STA-BIL Question (MPBGT)

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Setec Astronomy

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I started doing some work on my car a long time ago without the expectation that it would be off the road for so long. By the time I get finished the gas will likely be 10-12 months old (9 right now).

Since I didn't expect it to work out this way I didn't put any STA-BIL in before I started, and I'm not sure what to do now...put some in now? I also have some "Start Your Engines!" but I'm not sure this is safe for an emissions-controlled engine (vs. a lawnmower or snowblower).

Any help?
 
I let my 04 GP sit for a year with a 1/4 tank. I see you are in New Jersey so somewhat similar weather to Wisconsin.
When I put it in motion I put a can of sea foam in and filled it with the the usual BP premium. I didn't have any problems.
 
•I was always taught that STA-BIL will:
-keep fuels stabilized (ex: neutralize acids, prevent oxidation)
-keep fuels from going stale (up to 2 yrs.)

•On the other hand...STA-BIL will not:
-"revitalize" fuels


Bob
 
I would start it....

If your concerned, depending on how much gas is in your tank, you could always add new gas to it.

Or, you could get a hand transfer pump, remove some gas then add fresh gas.
 
FUNX650 said:
•I was always taught that STA-BIL will:
-keep fuels stabilized (ex: neutralize acids, prevent oxidation)
-keep fuels from going stale (up to 2 yrs.)

•On the other hand...STA-BIL will not:
-"revitalize" fuels


Bob
Click to expand...

Bob is 100% correct. You can still add it now, it may not be as effective as it would be in fresh fuel. It will help prevent any further gum or varnish.

My recommendation would be to add Stabil now and when finish up add on fresh fuel on top and fire it up. I would not use Start Your Engines in that large of a tank.

What kind of car is it? How much fuel is in the car? Was it ethanol blended or ethanol free fuel that you put in before parking it? Is it climate controlled where you parked it? All those play into it.
 
MPBGT said:
My recommendation would be to add Stabil now and when finish up add on fresh fuel on top and fire it up. I would not use Start Your Engines in that large of a tank.

What kind of car is it? How much fuel is in the car? Was it ethanol blended or ethanol free fuel that you put in before parking it? Is it climate controlled where you parked it? All those play into it.
Click to expand...

It's a mid-00's GM 3.6l (prior to direct injection). We have 10% ethanol in the fuel here AFAIK. It's in an attached garage so I'd say the temp has been from 40-95F during the storage period. I really don't know how much is in the tank and because it's proximity key/push button start, I can't get live instruments unless the car is running (accessory position doesn't power the gages--I guess Lutz hadn't gotten to this one yet), so I'm not going to be able to answer that until I try to start it. I may be able to guess from the trip odo.
 
The suggestions to add Sta-Bil now and fresh fuel just before start-up (assuming the tank is not full) are right on.Don't pound on the car until the old fuel gone.

9 months storage without stabilizer is not ideal, but odds are you'll be fine.
 
Turns out it's only been 8 months, and there's probably 14-15 gallons in the tank.
 
Only eight months? Just drive it until it's almost empty. But i would add a bottle of HEAT Isopropyl based water remover just in case.

If it was a whole lot older I would drain the tank.

But here is a little story.

A buddy wanted to store his Mazda MPV MiniVan in my backyard. Said it would only be a few weeks. That was in 1997. I have kept a Battery Tender on it the whole time. And I start it up every three months and let it run for over an hour.
It STILL starts and idles on that same tank of gas. Which is now 19 years old. I wouldn't do this with any car I cared about but he has obviously abandoned it. The paint is now all gone and the interior "smells funny".
Too bad. When he parked it there it looked like brand new.

So I would not be too worried about your tank of gas.
 
oldmodman said:
Only eight months? Just drive it until it's almost empty. But i would add a bottle of HEAT Isopropyl based water remover just in case.

If it was a whole lot older I would drain the tank.

But here is a little story.

A buddy wanted to store his Mazda MPV MiniVan in my backyard. Said it would only be a few weeks. That was in 1997. I have kept a Battery Tender on it the whole time. And I start it up every three months and let it run for over an hour.
It STILL starts and idles on that same tank of gas. Which is now 19 years old. I wouldn't do this with any car I cared about but he has obviously abandoned it. The paint is now all gone and the interior "smells funny".
Too bad. When he parked it there it looked like brand new.

So I would not be too worried about your tank of gas.
Click to expand...

Lol! That's awesome.
 
As I have read and believe it to be ... ethanol and water are the two worst enemies of fuel. The challenge, long term storage of fuel in/out of a car can have an effect with both items. I would use something to protect as possible, just remember to follow their directions for best outcome. I even use a product in my lawn mower gasoline as it sits in the garage and see's temperature changes which likely creates moisture.
 
