Gasoline Question?
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,200
Likes: 233
From: "Nowhere Man"
St. Jude Donor '13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19-'20-'21-'22
Gasoline Question?
I have had my car off the road for almost 6 months. (health) I'm concerned about the gasoline. The tank is full(mobil 93) and when it was filled I added Chevron, but that was it. Should I just drive it out or is there an additive ( I have Stabil) but is it too late.
Or am I just worried about nothing?
Thanks
That additive was Chevron Concenrate Plus for 20 gaL
Or am I just worried about nothing?
Thanks
That additive was Chevron Concenrate Plus for 20 gaL
Last edited by LUVMINE; Dec 13, 2010 at 11:21 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 6,113
Likes: 8
From: Pottsboro; Sometimes Dallas Texas
St. Jude Donor '12
I have had my car off the road for almost 6 months. (health) I'm concerned about the gasoline. The tank is full(mobil 93) and when it was filled I added Chevron, but that was it. Should I just drive it out or is there an additive ( I have Stabil) but is it too late.
Or am I just worried about nothing?
Thanks
That additive was Chevron Concenrate Plus for 20 gaL
Or am I just worried about nothing?
Thanks
That additive was Chevron Concenrate Plus for 20 gaL
Edit: I just realized that you already have additive in the tank....maybe only add octane boost if you need to.
Last edited by tim414; Dec 13, 2010 at 11:29 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,529
Likes: 3
From: Arlington VA
If you put in pure gasoline, its probably ok. But if you put in the 10-15% ethanol gas, its probably gunked up pretty good. Expect a lot of hard running and smoke when you start it up. Id probably seafoam it personally.
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Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,200
Likes: 233
From: "Nowhere Man"
St. Jude Donor '13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19-'20-'21-'22
Thanks, the Chevron went in when the tank was last filled so it's already in. Here's a case where I wish the milage wasn't so good. I'm thinking about running out half the tank (200 miles) and refilling with fresh gas and adding stabil.
Thanks for the good wishes Dvilin. I'm good to go now. What complic ated matters was in the middle of this, we moved. There just wasn't much free Corvette driving time.
In the future I'm only going to keep a 1/4 tank and add small amount of stabil until I know I got a good long trip coming up. Mine is a garage queen and I'm probably better off not keeping it full.
Thanks again all and enjoy the holidays.
Thanks for the good wishes Dvilin. I'm good to go now. What complic ated matters was in the middle of this, we moved. There just wasn't much free Corvette driving time.
In the future I'm only going to keep a 1/4 tank and add small amount of stabil until I know I got a good long trip coming up. Mine is a garage queen and I'm probably better off not keeping it full.
Thanks again all and enjoy the holidays.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,529
Likes: 3
From: Arlington VA
First off, with anything less than a full tank you risk condensation in the tank watering down your gas.
Secondly, if you dont know when you will drive it again ( same case as me ), I would suggest putting seafoam in the tank as opposed to stabil. The reason is that seafoam is a cleaner/lubricant as well as a stabilizer, and it wont lower octane. Stabil will actually lower octane by about a point at the recommended usage level.
Finally, I wanted to mention that it might be good to siphon off the gas thats in the tank and fill it up with clean gas/techron. That way you are not running the crud gas for very long.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,989
Likes: 10
From: Columbus OH
I have put two different Corvettes away for winter at around 6 months at a time since 2003. I never added any additive or anything to the gasoline for the hibernation period. Car always started just fine; no ill effect AFAIK. I can almost bet you money that the gasoline in the tank is "E10", just the same formulation that I have in my Corvette fuel tank today and in the past. I'm pretty sure your gasoline is fine.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,200
Likes: 233
From: "Nowhere Man"
St. Jude Donor '13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19-'20-'21-'22
A few thoughts on this comment.
First off, with anything less than a full tank you risk condensation in the tank watering down your gas.
Secondly, if you dont know when you will drive it again ( same case as me ), I would suggest putting seafoam in the tank as opposed to stabil. The reason is that seafoam is a cleaner/lubricant as well as a stabilizer, and it wont lower octane. Stabil will actually lower octane by about a point at the recommended usage level.
