My grand prix "race car" has been converted to E85 and it is stored during winter. Also only a weekend driver during the summer. What do you all recommend for storage? I have seen additives at the store for E85 storage but I don't know if that is snake oil or actually worth the money. Or am I better of draining the fuel tank and getting fresh fuel in the spring?
E85 and winter storage?
- Thread starter dan_erickson
- Start date
- Status
It's been sitting all winter with very little fuel in the tank. Enough to get me to the gas station. I just didn't know if in the future I should add a fuel stabilizer to help keep moisture out
Its best to have it put away full to the top...It will sweat and draw water in the tank.
In reality, it might be best to keep the tank full and run the vehicle every so often so that the internals of the fuel system stay "wet with fuel".
The "full tank" leaves less inner surface area of the tank surface to "sweat" or make condensation with temperature changes. Keeping the rest of the system "wet" can similarly minimize moisture accumulation when the vehicle is not in use. Main issue here can be the guts of the fuel pump, especially if it's a "vane" pump.
Draining the tank might help that area, but if the rest of the system dries out, then the internals can accumulate "rust" and that can cause many more problems and equipment failures.
A fuel stabilizer might help with "freshness" (probably from lack of octane loss via evaporation, but if things don't work out and it stays in there too long (enough so that evaporation leaves only the stabilizer "coating", then THAT can cause issues too. In the AACA forum post on that issue, "red" stabilizer was the offending thing in trying to get it out of a carburetor for a rebuilding situation.
You might need to find an alcohol-fuel car drag or boat racer with a real alcohol fuel system and see what that racer does in the off-season.
CBODY67
The "full tank" leaves less inner surface area of the tank surface to "sweat" or make condensation with temperature changes. Keeping the rest of the system "wet" can similarly minimize moisture accumulation when the vehicle is not in use. Main issue here can be the guts of the fuel pump, especially if it's a "vane" pump.
Draining the tank might help that area, but if the rest of the system dries out, then the internals can accumulate "rust" and that can cause many more problems and equipment failures.
A fuel stabilizer might help with "freshness" (probably from lack of octane loss via evaporation, but if things don't work out and it stays in there too long (enough so that evaporation leaves only the stabilizer "coating", then THAT can cause issues too. In the AACA forum post on that issue, "red" stabilizer was the offending thing in trying to get it out of a carburetor for a rebuilding situation.
You might need to find an alcohol-fuel car drag or boat racer with a real alcohol fuel system and see what that racer does in the off-season.
CBODY67
I was at Wally World and seen the Stabil Marine stuff on the shelf for $9. I grabbed a bottle and it says to treat 80 gallons of fuel.
If the tank was completely filled, not sure why it wouldn't store just fine over the few months of winter. Risk of condensation being an issue with a full tank is minimal at worse. I don't ever store any vehicles over the winter, so I have never gave it a lot of thought.
- Status
Similar threads
