > a problem actually burning such gas; but in some cases (esp carburated > engines) idle quality is poor and hard starting is exhibited. If the > tank is full, you might want to consider adding a fuel drying agent > and an octane boosting agent *after* getting the car running and > *before* running the full tank through the car. > > As I understand it, fuel is easily contaminated with water condensing > in the tank, and the most volatile parts of the fuel (anti-knock > properties? not sure) evaporate first when the fuel sits around. > > If it were me, and I got the car running and the stale fuel burns well > enough, I would be tempted to carry around a gallon of fresh fuel with > me, and run the car COMPLETELY out of the old, stale gas, before > adding the frsh fuel and heading to a gas station. > > Don't know if this helps or not, > > Tim |
#6
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gas longevity?
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#7
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gas longevity?
TRCSr wrote:
> I agree with most of what TimM says except that after putting in the > additives I would run it for a few miles and then add fresh gas, run it > for a few more miles, add fresh gas, etc. I think diluting the old gas > down will be a better approach than running the entire tank of old > through. I had a similar experience many years ago when I filled up at a > station in SC that was diluting his gas with kerosene. After a few miles > the car was running terribly and putting out a lot of white smoke. I > stopped about every 30 miles and added a gallon of gas and after 4 or 5 > stops the car was running fine. BTW this was a Shell station and when I > got home I called Shell and told them the story. They checked the > station out, found out what he was doing and put him out of business. > Meanwhile, they took my car to a dealer and had everything checked out > to make sure there was no damage and would have repaired any if found. > > TRCSr I am about to go put some gas in it now, thanks! That really sucks on the gas station. I remember hearing about one around here doing something similar, though I never verified it. That is one thing that I haven't run into yet. Thanks again, Pat |
#8
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gas longevity?
On 1/24/2010 11:31 AM, pws wrote:
> I am about to work on a "Other Than Miata" vehicle that has been sitting > for almost a year. Are there any big worries about the fuel and oil > being in it that long? > > I have never dealt with storing vehicles and I really don't know how > long a car can sit, but I don't want to run bad gas through it. > > I am already going to change the oil and filter before I do anything else. > Would it be a good idea to add anything to the fuel or drain it, or > should I just start it up once I have it fixed? > > Thanks, > > Pat In Alaska, my '91 NA was stored from around Halloween until whenever breakup came in April. Never had a problem in any way and never took any precautions other than putting a storage charger on the battery and cranking it to circulate oil in the Spring before allowing it to start. |
#9
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gas longevity?
John McGaw wrote:
> In Alaska, my '91 NA was stored from around Halloween until whenever > breakup came in April. Never had a problem in any way and never took any > precautions other than putting a storage charger on the battery and > cranking it to circulate oil in the Spring before allowing it to start. It looks like I was worried about nothing this time, which is not unusual at all. Thanks everyone for the advice. Pat |
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