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Shelf Life of Super vs Regular Unleaded Fuel?

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Old Sep 22, 2009 | 09:15 PM
  #1  
IrocTheZ28's Avatar
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From: Shoreline East Haven, Connecticut
Car: '92 Z28
Engine: 350 TPI L98
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 10 Bolt / 3.23
Shelf Life of Super vs Regular Unleaded Fuel?

The longer my 305 TPI waits for weekend wrenching action, I get the doom and gloom feeling that the full tank of super unleaded I topped off way back in late June is going extremely stale I assume.

I did not use Stabil Fuel treatment like I read all about in magazines or TV commercials thinking that super unleaded I purchased at Sunoco will last longer than regular unleaded I can buy at HESS locally.

So what do you guys think? Should I just dump the new bottle of Stabil in my tank now or siphon off the super unleaded and use it for parts washing?

Also, can you guys PLEASE recommend a good fuel siphoner? Autozone sells one that is hand operated so I guess I'll be purchasing that as well but I am one to try new devices found off the net to make life a bit simpler.

Thanks a bunch !
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Old Sep 22, 2009 | 09:54 PM
  #2  
89RS_82Z's Avatar
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From: Fairhope, AL
Car: 89RS(other cars & pics in vBgarage)
Engine: LO3, 305 TBI Mildly Modified
Transmission: BakerBuilt 700R4 w/B&M Megashifter
Axle/Gears: 3.23 Auburn Pro Series LSD
Re: Shelf Life of Super vs Regular Unleaded Fuel?

its good

gas that sat in a crown vic for 4 years, started right up
8+ of about 10 gallons freshened up with 5 new in a 70's dodge 440
3 years in a dodge van
7 years in a chevy 454

all of them started and ran, but they also got a good dose of injector cleaner with the first fresh tank of gas

if its just june of 09 fire that puppy up and do a burn out it will be fine

if its been over a year than you may want to take it out and put in some fresh but thats 4 i personaly seen or did myself that didnt have any issues

best siphon tool..........an old 12V fuel pump or a $30 in line 12V fuel pump, its what most all mechanics use

Last edited by 89RS_82Z; Sep 22, 2009 at 09:57 PM.
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Old Sep 22, 2009 | 10:16 PM
  #3  
y84pauloflondon's Avatar
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 833
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From: London, Ont, Canada
Car: 87 T-Top GTA
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.27
Re: Shelf Life of Super vs Regular Unleaded Fuel?

At Home Depot in the plumbing section you can get a tool that plumbers use to drain out small tanks, toilets, pipes,etc.....it attaches to a normal drill and can flow/drain in both directions. $15-20 cdn.....so in US$.....$5-10.

But your gas should be fine, Just like 82RS_82Z said.
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Old Sep 22, 2009 | 10:17 PM
  #4  
IrocTheZ28's Avatar
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 97
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From: Shoreline East Haven, Connecticut
Car: '92 Z28
Engine: 350 TPI L98
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 10 Bolt / 3.23
Re: Shelf Life of Super vs Regular Unleaded Fuel?

Sounds good to me so far but I get concerned about the notorious fuel additives such as MTBE ( a cancer causing carcinogen ) they add here for some green emission reason here in the Northeast. I bet they don't add that stuff down in Alabama versus Connecticut do they? I thought I'd throw this in to the question to nail the shelf life of Super or Regular. You guys run an ethanol mix probably better than ours. I guess I am being overly cautious here but YOU guys have the experience!

This ultimately leads me to my fuel siphon question: Is the June stash of super unleaded in my '88 IROC safe or wise to use into my '96 3.8L Camaro? I intended to put each Camaro drivers side to feed off the other.

I just don't want to cause any extra problems in the future so I'm brainstorming in advance.
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Old Sep 22, 2009 | 10:20 PM
  #5  
IrocTheZ28's Avatar
Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 97
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From: Shoreline East Haven, Connecticut
Car: '92 Z28
Engine: 350 TPI L98
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 10 Bolt / 3.23
Re: Shelf Life of Super vs Regular Unleaded Fuel?

Originally Posted by y84pauloflondon
At Home Depot in the plumbing section you can get a tool that plumbers use to drain out small tanks, toilets, pipes,etc.....it attaches to a normal drill and can flow/drain in both directions. $15-20 cdn.....so in US$.....$5-10.

But your gas should be fine, Just like 82RS_82Z said.
I have a brand new Home Depot just open up locally here. I will definitely check it out !

So far the consensus is old gas is good gas.
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Old Sep 22, 2009 | 10:23 PM
  #6  
89RS_82Z's Avatar
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,529
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From: Fairhope, AL
Car: 89RS(other cars & pics in vBgarage)
Engine: LO3, 305 TBI Mildly Modified
Transmission: BakerBuilt 700R4 w/B&M Megashifter
Axle/Gears: 3.23 Auburn Pro Series LSD
Re: Shelf Life of Super vs Regular Unleaded Fuel?

we got MTBE here

hopefully you will get a few more posts but i honestly think it will be ok, my maro sat for 6 months back last year and started right up and ran fine had super in it

all the cars i mentioned had pre 2002 gas in them, if it makes a diff i dont know.....all 87 octane to
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Old Sep 22, 2009 | 10:27 PM
  #7  
y84pauloflondon's Avatar
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 833
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From: London, Ont, Canada
Car: 87 T-Top GTA
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.27
Re: Shelf Life of Super vs Regular Unleaded Fuel?

Every winter I alway intend to use Stabil, but I always forget(all 9 years now). The car sits for 5 months in my garage. The FULL tank of gas I left it over the winter just seems too burn off quicker in the spring. No harm that I can see. Within the first few drives into the 2nd tank and the car is just rippin down the road just fine!!!
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Old Sep 22, 2009 | 10:31 PM
  #8  
jv9999's Avatar
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,141
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From: MA
Car: '87 IROC/'68 SS
Engine: 5.7L/350
Transmission: 700R4/Muncie 4-spd
Axle/Gears: 3.27 9 bolt / 3.31 12 bolt
Re: Shelf Life of Super vs Regular Unleaded Fuel?

I thought MTBE was replaced by E10 because of water contamination? That stuff goes bad even faster. I'd definitely put Stabil in it. Nothing like clogged injectors to ruin your day.
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Old Sep 22, 2009 | 10:31 PM
  #9  
y84pauloflondon's Avatar
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 833
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From: London, Ont, Canada
Car: 87 T-Top GTA
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.27
Re: Shelf Life of Super vs Regular Unleaded Fuel?

Sunoco 94 ethenol mix here! And thats what has been left inside all 9 winters.

I use inj. cleaner in the 2nd tank.
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Old Sep 22, 2009 | 10:40 PM
  #10  
84Z28406's Avatar
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 365
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From: Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Car: 1984 Camaro Z28 T-tops
Engine: 350
Transmission: T-5
Axle/Gears: 3.23
Re: Shelf Life of Super vs Regular Unleaded Fuel?

I wouldn't worry about old gas. My 305 always fired up with gas between 6 and 12 months old... And once a gallon from a truck that sat for over 2 years, just filtered the grit out before adding it to the tank. :P
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