ethanol in fuel and long storage
- Thread starter deQuincey
- Start date
Thx great article
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Philippe db
Well-Known Member
Interesting indeed but still wonder about this:
"Put your pride and joy in storage with as little fuel as possible. When the car is started regularly as it should be when in long term storage, this fuel will be used and then it can be topped up with fresh fuel."
Not something I do. I was always told that it isn't a good idea to regularly start the engine of a car without driving it.
Would welcome any thought on this.
"Put your pride and joy in storage with as little fuel as possible. When the car is started regularly as it should be when in long term storage, this fuel will be used and then it can be topped up with fresh fuel."
Not something I do. I was always told that it isn't a good idea to regularly start the engine of a car without driving it.
Would welcome any thought on this.
I have not had any problems with filling the tank and storing my cars for 5-6 months.
a useful article, lots of stuff there I did not know. I knew bio-ethanol degraded rubber hoses, but the rest is more to worry about
I'd heard advice previously to leave your tank topped up in storage, to prevent condensation, but there's not much point topping up with fuel that's just going to cause more condensation. Personally I don't like to run the engine without taking it for a run, so over winter I look for bright cold days and take it for a run when I can. A risk as there's salt around, but no water or snow. I think running the engine without taking it to full temp risks fuel and moisture getting into the oil. I guess this is not a great problem if you'll be changing the oil in the Spring anyway.
I also use the high octane fuels here in the UK, as I had heard these contain less/ no bio-ethanol
I'd heard advice previously to leave your tank topped up in storage, to prevent condensation, but there's not much point topping up with fuel that's just going to cause more condensation. Personally I don't like to run the engine without taking it for a run, so over winter I look for bright cold days and take it for a run when I can. A risk as there's salt around, but no water or snow. I think running the engine without taking it to full temp risks fuel and moisture getting into the oil. I guess this is not a great problem if you'll be changing the oil in the Spring anyway.
I also use the high octane fuels here in the UK, as I had heard these contain less/ no bio-ethanol
Yes i must agree that it is the first time i read advice to keep the tank as low as possible, usual advice was just the contrary as Drew correctly pointed out
Fortunately I can drive the coupe all the year, no freezing cold, only need to wait for rain to stop here
I see no problem in starting the car for 10/15 minutes in the garage during sleeping period, enough time to reach a decent temperature and moving the fluids a bit, it would be not wonderful but sure better than waiting 6 moths for a new start, IMHO
As to the damages caused by ethanol in rubbers, o-rings and so on simply you can do nothing unfortunately
Fortunately I can drive the coupe all the year, no freezing cold, only need to wait for rain to stop here
I see no problem in starting the car for 10/15 minutes in the garage during sleeping period, enough time to reach a decent temperature and moving the fluids a bit, it would be not wonderful but sure better than waiting 6 moths for a new start, IMHO
As to the damages caused by ethanol in rubbers, o-rings and so on simply you can do nothing unfortunately
For years, I have stored "summer cars" indoors in a semi-conditioned garage from November through about May. My practice has been to top off the fuel - completely full - with "no ethanol" fuel (fortunately that is available where I drive/store the cars) and I also add Stabil for good measure to the tank. Throughout the winter, I keep the batteries on a tender, but also typically start them up, back them ass out of the garage and run them up to temp - maybe revving a bit here and there. But I have never driven them as the roads are either impassible or covered in salt, sand, or I don't know what. I have had no known problems or issues with this practice to date.
This conversation has me jazzed about swapping out for a "summer car". Winter has held on this year, but I think I'll run out and make a switch tomorrow morning.
This conversation has me jazzed about swapping out for a "summer car". Winter has held on this year, but I think I'll run out and make a switch tomorrow morning.
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Fortunately there are several non-ethanol gas stations where I live so my car never sees ethanol. Except on long road trips (like now) and i have to adjust the carbs because they hate the stuff.
Long term storage for the Ferrari’s I work on is full tank of ethanol free gas, a can of fogger, with coolant drained.
Boat owners know the value of fogging oil.
Woe is the owner of a stored car with a slight head leak dripping water into the bore. A re-sleeve is your future.
Boat owners know the value of fogging oil.
Woe is the owner of a stored car with a slight head leak dripping water into the bore. A re-sleeve is your future.
EJ333
Well-Known Member
There’s an episode of Jay Leno’s Garage that addresses this ethanol issue. Jay tells of many of his motorcycle fuel tanks that became rusted due to ethanol. I have recently started using a Lucas product to combat this, although Jay is using a different product.
Honolulu
Well-Known Member
I've used SEVEN and ELEVEN year old gas with ten percent ethanol without problems, tested in my lawnmower first. Couldn't throw away the twelve gallons a pal gave me when he finally got around to a top end job on his E32.