Large car collections - how is fuel managed?

[bunnspecial]

Originally Posted By: turtlevette
Why are you worried about gasoline oxidizing? I know we are concerned about fuel system components but they are made from materials that withstand oxidation already.

It's another feel good additive.



As I said, oxidation can lead to varnishing and other nastiness associated with "stale" gasoline.

In my daily driver with a "sealed" fuel system and turning over a tank every week or week and a half-I don't worry about it.

In an old vehicle or in small engines with a completely open fuel system where it may take a couple of months to turn over a tank, I use it faithfully. Typically, a tank of gas lasts 4-5 weeks in my MG, but weather or mechanical problems might have it parked for a month or two at a time. I faithfully add Sta-Bil to it for that reason. The tank holds 12 gallons, and a typical fill-up is 8-10 gallons. That means 3 or 3 1/2 oz. of red Sta-Bil, or 1 oz. of blue "Marine" Sta-Bil(I picked up some of the latter dirt cheap not too long ago and have been using it).

 

[DGXR]

Originally Posted By: bunnspecial
Originally Posted By: turtlevette
Why are you worried about gasoline oxidizing? I know we are concerned about fuel system components but they are made from materials that withstand oxidation already.

It's another feel good additive.



As I said, oxidation can lead to varnishing and other nastiness associated with "stale" gasoline.

In my daily driver with a "sealed" fuel system and turning over a tank every week or week and a half-I don't worry about it.

In an old vehicle or in small engines with a completely open fuel system where it may take a couple of months to turn over a tank, I use it faithfully. Typically, a tank of gas lasts 4-5 weeks in my MG, but weather or mechanical problems might have it parked for a month or two at a time. I faithfully add Sta-Bil to it for that reason. The tank holds 12 gallons, and a typical fill-up is 8-10 gallons. That means 3 or 3 1/2 oz. of red Sta-Bil, or 1 oz. of blue "Marine" Sta-Bil(I picked up some of the latter dirt cheap not too long ago and have been using it).


Thank you for pointing out the "not every vehicle is the same" approach. First, not every vehicle on the road today was designed for ethanol blend fuels. If I recall, any auto produced before 1994 (or thereabout) did not have oxygenated fuels considered in its design, so rubber and plastic parts in the fuel system can be aged more quickly by modern fuels. Second, every vehicle that is designed for ethanol fuels only needs to last so long before the manufacturer can wash their hands of any liability... after so many years, the vehicle maintenance and replacement of aging soft parts becomes the owner's responsibility. So as an owner, I take responsibility of my older and/or off-road vehicles by using some fuel additives during off-season when they tend to sit for longer periods. Sorry if I am confusing the issue between oxidizing/aged fuel and the deterioration of fuel system components, but I believe they are related.

 

[DoubleWasp]

The use of non-ethanol fuel is probably helping the most. I've started boats with full fuel tanks of non-eth marine fuel after 3-4 years of non-use, and they lit off immediately with no hesitation or weird problems.

I have also witnessed RVs that have sat with ethanol fuels for 2 years that had become so corrosive that even mixing new fuel with the old fuel did not stop it from eating up a brand new fuel pump in weeks.

Whether or not a vehicle's system is "ethanol ready", ethanol fuels go south in a mind blowing way.

Draining a carb of ethanol fuel does not seem to be a rememdy. I've pulled apart a lot of carbs completely seized by what's left over after draining and storing a carb that ran ethanol fuel.

 

[Broo]

Originally Posted By: hallstevenson


Video/film editing can make things appear much different than reality....


Indeed. That's how TV car shows make us believe a complete makeover/restoration is feasible in 7 days.

There are never any delays in getting parts, they are readily available and places where you go to have something done when the shop isn't equipped to do it (paint, rechrome, etc...) they are always sitting idle just waiting for a customer. Strange, last time I tried that, they told me they could do the job, but my turn would be in a number of weeks.

On Velocity, only Fantomworks is honest enough to show that it can take weeks/months depending on what you need done and FW's workload.

Sorry, back to regular topic

They certainly don't keep much fuel in them in order not to waste too much. Stabilizers can only help for a certain time.