RJ_RS_SS_350

I've got a vehicle, it's been parked for about a year and a half. I put fuel stabilizer in it and ran it for a few hours(forgot it was running lol), that was about a year ago. I've got a can of Sea Foam liquid, should I pour that in and run it again for a while, or use fuel stabilizer again? Or do I really need to just drain it all out, and what should I do with the gas if I do?

The battery has been on a battery minder, so it should be fine.

Edit - it's the 2001 Neon

whopper

I've had about the same experience with my old Avenger - old gas, with stabilizer in it. If it was me, I'd throw the seafoam in, run it till almost empty, add more fuel stabilizer, then top up the tank with fresh gas, and run that just a bit to get fresh gas thru the system.

I unfortunately let my avenger sit a little too long - the fill pipe from the gas cap down got pretty rusty. So check for that.

Cat Man HHR

Are you going to store it or use it as a daily driver?

RJ_RS_SS_350

Probably store it, but might sell it. It's on non-op status.

firemangeorge

If it was stored with a completely full tank of gas, that gas may still be good. Most times when gas goes bad it will have that "bad" gas rotten kind of smell to it. Anyway to get out a sample and give it a good smell test ?

Now, if it was stored with a less than full tank, then another problem may be lurking. Condensation in the tank that will lead to water in the gas. Any empty space in the tank will be filled with air. Over time and the heating and cooling of that air space, the water gets pulled from that air and winds up in the bottom of the tank.
If the tank was less than half full when stored, then I would drain the tank.

Cat Man HHR

If your going to store it put fresh gas in it and run it once a month for say 1/2 to 1 hour. Run it up high and low in the RPM's (Don't blow it up! lol)
You'll be fine.

RJ_RS_SS_350

Finally got back around to this project today. Put the battery back in from the BatteryMinder, the fuel gauge showed 3/4 tank (9-10 gals). When I had gone to get Sea Foam(turns out I had used what I had in the HHR), I noticed another product on the shelf called Star Tron. I was intrigued, so I checked it out online, gets pretty good reviews.

So I just put 4 oz. in the tank and bounced the rear of the car up and down for a bit to mix it in the tank. Then I disconnected the fuel line from the fuel rail and routed the hose into a quart jar. I cranked until the jar was nearly full, twice. Didn't smell very good at all.

Hooked the fuel line back up and started the engine. Started right up and is purring! It just now got to operating temp, so I ran it up to 3500 RPM for about a minute. I figure I'll let it run for maybe another 45 minutes to make sure all the fuel in the engine is treated fuel.

Laco

IMO you are pretty fortunate with that fuel. If it were me, I would consider the fuel at the absolute end of its life, & get rid of it now, before it can do any damage.

RJ_RS_SS_350

Revisited the fuel in the Neon again today. I'm not taking any chances this time. I pumped it out with the fuel pump, about 6 gallons worth(1/2 tank). I'll get some techron or something to put in the new fuel, as well as putting some more StarTron in. Then run it for an hour or so.

The old fuel was pretty nasty, not clear at all. Kinda yellowish. I really should sell this car, maybe this summer, no time right now.

donbrew

I guess I'm an exception; I routinely keep gas in my lawn equipment and snow blower 12 months a year and keep gas in a container all winter. Never had a problem with bad gas, except the time I stored a can for 3 years.