FivePointOhh

how long can you let it sit before its "bad" or sediments start to form. the car has been sitting for about a month now i think.

MadMan@TheWheel

A month is not too bad, not generally a good idea though. I would really suggest a fuel filter change at the very least though, sitting gasoline hardens the paper.

FivePointOhh

i was thinking of dropping the tank so i can finish wire brushing and painting the under body. should i dump the tank and clean it out too?

bamaroxz

You could, or use some Seafoam in the tank if the car runs now.

Lordy

How Long Does it Take for Gas to Go Bad?
That depends on a number of factors. For one, it's hard to know how old the gas you just bought actually is. It may be fresh from the refinery, or it may be a month old already by the time you top off your tank. Some gasoline is mixed with better or more oxidation inhibitors than others.

It's a good rule of thumb to avoid leaving gas in your tank or a storage container for more than a coupe of months, if you can avoid it.




[/align][/align][/align]And if You Can't?
If you know gas will sit in your tank or a storage container for a couple months, then it's a wise move to buy some fuel system stabilizer and mix it in with the gasoline. Do it before you put the vehicle into long-term storage or before leaving your lawn equipment fuel containers sitting for the winter. The stabilizer helps prevent oxidation, the biggie that can turn gas into garbage that gunks up your system and leads to expensive repair work.

Using fuel system stabilizer for extended storage is preferable to draining the tank and leaving the system dry. This can cause rubber hoses, gaskets and seals to dry-rot and crack, possibly leading to leaks and even a fire. In addition, a dry system can expose the insides of metal fuel lines and your gas tank to air and moisture, which can lead to or accelerate the formation of rust.

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Fuel system stabilizer is not a cure-all and it doesn't last forever. It must be mixed with fresh gas before the vehicle is stored, not added to already old gas. It can slow down the oxidation process and keep gas fresh for as long as 12 to15 months. If you're going to leave the vehicle parked for longer than that, you may want to drain the tank and refill with fresh fuel before returning the vehicle to service.

For more information on this topic visit:
- http://www.chevron.com/products/prodserv/fuels/bulletin/longterm_gasoline/
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golden_eye

When I went home for the summer I left my truck sitting with about half a tank of gas for about 2 months and when I came back the thing didn't like to start easily when the engine was cold and would stall a couple times before stabilizing. I put some fuel system cleaner in along with fresh gas and the thing is running ok now. I may change the fuel filter anyway just for piece of mind.