Gentlemen - Since the cold weather is here for awhile, and driving is much less, I have a question regarding the gasoline additives that are available. Is it wise to use the additive that eliminates alcohol in the fuel. I've used it on storing and full time use of small gas motors and they seem to run much better, but I've never used them on a automobile engine. I've also used "Stabil" in stored gasoline in a can and also in small gas engines, but again, never in an automobile engine.

I did recently buy a can of "Seafoam" but have not put it in the car yet. Any thoughts? I've used Seafoam in a little HHR I had and it did run better. On the can it says it stabalizes the fuel. I thought it was strictly a valve, combustion chamber, throttle body cleaner.

My goal here is to preserve the full tank of gas that will be in the car over winter, eliminate any chance of rust forming in the tank, and have the fuel ready to run in the event of some decent weather for limited driving over winter.

Any thoughts are welcomed.

Jim

 

I think you mean "eliminate water" not "eliminate alcohol". You eliminate alcohol by buying 100% gasoline.

Here is what I do:

• I run 100% gasoline, non ethanol, when ever I can - which is most of the time.
• I will buy ethanol-contaminated gas if I know the car is not going to sit with that stuff in it.
• Letting the car sit for three weeks at a time is probably not a problem, but I still put Sta-bil in the gas from November to March because it IS possible the car will sit for a month at a time.

If I lived up there:

• If the car is going to sit a long time, I'd have it about 7/8 full of 100% gas with Sta-Bil in it.

 

Pizzaguy - Thanks for the response. I thought there was an additive, the name escapes me, that was called an enzyme additive and was made just to treat alcohol impregnated fuels. I usually run Shell 93 octane fuel but sometimes it is not where I am driving. I don't know if that is what you are calling 100% gasoline or not. It seems like all gasoline is now with some amount of alcohol. If I'm wrong, please correct me because I want to know. How about Exxon and BP? Are they pure? Where I live there seems to be a Speedway every two or three miles apart. I don't know anything about their fuels.

Thanks

Jim

 

Pizzaguy - Thanks for the response. I thought there was an additive, the name escapes me, that was called an enzyme additive and was made just to treat alcohol impregnated fuels. I usually run Shell 93 octane fuel but sometimes it is not where I am driving. I don't know if that is what you are calling 100% gasoline or not. It seems like all gasoline is now with some amount of alcohol. If I'm wrong, please correct me because I want to know. How about Exxon and BP? Are they pure? Where I live there seems to be a Speedway every two or three miles apart. I don't know anything about their fuels.

Thanks

Jim

 

As a kid I remember adding "Gas Line Antifreeze" to a tank of gas to prevent water separation - was alcohol.


Back in the '20s Boss Kettering and Tom Midgley discovered the effect of lead on knocking engines. But first they found that alcohol was better, it just took too much: 10%.


Something the gas companies do not tell you is that 87 PON starts out as about 81-82 octane gas (cheaper to make than hi-test) then they add the ethanol to get 87 (or 89, or 93).

 

Padgett - Thanks for the information. I do remember people adding alcohol to their cars back in the late 40's. Some also put the alcohol in the radiator for anti-freeze, but that's a whole other issue. We must be around the same age to remember some of this stuff! I've been using Shell 93 octane and hoping it will not rust my gas tank. I live in Northern Kentucky and we are having a cold winter so far. As a result, my Crossfire is sitting outside, under a cover, in the cold. Unfortunately, I do not have a garage. That's why I'm seeking all the information on fuels that I can gather to protect the engine as well as the gas tank.

Thanks again for the information. If there is more, please feel free to enlighten me, and probably others as well.

Jim

 

The gas tank is aluminum as I recall so it will not rust.
I would hazard a guess that you would not be able to tell the difference between 93 octane with ethanol and 91 octane without ethanol. That would solve the moisture problem if any existed.
Look for stations that sell real gas, you might pay more but what the heck.

 

Well the silliest part is that corn is about the least efficient way of making alky. Takes about 4X the weight of corn compared to Sugar Beets or Sweet Sorghum.


Brazil has been running without gasoline for many years but the climate is suited for the high yield crops.


Final thought: alcohol does not cause rust, that takes water usually in the form of condensate. What alcohol can do is to remove some coatings and expose steel to water and air. If the tank is kept full, condensate will not form (or will be reabsorbed into the gas).


So not all bad, just very inefficient. And since my Jeep is flex fuel, if gas gets scarce, I'll just build a still and reprogram the Reattae to be about 30% richer. (heat of combustion is a lot less).

 

Gentlemen - Thanks for all of the input. I guess a full tank of 93 octane when the car sits is the best solution to my worries.

Thanks again,

Jim

 

I may be wrong but would a manufacturer of newer cars plate the insides of a gas tank with something that alcohol eats into? I doubt it as that would mean a huge recall.
The Crossfire tanks are aluminum not steel and any coating inside them would not be attacked by moisture or alcohol. I try and avoid ethanol, I like corn on the cob, not in the tank. Try and find real gas near you and check that there is no ethanol in the pump every time you fill up.
Store the car with the tank full of 100% gasoline. Put Stabil in if you want and get it into the injectors by running the car for a few miles.

 

http://pure-gas.orgYou can go to pure-gas.org for a list of stations that sell ethanol free gas. there are 101 stations in KY. one may be near you.

 

zip439 - Thank you. I will check that site and see what I can find.

Jim