how long does gas last before break down during storage?

[callphy]

or just add STP or Lucas Fuel stablizer right at the beginning of storage?

what about water remover and gas treatment thingy?

does gas evaporate and separate the water content during storage?


3 items i found at canadiantire, is stablizer enough for storing if needed?

or do something like stablizer before storage, water remover during storage, and gas treatment at the end of storage?


http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brow...DOVR~0380751P/STP+Water+Remover.jsp?locale=en

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brow...0153P/STP+Gas+Treatment,+3-pack.jsp?locale=en

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brow...~0380913P/Lucas+Fuel+Stabilizer.jsp?locale=en

 

[Blake D]

Staybil is made for storing gas. It makes it last up to 12 months. Idk if you can get that in Canada. Gas with ethanol is only good for 3 months or so. I've seen it last longer than that without at additives in it.

 

[callphy]

so store for 1-2 mth doesnt need anything, maybe add some fresh gas before first use would do ?

 

[orangeade]

Fill up the tank before you store it as it prevents condensation resulting in water and rust in your tank. Add some stabil. 1 to 2 months is fine and you could leave it but it doesn't hurt to add the fuel stabilizer. Stabil is good for 12 months while the canadiant tire house brand is good for up to 6 months.

 

[Installshield 2]

proteges have a EVAP system designed for this. The system mostly seals the fuel system, and allows gasoline vapor to escape into a charcoal canister when not in use...when the car is finally started, a valve opens that canister and allows the vapors to be added to the engine's intake system. Since all of this uses one way valves, no air or water vapor is going to get in from that direction...

obviously though...like most things...theres another side to it...you're guaranteed to have small amounts of air allowed into the filler neck when you pump gas into the tank...unless you fill it all the way to the opening and quickly tighten the cap with fuel spilling out...which nobody does...so humid air can get trapped in the tank, condense when the temperature drops, and water droplets can sink to the bottom of the tank...which is where the pump siphons fuel for the lines...the use of ethanol in modern unleaded gasoline is designed for this exact purpose. Water is polar, gasoline isn't...those won't mix, and water is more dense than gas...it will encourage larger droplets to collect at the tank bottom...but ethanol, being used as a detergent bridge between the non-polar gasoline and polar water, will bind with the water, and allow it to still be burned...instead of the multiple problems that occur when you try to compress pure water....but...ethanol will evaporate even faster than gasoline, so its useful qualities are compromised when dealing with car storage over long periods of time.

Sorry for the chemistry...its a slow day at work haha.

How long it takes for that to happen depends on multiple factors...Sitting for years...yes, you'll have a problem...sitting for a few weeks...unlikely...a few months, depends on temp changes in your area, as well as humidity during the last fill up...and if you ever opened the filler cap for whatever reason while it was sitting there.

gas additives are cheap, so it won't hurt...but for 1-2 months i'd bet its not needed at all...6+ months, i'd suggest using some. anything beyond a year, it something to seriously consider.