old gas in the older cars-question

[Lapham3]

I could use a little advice as to this situation=I have some mostly GM 60's to 80's vintage cars that generally each get driven around 1000 miles/year. I usually tend to run them towards the low end on fuel and park them inside/unheated for the winter-sometimes a bit longer-then a full load of fresh gas when out of storage. (If a car has been parked with a bit 'too much' fuel in the tank during storage, I've often siphoned all I could get out and then just added that to daily drivers. I used to fill them, add stabil, ect, but haven't done that a long time ago.) Anyway, I've done this 'minimal' proceedure for 15-20 years (10% ethanol for much of it)and haven't had any problems as to 'stale' fuel issues. Lately, 'stuff' got in the way of my normal and I think I need to approach this differently. Some of the cars haven't been started/driven for a year and a half and it will be longer as they will sit for at least another 4 months. As said, I haven't experienced any of the 'carb varnished/gunked' problems, but now may be different. I'm thinking of siphoning out all I can get and adding some fresh along with Stabil-maybe some Techron,ect before cranking them up? Any thoughts?thanks

 

[cjcride]

Add a dose of Techron or MMO and drive to the gas station to fill up.

 

[Inspecktor]

When I store the bike or any OPE, I pick up non ethanol gas and use a little Sta-Bil. Non ethanol premium is available at quite a few stations in the Cities, used for boats, bikes, and classic cars.

 

[fdcg27]

I don't think you'll have any problems.
I like to fill the tank before storing a car, but you write that you've had good results doing exactly the opposite.
I don't bother with Stabil, since I tried it when I got some at a such-a-deal price and it didn't seem to do anything.
Filling the tank before storage at the current price of fuel is a no-brainer.
Once a car is brought to life after storage and then driven, any storage problems usually quickly remedy theselves.
There is no real solution to any storage related problem.
You'll learn of them and repair them when you return the cars to use.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
I don't think you'll have any problems.
I like to fill the tank before storing a car, but you write that you've had good results doing exactly the opposite.
I don't bother with Stabil, since I tried it when I got some at a such-a-deal price and it didn't seem to do anything.
Filling the tank before storage at the current price of fuel is a no-brainer.
Once a car is brought to life after storage and then driven, any storage problems usually quickly remedy theselves.
There is no real solution to any storage related problem.
You'll learn of them and repair them when you return the cars to use.


How did you determine that StaBil did not do anything? Did you have the gas analyzed?

 

[Lapham3]

I'm not real excited with non-ethanol and it'd big price generally, as I figure it's often 'old gas' already as bought at many stations. Donald=I've not used Stabil in many years, but considering it going forward as some of the cars may be sitting longer-thanks

 

[fdcg27]

I treated my OPE fuel with Stabil and left fuel in the tanks of the OPEs during their seasonal storage.
In the spring, I found that the Stabil treated fuel made for no easier starting than did untreated fuel used in prior years in the same equipment.
Since nothing I could observe changed, I concluded that the dose of Stabil did nothing.