Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » [GMCnet] Winter, and long term storage.
| [GMCnet] Winter, and long term storage. [message #192482] |
Fri, 07 December 2012 10:15  |
BobDunahugh
Messages: 2465
Registered: October 2010
Location: Cedar Rapids, IA
Karma: 11
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Senior Member |
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I have 11 restored collector cars. Right now, 2 of them are in museums, on two year loans. I've been seriously down the storage road. When I put a car away. Or the GMC. I generally don't know when I'll have that car out again. The GMC goes out every year. Love that coach. It seem to me that temp changes have serious affect on gas. My GMC, and cars are stored in heated, and air conditioned storage, with no light. The tanks that have unleaded fuel in them. Seem to do well for 12 to 18 months with no additives added. The Yenko Stingers that I road race at road courses. Have 12.5 to 1 compression. That requires 110 octane leaded fuel. That fuel seems to hold up for about 24 months. I understand that the gas additives that are used to extend the life of gas. Have a shelf life of their own. I DO NOT know this for sure what that is. When I put anything away. I like to have just a few gallons in the tank. This way if the gas in the tank is getting bad. I have room in the tank to a
dd fresh gas so I can bring some life to the old gas. As I see it. If the tank is full. What am I going to do with all that old dead gas. And I can't dilute it with fresh gas, as there is no more room in the tank. Can be a lot of money down the tube. Plus I end up with less mass to attract condensation in and on the tank. Put two containers in the frig. One with a little liquid in it. One with a lot. The full one will attract the most condensation when you put both on the counter top.As far as starting your engine every two weeks. Look at it this way. Every time you start the engine. You fill the carb float bowl with fuel. The next time you start it. You fill it again, as the fuel that was in there has evaporated from the last start up. Each time there is a residue left from the time before. This builds up over time.When I put the GMC, or cars away for a length of time. I change the oil and filter. Start it up to get the fresh, clean oil in the lifters, and bearings. then
take it for a 10 mile drive. Shut it off. Disconnect the battery, and put a battery maintainer on it. An then leave it alone.To start it up after some time. I put 5 gallons of fresh gas in the tank. Take a small squeeze bottle with fresh gas. Fill the float bowl by putting the fresh gas down the float bowl vent. Start the engine. I keep the float bowl full from the bottle as it's running, for about 5 mins. This allows the engine some time to get some warmth in it. Then I start to back off on the bottle. This then starts to get the old fuel that is in the fuel lines, and pump to blend with the fresh in the float bowl. I have never had any problems with any engine starting after storage. And I'm not cleaning my carb out all the time. Bob Dunahugh
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| Re: [GMCnet] Winter, and long term storage. [message #192515 is a reply to message #192482] |
Fri, 07 December 2012 18:07  |
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Matt Colie
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
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Senior Member |
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| BobDunahugh wrote on Fri, 07 December 2012 11:15 |
I have 11 restored collector cars. Right now, 2 of them are in museums, on two year loans. I've been seriously down the storage road. When I put a car away. Or the GMC. I generally don't know when I'll have that car out again. The GMC goes out every year. Love that coach. It seem to me that temp changes have serious affect on gas. My GMC, and cars are stored in heated, and air conditioned storage, with no light. The tanks that have unleaded fuel in them. Seem to do well for 12 to 18 months with no additives added. The Yenko Stingers that I road race at road courses. Have 12.5 to 1 compression. That requires 110 octane leaded fuel. That fuel seems to hold up for about 24 months. I understand that the gas additives that are used to extend the life of gas. Have a shelf life of their own. I DO NOT know this for sure what that is. When I put anything away. I like to have just a few gallons in the tank. This way if the gas in the tank is getting bad. I have room in the tank to add fresh gas so I can bring some life to the old gas. As I see it. If the tank is full. What am I going to do with all that old dead gas. And I can't dilute it with fresh gas, as there is no more room in the tank. Can be a lot of money down the tube. Plus I end up with less mass to attract condensation in and on the tank. Put two containers in the frig. One with a little liquid in it. One with a lot. The full one will attract the most condensation when you put both on the counter top.As far as starting your engine every two weeks. Look at it this way. Every time you start the engine. You fill the carb float bowl with fuel. The next time you start it. You fill it again, as the fuel that was in there has evaporated from the last start up. Each time there is a residue left from the time before. This builds up over time.When I put the GMC, or cars away for a length of time. I change the oil and filter. Start it up to get the fresh, clean oil in the lifters, and bearings. then take it for a 10 mile drive. Shut it off. Disconnect the battery, and put a battery maintainer on it. An then leave it alone.To start it up after some time. I put 5 gallons of fresh gas in the tank. Take a small squeeze bottle with fresh gas. Fill the float bowl by putting the fresh gas down the float bowl vent. Start the engine. I keep the float bowl full from the bottle as it's running, for about 5 mins. This allows the engine some time to get some warmth in it. Then I start to back off on the bottle. This then starts to get the old fuel that is in the fuel lines, and pump to blend with the fresh in the float bowl. I have never had any problems with any engine starting after storage. And I'm not cleaning my carb out all the time. Bob Dunahugh
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Bob,
Most of you concerns are valid, but years ago I had to deal with a lot of 110 octane avgas. It seemed to have a tank life of about six months (maybe less in hot weather), so, I personally believe that you 24 month guess is a tad optimistic. To be entirely honest, the plain jane passcar pump gas of the day was good for a year at best.
As to you condensation test, it was probably accurate observations, but you were looking at the outside of the container. The problem with normal vehicle fuel tanks is that they "breath". The simple issue then becomes that more free space in the tank makes more room for new air. Every time the tank gets a new lump of air complete with included humidity, the water vapor can condense on the surface of the cold fuel.
With real gasoline, it will do this and the water will fall through and collect in the bottom of the tank.
With crapohol, the water dissolves into the fuel until the mixture precipitates out.
One thing I do agree with completely is plan to store with the system as close as practical to absolutely dry. On small things, I have done this successfully many times. My Honda generator (for the house) is stored this was always. To my knowledge, all museum cars are stored this way. (I was told it was both for practicality and insurance.) But, with a boat that needs to run as soon as the lift sets it in the water, or a coach that needs about 15 gallons from dry just to start, this is a tad less than practical. One can still dry out the carburetor and save a lot of grief even if the tanks are pressed up (completely filled).
Matt
Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
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| Re: [GMCnet] Winter, and long term storage. [message #192530 is a reply to message #192482] |
Fri, 07 December 2012 20:59 |
biggreen
Messages: 347
Registered: June 2011
Location: Northeast Florida
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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Just recently bought a 75 GMC who's owner had passed and was in outside storage for best I could tell, about 4 years (florida).
After checking the fluids, dropped in a fresh battery, dribbled a little gas in the carb, and it started right up and runs very well. Gauge reads about half a tank...of at least 4 year old gas.
Once bought a boat that I found had 70+ gallons in the tank. Integrated it with fresh gas about half and half and burned it in my 99 F-150 with no ill effects. At about $4 a gallon at the time, I sure wasn't gonna dump it!
I have a friend long retired from the Air Force who tells me there are fuel (gasoline) tanks at the South Pole that have held fuel since WW II.
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