Not to hijack the thread, but is non ethanol hard to find in areas of the US? In the town I live in we are down to 2 gas stations that carry non ethanol fuel. If you read the owners manual of small engine manufacturers they all say to use non ethanol fuel! The stuff is getting harder and harder to find. I use Stabil fuel conditioner in all of my cars just in case. I am a little paranoid about water in my fuel system.
 
oldmodman said:
Only eight months? Just drive it until it's almost empty. But i would add a bottle of HEAT Isopropyl based water remover just in case. {great old gas story} So I would not be too worried about your tank of gas.
Click to expand...

Yeah, normally I wouldn't be, I had a car I would routinely let sit for 6 months and never even thought about it. But a few years ago I left the gas in my snowblower over the summer and then had a whole huge nightmare with it...which probably simply required a shot of ether, but turned into a multi-year disaster. So that got me into the whole STA-BIL thing and maybe I'm just overthinking things.

PS...over an hour of runtime every 3 months for 19 years...that's like 80 hours of idling on one tank? Not including 19 years of evaporation, etc. You sure your pal isn't sneaking in an topping off the tank with fresh gas??
 
rlmccarty2000 said:
Not to hijack the thread, but is non ethanol hard to find in areas of the US? In the town I live in we are down to 2 gas stations that carry non ethanol fuel. If you read the owners manual of small engine manufacturers they all say to use non ethanol fuel! The stuff is getting harder and harder to find. I use Stabil fuel conditioner in all of my cars just in case. I am a little paranoid about water in my fuel system.
Click to expand...

I was under the impression that the 10% ethanol content of motor fuel was due to federal law, and replaced MTBE as the oxygenate in fuel (for smog reduction). As far as the water, "dri-gas" is typically methanol, or less typically IPA (as mentioned previously), and ethanol also is hygroscopic...so essentially ethanol-containing fuel has "free" dri-gas in it...if that eases your mind about water in the fuel.
 
Setec Astronomy said:
I was under the impression that the 10% ethanol content of motor fuel was due to federal law, and replaced MTBE as the oxygenate in fuel (for smog reduction). As far as the water, "dri-gas" is typically methanol, or less typically IPA (as mentioned previously), and ethanol also is hygroscopic...so essentially ethanol-containing fuel has "free" dri-gas in it...if that eases your mind about water in the fuel.
Click to expand...

Sorry but that is terribly misleading and incorrect.

Actually gasoline containing ethanol attracts moisture out the air and in the tank/ lines leading to phase separation.

We don't use it in marine engines for this purpose. It also helps if you keep your tank full to minimize the air in the tank and lessen the condensation.

Luckily ethanol free gas stations are plentiful where I live.

The federal regulations around ethanol dictate the minimum amount of gallons producers must make. Also federal subsidies for the farmers and tax advantages to the gas stations to sell ethanol mixed gas.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
Boudin said:
Actually gasoline containing ethanol attracts moisture out the air and in the tank/ lines leading to phase separation.
Click to expand...

So are you saying that ethanol behaves differently than the methanol or isopropanol in "dri-gas", or are you saying that "dri-gas" is bunk?
 
Setec Astronomy said:
So are you saying that ethanol behaves differently than the methanol or isopropanol in "dri-gas", or are you saying that "dri-gas" is bunk?
Click to expand...
Regular 'dry gas' is ethanol based and only makes the problem worse. Yes ethanol behaves differently. Isopropyl based 'dry gas' will combine with the water and help rid it in combustion.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
Boudin said:
Regular 'dry gas' is ethanol based and only makes the problem worse. Yes ethanol behaves differently. Isopropyl based 'dry gas' will combine with the water and help rid it in combustion.
Click to expand...

On the contrary, I believe that "regular" "dri-gas" is methanol, IPA simply is more hygroscopic than other alcohols.

Let's see if MPBGT comes back to the thread, since his company makes the HEET brand of gas-line antifreeze. You're basically saying that entire class of (methanol and ethanol-based) products is a fraud by "only making the problem worse".
 
Setec Astronomy said:
PS...over an hour of runtime every 3 months for 19 years...that's like 80 hours of idling on one tank? Not including 19 years of evaporation, etc. You sure your pal isn't sneaking in an topping off the tank with fresh gas??
Click to expand...

When it got down to the 1/8 tank mark I did dump a 5 gallon jug of gas into it. But. The jug was over five years old at the time. And that was about 5 years ago. Right about the time that the battery finally croaked. The owner doesn't give a rats ass so he would not step up with a new battery. "If he don't care then neither do I". I'll wait another decade then see if it will start with a jump battery.
 
oldmodman said:
When it got down to the 1/8 tank mark I did dump a 5 gallon jug of gas into it. But. The jug was over five years old at the time. And that was about 5 years ago. Right about the time that the battery finally croaked. The owner doesn't give a rats ass so he would not step up with a new battery. "If he don't care then neither do I". I'll wait another decade then see if it will start with a jump battery.
Click to expand...

Why is this story starting to sound like BS? So you've been starting it every three months with no battery? And you're going to let this vehicle sit on your property for another 10 years...which would put it close to 30 years? What is the owner's plan for the vehicle? Why haven't you asked him for the title so you can junk it?
 
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