Car parked at home while gone

[golfknut]

Has anyone found a need to add fuel stabilizer (ie. Sta-bil) to the fuel system of any vehicles left parked at home while gone three months over the winter?

I know fuels are better these days and was wondering if they are stable enough to not cause any issues if left as is for 3 months.

[CKNSLS]

Me Again wrote:

CKNSLS wrote:
Seems that website has an agenda of selling diagnostic equipment.

Seems like big corp has an agenda to push ethanol gas on us, even when it is taking more dyno oil to grow the corn than the fuel it displaces. Might as well call it the farm sub bill!

Couldn't agree more!

[Me_Again]

CKNSLS wrote:
Seems that website has an agenda of selling diagnostic equipment.

Seems like big corp has an agenda to push ethanol gas on us, even when it is taking more dyno oil to grow the corn than the fuel it displaces. Might as well call it the farm sub bill!

[Bea_PA]

Our car sits out in a carport for 4-6 months. We always add /Stabil to it and all our other gas engines. Have never had a problem.

[robanddi]

I should add that my husband does run the engines, disconnect the batteries, jack up the old cars on jack stands (this takes a while since he has six), covers them with cloth covers and puts moth balls inside each car. Actually he keeps the old cars covered and with moth balls inside all the time unless he is actively driving one. Here in the country where he keeps his old cars we have terrible problem with dirt dobbers and mice.

For my modern car he does the stabil thing and disconnects battery.

Diann

[skipnchar]

I believe the longest we've been away snowbirding was a little over three months. No need to add stabilizer until you far surpass that time.

[John_Joey]

As I stated in the prior post of mine, SeaFoam is what you want to use, not just solely a fuel stabilizer. I've had issues with products like Sta-Bil (it is cheaper though.)

Today we'll be putting our car into storage. Full tank of gas with SeaFoam, pull the battery cable, and leave for six months. Been doing that for over 20 years with various cars/trucks (both fuel injection and carb'ed.) Only way to go, and like I stated earlier in the spring they start right up and the SeaFoam cleans the injectors for better MPG giving you a payback even.

On Edit:

I always figure this goes without saying, but if you do treat the gas you have to insure it makes it up to the injectors or carb. Which means after you put Seafoam in, drive the vehicle for a few miles. You can't just park the car and put SeaFoam in it and expect good results.

[rocmoc]

Tucson has one Carb rebuild shop that does nearly all the rebuilds in Tucson. I was in the shop the other day and spoke to them about this topic. There recommendation was NO. They said the fuel is fine for 3 months and afterwards starts to break down. They said they are finding the fuel stabilizers are combing with the gas additive and creating even bigger issues as the fuel ages. They recommended draining if the Car/Tool or whatever is not going to be used withing 3 months. I currently have a lawn mower & old car that were not started for over 6 months and neither will start. Have confirmed both need the carbs rebuild as they are plugged up with goop from fuel sitting in the carbs. They also said they are seeing tons of rust from the water that accumulates in the pre-ethanol steel tanks. I just changed out my old Jeep's steel tank, needed replaced anyway, with a new Poly tank. You can find tons of info on the Net about how bad, both physically & economically, ethanol is. As a sidenote, I have found my 2 cycle engines with oil in the fuel are not having the aging problem.

rocmoc n AZ/Mexico

[CKNSLS]

Me Again wrote:
Here is a good read!

http://www.fuel-testers.com/review_gas_treatment_products.html

Chris

All I know is what worked. In addition, those who do not use stabil or Seafoam (that's what is readily available here) in their lawnmowers, chainsaws, leaf blowers, etc. when storing for the winter seem to have issues in the spring. Especially in lawnmower carburetors. In addition, I don't know if these companies notify whomever publishes that site when they make a product ingredient change. Seems that website has an agenda of selling diagnostic equipment.

