How long can you store gas in the car?

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William E Burrows Jr said:
If I keep gas in the tank on my Losi & Vekta, I always start them once a week and clean the plug after I shut them down.
If I don't run them for a while, I empty the tank and suck the gas out of the fuel lines.
I always change the plug once I am ready to run them again.
This works for me.
DDM suggest never to leave gas in the tank and to pull the battery and discharge it in storage mode until you run again.
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I've never done any of this with NO problems starting any of my vehicles or lawn tools. To each their own tho. Now if my car sits for a couple weeks or months, I shake the fuel up(in the car or remove the tank with the Vertigo quick release clips) then start.
 
I am a local mechanic on my towns lawn equip. ,I have seen some nasty snot!
Most of the people that brought their stuff to me ,90% of it was do to sitting ,an also the enviorment conditions
where it was stored ,like a lawn mower sitting outside under the eve of a house were the rain water runs off ,or
in the hot brutal sun were the plastic fuel tank collects moister ,an also ,from them putting their blowers ,weed
eaters an saws up for the winter ,these ,the carb dries up an hardens ,or the tank starts to build up pressure an
distorts the diaphrams!
The mowers have a fuel bowl ,so the fuel an built up compensation gunks up the carb!

Most of the stuff that is brought to me ,really don't need parts ,but just cleaned from sitting other than
the accessional carb kits.

I tell people that the down time is actually what is killing their equip.!
 
Time and stupidity. When I worked at the machine shop we had an influx of people every spring with the same issues. Those that listened started running a fuel stabilizer near the end of the season and ran the tanks out of gas or drained the tank. I almost never had a fuel related come back after they took my advice.
 
Seandonato73 said:
Ah I was a diesel mechanic never made any real money on the lawn equipment lol. It was a nice change up for a bit.
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There use to be a small engine repair shop 5 mile up the road here ,he had been in business for at least 40 years ,but ,
we are in a farming area an he did mechanic work on everything that evolved around the use of an engine ,I used
to get my parts from him out of his junk pile out back ,but he had retired a few years ago ,they tore the old shop out
an built a Starbucks.
Then someone opened up a small shop ,but it folded under in less than a year ,but at that time ,I had been servicing
a lot of local folks equip.!

The big shops are 25 miles away ,those people will force folks to buy a new carb for over a $100 bucks rather than
just clean one ,or so they say that they put a new carb. on them!

They get folks on sharpening lawn mower blades too!....LOL
 
I run VP94 Small engine fuel Ethanol Free and I leave it in my cars over the winter and its fine. last 2 years in gas container and 5 years in sealed container. I've never had a problem with this fuel. If you use pump gas with ethanol then yes you can not store it long it attracts moisture and dry rots lines and gaskets and creates corrosion
 
Dear Members,
Steve from DDM advised me after every bashing and before taking it out again, follow these steps.
1. Clean Truck
2. Remove all gas from tank, lines and bulb.
3. Remove spark plug and clean.
4. Discharge battery in storage mode cuts down on swallowing.
See my system to fill and drain the tank.
Reverse the crap trap when pumping gas back into gas can.
I call it triple filtering.
Works for me.
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That sounds more like long term storage tips , clean buggy , yes for sure but clear fuel from all lines & bulb seems excessive but hey if it works stick with it.
 
I will say that I have not had to adjust my needle valves in over a year.
Remember I am running I Losi 5-T and a Vekta 5 with Zenoah G320 motors.
I even forgot the high low settings, I would have to look them up.
So their must be something to keep fuel out of the carburetor even for short term storage.
It takes 5 to 6 pulls after priming the system. I let it run for a minute before leaving for the hour long drive to the park to bash.
People at the park want to know how I get it to start with just one pull. I tell them that I started the truck at home before leaving to the park.
I do share the procedure with anyone that asked.
The weather is pretty constant in Florida and I am sure that has a lot to due with it.
Anyway it works for me.
 
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