Gas Line Freeze
- Thread starter Ugly3
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Seems that used to happen a lot in the 70's. They still sell dry gas though. I would think there is enough alcohol in most gasoline these days to prevent freeze. Or are there some brands that don't use alcohol?
So the keeping you tank 1/2 full in the winter is a myth? I have always thought it was. I live in Chicago where the winters can be brutal, but have never heard of anyones gas lines freezing.
However, I still do anything to keep my gas above the 1/2 full mark even if it means making a special trip late at night in sub zero weather!!!
However, I still do anything to keep my gas above the 1/2 full mark even if it means making a special trip late at night in sub zero weather!!!
I have bought tons of it in recent years. Never seemed to do much good because I don't think a frozen fuel line was the problem. Identifying the correct problem and fixing IT works best.
1978, early seventies Ford van, along the road between Anchorage and Glenallen, still air temp ~ -20*F.
I think the only gasoline that contains alcohol is in the corn growing states or in localities where it is used as an oxygenate instead of some of the more toxic choices. We have no alcohol in gasoline in my region.
I always carry a bottle of HEET in my vehicles. I've gotten one tank of gas+water, and the engine ran terrible until I used enough HEET to get through that tank and get some good fuel in it.
I can see water trapped in a gasoline filter freezing in the cold, but I don't know of any one who has had that happen even when I lifed in Wyoming...but I only saw temps down to -50, so anything could happen if it gets really cold.
Ken
I always carry a bottle of HEET in my vehicles. I've gotten one tank of gas+water, and the engine ran terrible until I used enough HEET to get through that tank and get some good fuel in it.
I can see water trapped in a gasoline filter freezing in the cold, but I don't know of any one who has had that happen even when I lifed in Wyoming...but I only saw temps down to -50, so anything could happen if it gets really cold.
Ken
The reason to keep your tank filled up over half in the winter is to prevent condensation (thus water) from forming inside the tank. Now I have a theory about adding isopropyl heet to the tank in the winter. With all the alcohol in todays fuel, there is more likely to have a higher concentration of water absorbed in the fuel before you even get it in your car. A little bit of fresh heet will help pass that water through the tank. Kidding myself, yeah probably
Almost all modern cars have a positive vapor pressure system. The tank is not full of outside air, but of gasoline vapor. Condensation is no longer an issue...
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