[63-Coupe]

I have been storing a classic car and whatever motorcycle I happen to have at the time for 6 winter months in an unheated barn for 30+ years. My winter conditions are similar to golfnut's area. Here is what I do;
1. Oil change - You don't want all those nasty acids sitting in the oil pan for months
2. Full fuel tank - The less air in the tank the less condensation
3. Fuel stabilizer - I run the engine long enough to get it into the carb or injectors (Hey the stuff is cheap so why not?)
4. Disconnect the battery cable - I would rather have no power to the car than have a mouse chew through a wire and cause a short which might start a fire. Heat is a bigger enemy of a battery than cold. So long as your battery is in good shape and fully charged it should be good to go even after 6 months. If it won't start the car in the spring then you were due to replace it anyway. I have only had batteries fail me in the Spring twice in 30+ years and both times they were over 9 years old.
5. Floor covering - My vehicles sit on a concrete floor. I use some vapor barrier that is normally used for insulating a wall on the floor and park the vehicles on it. It also catches the odd oil drip from my 30 and 50 year old vehicles.
6. Breathable cover - Do not use a plastic tarp.
7. Mouse deterrent - I have never had a problem with mice but a friend had one last year so I thought I would try some Fresh Cab this year just in case. It's another thing I may not need but it's also cheap so why not?

Come spring I take off the covers, hook up the battery, make sure I have brakes, fire them up, and drive them home. The barn I store the vehicles in is a little on the drafty side which I like as it tends to keep it dry. Condensation from temperature changes is probably the biggest enemy of a vehicle in storage. Don't worry about how cold it will get, the main thing is you want a dry environment with a constant temperature.

[brewen]

Used it for years now, on anything on the ranch that runs on gasoline and I would NOT be without it.
I mean: Chain saws, weed whackers, pressure washers, lawn mowers, lawn tractors, grain auger motors, family cars & farm trucks. That's not a complete list, but I'll tell you WHY I use it. When I was younger, I remember starting "seasonal" equipment, and pulling, pushing, cranking, yanking and lots of frustration. But once I started using Stabil, plain and simple...those problems went away and I sure didn't miss the frustration at all!

Besides, the peace of mind is worth the....what? maybe $30-$50 a year I'd spend for enough Stabil for all all these gizmos? Most of the above had relatively small fuel tanks, so I didn't need a lot. The vehicles always got a double dose at the end of their season's work, and I always figured it made a difference in starting 'em up for the next session.

Now that we're retired, the car sits for six months a year and it definitely gets a dose, as does our Honda EU3000, and I still use it in all the small engine gizmos.

Would I quit using it? NO WAY!! Peace of mind and lack of frustration is well worth the small amount I spend on it.

Just remember, opinions are like ashcans, everyone's got one, this'n is mine!

[Me_Again]

Here is a good read!

http://www.fuel-testers.com/review_gas_treatment_products.html

Chris

[2oldman]

golfknut wrote:
Has anyone found a need to add fuel stabilizer

Found a need? No, I have not.

[CKNSLS]

We had to leave our car for 8 months and I did plenty of research on this topic. This is what I did for a 2012 Subaru Legacy with only 3,000 miles on the odometer-

1) Had the oil changed.

2) Filled up gas tank and added one can of Seafoam (Available from Walmart). Drove the car for 15 minutes.

3) Cut carpet squares and put them under the tires. (To prevent flat spotting).

4) Disconnected Battery.

5) Covered with car cover inside my garage.

The car sat for 8 months this way and after I connected the battery upon my return the car started and operated like new.

The Ethanol in the gasoline will cause issues after a while if not treated with fuel stabilizer.

[tkcas01]

I could be wrong, but if one feels the need to add Sta-Bil to the fuel tank of some equipment or vehicle, it would seem that you are not done until you run the equipment or vehicle until the Sta-Bil-laden fuel is dispersed throughout the entire fuel system. Maybe it goes without saying, since no one said it.

[robanddi]

My hubby has antique cars and he ALWAYS puts Stabil in the tanks if we are gone for 6 weeks or more. He also puts it in our modern cars if they are left behind. Apparently he puts it in our gas cans so whenever he fills the lawnmower it gets some too.

Diann