Finally, I wanted to mention that it might be good to siphon off the gas thats in the tank and fill it up with clean gas/techron. That way you are not running the crud gas for very long.
First off, with anything less than a full tank you risk condensation in the tank watering down your gas.
Secondly, if you dont know when you will drive it again ( same case as me ), I would suggest putting seafoam in the tank as opposed to stabil. The reason is that seafoam is a cleaner/lubricant as well as a stabilizer, and it wont lower octane. Stabil will actually lower octane by about a point at the recommended usage level.
Finally, I wanted to mention that it might be good to siphon off the gas thats in the tank and fill it up with clean gas/techron. That way you are not running the crud gas for very long.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,044
Likes: 9,808
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
I'm thinking about running out half the tank (200 miles) and refilling with fresh gas and adding stabil.
In the future I'm only going to keep a 1/4 tank and add small amount of stabil until I know I got a good long trip coming up. Mine is a garage queen and I'm probably better off not keeping it full.
I have had a lot of gasoline that has sat around for a year or so and have never had a problem with it getting stale.
Bill
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,200
Likes: 233
From: "Nowhere Man"
St. Jude Donor '13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19-'20-'21-'22
Tim thanks for the good wishes. I'll going to take a 2oo mile trip on the Garden State Pkwy. That should bring me down to a 1/2 tank. Refill and add Stabil and start using the car. Hope we have a mlid winter.
Thanks to all and Happy Holidays to you and your families.
Thanks to all and Happy Holidays to you and your families.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 3,600
Likes: 118
From: F'burg VA
St. Jude Donor '13 thru '20,'22,'24 thru '26
I wouldn't worry about the gas in the tank, I'm sure it'll be fine. My concern would be the injectors. Make sure they stay clean and don't get gummed up.
My Camaro sat on jackstands for 2 years with the same gas in the tank, no stabilizer. I did have the injectors cleaned during that period, though. I had no issues, when it came time to start everything back up and drive about.
My Camaro sat on jackstands for 2 years with the same gas in the tank, no stabilizer. I did have the injectors cleaned during that period, though. I had no issues, when it came time to start everything back up and drive about.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,529
Likes: 3
From: Arlington VA
I have put two different Corvettes away for winter at around 6 months at a time since 2003. I never added any additive or anything to the gasoline for the hibernation period. Car always started just fine; no ill effect AFAIK. I can almost bet you money that the gasoline in the tank is "E10", just the same formulation that I have in my Corvette fuel tank today and in the past. I'm pretty sure your gasoline is fine.
I let a motorcycle sit for 6 months with E10 in the tank and it ran like utter crap until I got all the crud gas out of it. Smoke coming out the exhaust, wouldent idle unless throttle was half open, cylinders were missing.
After that I always stored with stabil.
Fast forward to this year. I let my Vette sit for 1 month, drove 1/2 tank out of it, sat for another month. It ran pretty rough, even my wife noticed. Stated adding seafoam with each tank, now it fires up like a rocket, and purrs like a kitten 2-3 seconds later.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 6,113
Likes: 8
From: Pottsboro; Sometimes Dallas Texas
St. Jude Donor '12
I just wanted to say ( not trying to start an argument here ) but I have had the exact opposite experience.
I let a motorcycle sit for 6 months with E10 in the tank and it ran like utter crap until I got all the crud gas out of it. Smoke coming out the exhaust, wouldent idle unless throttle was half open, cylinders were missing.
After that I always stored with stabil.
Fast forward to this year. I let my Vette sit for 1 month, drove 1/2 tank out of it, sat for another month. It ran pretty rough, even my wife noticed. Stated adding seafoam with each tank, now it fires up like a rocket, and purrs like a kitten 2-3 seconds later.
I let a motorcycle sit for 6 months with E10 in the tank and it ran like utter crap until I got all the crud gas out of it. Smoke coming out the exhaust, wouldent idle unless throttle was half open, cylinders were missing.
After that I always stored with stabil.
