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How Long Can U Keep 98 Fuel Sitting In Ur Tank ?

Tweaky

By Tweaky,
in Engines & Forced Induction

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Tweaky

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Hey guys , just wondering how long can 98 octane fuel , can sit in ur tank for & still be fine to use without doing any damage to the engine ? I run Caltex 98 in my R33 & is only a weekend car , so sometimes use of it isn't much & same fuel can sit in there for a while. At how many weeks or months would u let it sit , before considering draining the old fuel & refilling with fresh fuel ? Also what would be the easiest way to drain the old fuel from the tank ? :thanks:

t_revz Grand Master

t_revz

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Posted

when i moved to japan my car was parked up with half tank for 7 months and started no worries when i got back. just took it easy til that tank was gone and some fresh stuff was in

Tweaky Collaborator

Tweaky

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when i moved to japan my car was parked up with half tank for 7 months and started no worries when i got back. just took it easy til that tank was gone and some fresh stuff was in

Thats a long time for fuel to be sitting there , mine might be 1 to 2 months without topping up with new fuel . At the moment doesn't get much driving at all due to all the rain , flooding & bad conditions of the roads . Sits in garage & looks pretty instead :rofl2:! Sometimes that can be frustrating !!

JonnoHR31 Grand Master

JonnoHR31

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2 months is fine. aslong as its not a bad batch to start with you shouldnt have any trouble.

easiest way to drain the tank is to pull the return line off and put it in a jerry can then start the car and let it idle. unless you have a hardwired fuel pump, in which case feed line and ignition on.

R31Nismoid Grand Master

R31Nismoid

Posted
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Most fuel has a listed shelf life of approx 3 months.

I remember reading it on the Shell website, it was in another thread a while ago.

Just 1/2 fill the tank as much as you need, then fill up each time you plan to do 150km's or something would be a better idea.

Also, don't rely on octane booster, you'll end up fouling plugs with regular use.

What you also need to be aware of is engine oil life. I mean if you are only doing 5,000km's a year, and changing oil on that basis.

IMO thats far too long for oil changes.

blind_elk Grand Master

blind_elk

Posted
Posted

and if u need it.. a quick way to drain the tank is to disconnect the fuel line (feed) to the rail and turn the ignition on... it will pump itself empty..

No it won't! The ECU only runs for about 5 seconds when you turn the key to IGN, just to pressurise the fuel system.

Back to OP, I had mine off the road for about 3 months, still ran fine when it finally got re-started.

Tweaky Collaborator

Tweaky

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Most fuel has a listed shelf life of approx 3 months.

I remember reading it on the Shell website, it was in another thread a while ago.

Just 1/2 fill the tank as much as you need, then fill up each time you plan to do 150km's or something would be a better idea.

Also, don't rely on octane booster, you'll end up fouling plugs with regular use.

What you also need to be aware of is engine oil life. I mean if you are only doing 5,000km's a year, and changing oil on that basis.

IMO thats far too long for oil changes.

Usually when i do go driving it requires a full tank , to get me where i want to go , then back. The same fuel would never sit in the tank more then 3 months , as i do try to drive it as much as possible , but lately up my way the weather has been really crap :rant:

Never used octane booster before , guess i'll keep it in mind just incase but will never rely on it.

I'm aware of engine oil , i have rule of thumb that i change it every 3 months regardless of km's , aswell as oil & fuel filters. So sometimes the oil might rack up 1000 to 1500 km's then get changed. So oil is always fresh in the engine :D I think sometimes i spend more time keeping things maintained on the car , then i do driving the car ! :w00t:

Edited by Tweaky
GTScotT Grand Master

GTScotT

Posted
Posted

+1 to 3 months.

If your fuel is beyond 3 months old you should drain and replace.

I do not recommend running it and letting it out the drain if it is say 6 months old. You are risking blocking the injectors.

Moodles2 Grand Master

Moodles2

Posted
Posted

I had 91 sitting in my motorbike for over 2 years (hadn't been started in alittle over a year), it started and idled but i didn't dare to do anything else till it was completely drained.

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