How long Will Gas Last ?
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 8,117
Likes: 104
From: charlotte north carolina
How long Will Gas Last ?
When I moved from Florida to North Carolina (love it here), I had to store my 70 vert at my sister's house. The only preparation for storage in a hot Florida garage was some Sta-bil in the gas. This weekend I trailered it home. It hadn't been driven since it was garaged. I brought along tools to drain the tank, because I thought for sure the gas would have gelled. I used a Harbor Freight venturi siphon pump to remove any water condensate from the tank(there wasn't any) and noticed that the gas looked and felt good. I connected the new battery, disconnected the coil and cranked it about 30 seconds to pump up the oil pressure. Poured some of the siphoned gas into the carb, and it fired right up for the first time in 5 years.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 8,351
Likes: 75
From: Tampa Bay FL
I filled the tank of my Yamaha motorcycle in early 2012... and parked it when I bought a Harley in May, 2012. Stored it for winter with Seafoam additive winter 2012. Advance to November, 2013. The fuel has gelled and changed into varnish.
My guess: depends on the formulation. In my case, it is what Murphy sells with 10% ethanol.
I hear Shell and Conoco sell only 100% gasoline. That may make a difference.
My guess: depends on the formulation. In my case, it is what Murphy sells with 10% ethanol.
I hear Shell and Conoco sell only 100% gasoline. That may make a difference.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 6,506
Likes: 139
From: Butler Pa
I filled the tank of my Yamaha motorcycle in early 2012... and parked it when I bought a Harley in May, 2012. Stored it for winter with Seafoam additive winter 2012. Advance to November, 2013. The fuel has gelled and changed into varnish.
My guess: depends on the formulation. In my case, it is what Murphy sells with 10% ethanol.
I hear Shell and Conoco sell only 100% gasoline. That may make a difference.
My guess: depends on the formulation. In my case, it is what Murphy sells with 10% ethanol.
I hear Shell and Conoco sell only 100% gasoline. That may make a difference.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 4,355
Likes: 2,633
From: Draper Utah
Normally fuel begins to deteriorate after about 3 month's. Adding a fuel stabilizer will extend the life to about 12 month's. After that it all depends on many other items and luck.
Small quantities of fuel deteriorate faster than large quantities. Your gas tank would not have worried me as much as fuel lines and carburetor, those are the real problem areas.
The good news is if the engines fires and you burn out the old gas and than burn some new gas the fuel additives in the new gas do a pretty good job of cleaning things out. But you really want to get the old gas out and get some freash gas flowing and cleaning the system ASAP.
Consider yourself lucky, after 5 years you could have had a real mess, adding the Sta-bil helped. You should have also fogged the motor which is simple and takes about 5 minutes. FWIW after adding Sta-bil you should drive the car to make certian the additive is present in the complete fuel system.
One other item is I always recommend you store a metal gas tank filled with gas as it reduces condensation in the tank and helps stops rust.
YMMV
Small quantities of fuel deteriorate faster than large quantities. Your gas tank would not have worried me as much as fuel lines and carburetor, those are the real problem areas.
The good news is if the engines fires and you burn out the old gas and than burn some new gas the fuel additives in the new gas do a pretty good job of cleaning things out. But you really want to get the old gas out and get some freash gas flowing and cleaning the system ASAP.
Consider yourself lucky, after 5 years you could have had a real mess, adding the Sta-bil helped. You should have also fogged the motor which is simple and takes about 5 minutes. FWIW after adding Sta-bil you should drive the car to make certian the additive is present in the complete fuel system.
One other item is I always recommend you store a metal gas tank filled with gas as it reduces condensation in the tank and helps stops rust.
YMMV
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Race Director
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 14,112
Likes: 28
From: Florida
jnb5101
I thought you used to be local.
All of the oil companies have recommendations on their website for longevity and storage despite all the myths of short or long term usability.
