How important is fuel preservative

[01sapphirebob]

I am storing my RT/10 this year to drive my ACR and the question is in the headding. I do plan to drive the car once a month just to keep everything on the up and up. Any thoughts would be great!!

 

[VENOMIS]

I have a boat that the gas is a little over 2 years old. I just started it up the other day and it ran fine. Not saying the fuel is totally fresh, but the engines ran smooth. I would think you would be good for that long at least.

 

[ZexZo6]

For a month you will be fine, if you wanted to spend money you could buy STABIL the fuel additive. Fill the tank up and put a bottle of that in there and the whole tank should be treated then you should have no reason to worry.

 

[plumcrazy]

wait for tom to answer this but i wouldnt use it. i store my car from november till march or so and have never had a problem.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Gasoline is not a single type of molecule, it has a distillation curve. Some of it evaporates at 200F, some not till 300F. This determines how well the engine starts (enough gasoline has to turn from liquid to vapor at low ambient temperatures) and runs when warmed up (to prevent boiling in a fuel line which prevents the pump from supplying the engine.)

In time, the lighter ends evaporate. After storing your lawnmower over the winter with a vented carburetor, it will be hard to start - not because it has gummed up the little carburetor, but because not enough of the old fuel is turning from a liquid into a vapor. Also, every time the system heats and cools, it pulls air into the bowl and adds moisture.

Your Viper is different. The tank is not vented (except through the charcoal canister.) It won't accumulate water over a winter. It can handle low volatility fuel because the fuel injector sprays a fine mist no matter what.

Fuel storage additives are anti-oxidants and prevent the gummy deposits. However, the oil companies are required to add these types of additives so a one-year or two-year storage period (in a closed container) is going to be OK. The hard-to-start issue is mostly due to the partial evaporation leaving the large, hard to burn molecules behind.

PS If you live north of Texas, here is an idealized explanation of how to maintain your snow blower. At the end of the snow season, keep the fuel tank low. After using each time, run the carburetor dry. Buy fuel in late fall to refill. This should put mostly new, easy-to-evaporate fuel in the carburetor for the new season. The worst thing upon first snowfall is to be yanking on the cord, fiddling with the choke and mixture richness, wetting the spark plug, and then puking the black cloud... all because the carburetor isn't "tuned" to the aged, low volatility fuel.

 

[bluesrt]

holy smokes i enjoyed reading that!good one

 

[SSGViper]

Gasoline is not a single type of molecule, it has a distillation curve. Some of it evaporates at 200F, some not till 300F. This determines how well the engine starts (enough gasoline has to turn from liquid to vapor at low ambient temperatures) and runs when warmed up (to prevent boiling in a fuel line which prevents the pump from supplying the engine.)

In time, the lighter ends evaporate. After storing your lawnmower over the winter with a vented carburetor, it will be hard to start - not because it has gummed up the little carburetor, but because not enough of the old fuel is turning from a liquid into a vapor. Also, every time the system heats and cools, it pulls air into the bowl and adds moisture.

Your Viper is different. The tank is not vented (except through the charcoal canister.) It won't accumulate water over a winter. It can handle low volatility fuel because the fuel injector sprays a fine mist no matter what.

Fuel storage additives are anti-oxidants and prevent the gummy deposits. However, the oil companies are required to add these types of additives so a one-year or two-year storage period (in a closed container) is going to be OK. The hard-to-start issue is mostly due to the partial evaporation leaving the large, hard to burn molecules behind.

PS If you live north of Texas, here is an idealized explanation of how to maintain your snow blower. At the end of the snow season, keep the fuel tank low. After using each time, run the carburetor dry. Buy fuel in late fall to refill. This should put mostly new, easy-to-evaporate fuel in the carburetor for the new season. The worst thing upon first snowfall is to be yanking on the cord, fiddling with the choke and mixture richness, wetting the spark plug, and then puking the black cloud... all because the carburetor isn't "tuned" to the aged, low volatility fuel.

What about the oxygenated fuels? I would think there would be more of a need for Sta-Bil with oxygenated fuels and storage.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

If I were on the witness stand I would not let you put the "when did you stop beating your wife" statement in the question. The need for this type of additive is not due to the fuel, but the vented, outdoor storage, wet, or otherwise low technology container the fuel is kept in.

Yes, they would normally be "worse" for decomposition, but the gasoline refiners have added more anti-oxidant in order to match the performance of non-oxygenated fuels. Good question.

 

[dave6666]

I've heard of snow. Actually saw it on the Discovery Channel once Tom.

Thanks for reminding me I don't need to know how to service my snow plow.

 

[Viper 55]

Tom - This is good to know. Having several vehicles, it becomes time consuming adding "Sta Bil" every year. So what I gather from your suggestion, bottomline, is that we do not need to add any "Sta Bil" to our Vipers. Fill the tank and leave it for the winter. Always thought the "Sta Bil" would get rid of the condensation that drips from the exhaust after a long winter stay. You've save me some $$. Thanks

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Hi Viper Gus - I'm not picking on any product in particular, but gasoline is "safe" to store over a winter (recognizing the volatility effect.) And none of them affect the condensation in the exhaust.

 

[Viper 55]

Tom, thanks! Amazing what we can learn from others. Even got some helpful tips from your last posting on storing our dune buggies. Learning everyday!

 

[Viper 55]

Tom, one other thing... What do you think about this ZMAX product that Carroll Shelley is promoting as an addition to your engine oil where it "penetrates the metal"? Just Hype? Any opinion?

 

[ViperGTS]

Storing Vipers for many years for 5 months each year. NO PROBLEMO!
Fill up. That's it. Fuel-wise.

Storing MOTOR-BIKE'S for the winter for decades....Fill up. That's it.
NEVER, EVER had a problem starting the engines in spring

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Tom, one other thing... What do you think about this ZMAX product that Carroll Shelley is promoting as an addition to your engine oil where it "penetrates the metal"? Just Hype? Any opinion?

OEMs have long advised against using aftermarket additives. That zMax tries to "end-around" the advice by saying it isn't an additive, it is treating the metal is disingenius.

Many of the additives in the API certified oil treat the metal... so they are playing word games. When the claims list is "reduce friction, remove deposits, more power, less wear, better emissions, endorsed by racer" it is only just like all the others, isn't it?

 

[Viper 55]

Tom, Again, good to know. The money we can save on not buying into these "additives" can amount to enough money to pay for next years Venon VCA dues. Thanks!!