Fast forward to this year. I let my Vette sit for 1 month, drove 1/2 tank out of it, sat for another month. It ran pretty rough, even my wife noticed. Stated adding seafoam with each tank, now it fires up like a rocket, and purrs like a kitten 2-3 seconds later.
I have had experiences with my boat and four wheelers. I bought all of them new (boat in 2001- 4 wheelers in '05). Long story short boat sat in storage for nearly three years (was winterized and had stabil). The fuel pump, injectors and some other parts were ruined. It has a GM 5.7L Mercruiser and the engine had to be removed to correct the issues from the gas that "VARNISHED" virtually every part it touched. Had it had alot of fuel in the tank I would have had to replace that as well.
My two four wheelers are still sitting in my shop. Won't start because they have sat for well over a year WITH stabil as well. Have not had the time to deal with them yet.
I learned that if a gas engine is to be sat up for long period it's probably best to NOT have any fuel in it at all. Just my experiences of the past year. If there's a better way, I'd love to hear about it!!
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,527
Likes: 34
I just wanted to say ( not trying to start an argument here ) but I have had the exact opposite experience.
I let a motorcycle sit for 6 months with E10 in the tank and it ran like utter crap until I got all the crud gas out of it. Smoke coming out the exhaust, wouldent idle unless throttle was half open, cylinders were missing.
After that I always stored with stabil.
Fast forward to this year. I let my Vette sit for 1 month, drove 1/2 tank out of it, sat for another month. It ran pretty rough, even my wife noticed. Stated adding seafoam with each tank, now it fires up like a rocket, and purrs like a kitten 2-3 seconds later.
I let a motorcycle sit for 6 months with E10 in the tank and it ran like utter crap until I got all the crud gas out of it. Smoke coming out the exhaust, wouldent idle unless throttle was half open, cylinders were missing.
After that I always stored with stabil.
Fast forward to this year. I let my Vette sit for 1 month, drove 1/2 tank out of it, sat for another month. It ran pretty rough, even my wife noticed. Stated adding seafoam with each tank, now it fires up like a rocket, and purrs like a kitten 2-3 seconds later.
Same experience here with my FZR1000! You can believe anything you like! It's not true, unless you ACTUALLY see it and EXPERIENCE what stale gas can do....
TRUE EXPERIENCE this past week:-
I use Top Tier 92 Octane here. No chance to ride my bike for over half the year. Long story short, did not use Stabil, had to take my four Keihin FCR 39 apart to clean up jets, needles, float bowL plungers and etc.. No carburetor or chemical cleaner I used can completely remove the varnish deposited. I ended up replaced jets that have inaccessible surfaces, replaced fuel filter, rebuilt fuel pump, strip-clean and lined tank with POR-15.
I bought 1 gallons and partially filled the external clear plastic tank with fresh gas for carb tuning. I had to remove carbs for adjustment each time but couldn't after motor is hot, so that took me four days for the process. I noticed everyday, gas was getting a deeper amber. On the fourth day, after completed the tuning, the purchased fresh 4 gallons I pour in the tank to mix with Stabil was almost clear as water.
NO DISRESPECT. Go try and let untreated gas sit for a few days in a clear jar. It will make a believer out of you!
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 25,009
Likes: 2,707
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
One more data point:
Each winter we go south for 2 1/2 months in the C6, so it certainly gets driven. But the two Toyotas sit in the unheated garage during that time. I'll do the oil changes if they are getting near the mileage, fill the tanks with Shell or BP Premium, and forget about them.
When we get home, I put a charger on them to top off the batteries (not sure if that's necessary, I don't try to start them before charging). Fire' em up and everything is fine. The engines and batteries show no ill effects from this storage.
Each winter we go south for 2 1/2 months in the C6, so it certainly gets driven. But the two Toyotas sit in the unheated garage during that time. I'll do the oil changes if they are getting near the mileage, fill the tanks with Shell or BP Premium, and forget about them.
When we get home, I put a charger on them to top off the batteries (not sure if that's necessary, I don't try to start them before charging). Fire' em up and everything is fine. The engines and batteries show no ill effects from this storage.