According to the oil companies, best is to store in a full tank, cooler weather the best and add a conditioner for long term storage. Sounds like that's what you did. You also didn't have E10 if you filled it in Florida 5 years ago.
I too have stored some cars for over 5 years and a couple, not all, have stunk so badly that it took a few weeks for the smell to get out of the ground where it leaked, and this was pre E10 stuff. These cars ran too, but I put in fresh gas, it gets burnt too.
Anyway, glad you are up and running, enjoy it.
I thought you used to be local.
All of the oil companies have recommendations on their website for longevity and storage despite all the myths of short or long term usability.
According to the oil companies, best is to store in a full tank, cooler weather the best and add a conditioner for long term storage. Sounds like that's what you did. You also didn't have E10 if you filled it in Florida 5 years ago.
I too have stored some cars for over 5 years and a couple, not all, have stunk so badly that it took a few weeks for the smell to get out of the ground where it leaked, and this was pre E10 stuff. These cars ran too, but I put in fresh gas, it gets burnt too.
Anyway, glad you are up and running, enjoy it.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
My Mom's '63 Olds F85 with the old 215 ci Aluminum V8, sat in the garage from roughly '66 till '87.....with 35k on the clock, tank full of gas so after 20 years, upon rebuilding the carb, and brakes, car fired right up, ran rough as a cob, but did not quit.....filled with fresh gas, as tank had evaporated to about 1/2 tank....ran much happier....never even changed the wires.....
SO all this crap about gasoline deterioration I think is more about the specifics of the storage, and maybe a bit with the ethanol.....and I have some other stories about my opinions/and WHY....but that's another topic.....
SO all this crap about gasoline deterioration I think is more about the specifics of the storage, and maybe a bit with the ethanol.....and I have some other stories about my opinions/and WHY....but that's another topic.....
Pro
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 582
Likes: 9
From my experience its but to store the car with a full tank because the oxygen in the tank will cause the fuel to go bad quicker. My vette has been stored for long term twice while I was overseas, once for two years and once for four years. When I went for two years it was left with 1/8 tank and the fuel had thickened up and clogged the lines, filter and carburetor. When I stored it for four years it was with a topped off tank. After adding fuel to the carb it started and ran just fine without any problems.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,727
Likes: 38
From: Fremont CA
Normally fuel begins to deteriorate after about 3 month's. Adding a fuel stabilizer will extend the life to about 12 month's. After that it all depends on many other items and luck.
Small quantities of fuel deteriorate faster than large quantities. Your gas tank would not have worried me as much as fuel lines and carburetor, those are the real problem areas.
The good news is if the engines fires and you burn out the old gas and than burn some new gas the fuel additives in the new gas do a pretty good job of cleaning things out. But you really want to get the old gas out and get some freash gas flowing and cleaning the system ASAP.
Consider yourself lucky, after 5 years you could have had a real mess, adding the Sta-bil helped. You should have also fogged the motor which is simple and takes about 5 minutes. FWIW after adding Sta-bil you should drive the car to make certian the additive is present in the complete fuel system.
One other item is I always recommend you store a metal gas tank filled with gas as it reduces condensation in the tank and helps stops rust.
YMMV
Small quantities of fuel deteriorate faster than large quantities. Your gas tank would not have worried me as much as fuel lines and carburetor, those are the real problem areas.
The good news is if the engines fires and you burn out the old gas and than burn some new gas the fuel additives in the new gas do a pretty good job of cleaning things out. But you really want to get the old gas out and get some freash gas flowing and cleaning the system ASAP.
Consider yourself lucky, after 5 years you could have had a real mess, adding the Sta-bil helped. You should have also fogged the motor which is simple and takes about 5 minutes. FWIW after adding Sta-bil you should drive the car to make certian the additive is present in the complete fuel system.
One other item is I always recommend you store a metal gas tank filled with gas as it reduces condensation in the tank and helps stops rust.
YMMV
