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Old Dec 30, 2008 | 12:18 PM
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Default Gas treatment preference??

Just returned from a trip to FL and unfortunately I ran too low on fuel which caused some condensation (water) to be drawn into the system. It took awhile to clear up and the dealership said to throw in a gas treatment to dry up the gas tank every few fillups to prevent this from occurring again. I used STP products for the recent incident and it seemed to work but is there something better? What works for you?

Last edited by NC01TA; Dec 30, 2008 at 12:19 PM. Reason: word chasnge
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Old Dec 30, 2008 | 12:22 PM
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Dry gas, its about $3.75/bottle.Follow the directions, and you should be good to go.
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Old Dec 30, 2008 | 02:00 PM
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I don't know about for water.
I used to have a Mazda B4000 4x4 and used the STP in the black bottle all the time. I could feel a difference shortly after putting it in the tank.

I've never had another vehicle that felt different after adding fuel treatment.
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Old Dec 30, 2008 | 06:27 PM
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Thanks! I just went to a local auto parts store and found HEET. There was a regular bottle and a premium bottle at $2.09 and $2.39 respectively. It is solely for removal of water from the tank. It is made by the same company that makes Sta-bil for gas storage. I'll give the premium bottle a shot.

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Old Dec 31, 2008 | 09:29 AM
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Thats wierd, I've lived in FL my whole life and I've never had water in the tank from letting it run low, and I always run my tank to empty before refilling it.

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Old Dec 31, 2008 | 10:38 AM
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Originally Posted by LS6427
Thats wierd, I've lived in FL my whole life and I've never had water in the tank from letting it run low, and I always run my tank to empty before refilling it.

You do know that the fuel acts as a lubricant/coolant for the fuel pump? Your asking for problems by running the tank that low.
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Old Dec 31, 2008 | 10:41 AM
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Originally Posted by NC01TA
Thanks! I just went to a local auto parts store and found HEET. There was a regular bottle and a premium bottle at $2.09 and $2.39 respectively. It is solely for removal of water from the tank. It is made by the same company that makes Sta-bil for gas storage. I'll give the premium bottle a shot.

HEET (cheaper stuff)- better for lawnmowers, snow blowers, dirt bikes etc. (motors with a carburetor)

ISO-HEET (expensive stuff)- Is better for fuel injection.


spend the extra 30 cents. ISO-HEET contains iso-propel alcohol to convert water into a burnable substance and is better then the regular HEET.

Last edited by km346; Dec 31, 2008 at 08:17 PM.
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Old Dec 31, 2008 | 11:32 AM
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Originally Posted by Mustang5.Ohater
You do know that the fuel acts as a lubricant/coolant for the fuel pump? Your asking for problems by running the tank that low.
You can run out of gas with a 99-02 f body and the pump will be submerged in fuel still.

As for other vehicles---pure BS. Why? A fuel pump is an electric motor right? Yes, it is. How many electric motors do you see that HAVE to run in a tank of fluid? Yea, not many. Why design ONE motor that has to be submerged in a liquid when the most common design doesn't.
What about the pump part, does it wear? No. Why? Because when it no longer gets fuel the engine stops, when the engine stops, so does the pump.

You want to change my mind, do a test with two identical pumps. One submerged constantly pumping fuel and one out in the open pumping fuel. Run video until one dies. Otherwise there is nothing anyone can type here or in a link you find on google thats going to change my mind.
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Old Dec 31, 2008 | 03:15 PM
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Seafoam
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Old Jan 2, 2009 | 09:25 PM
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does seafoam remove water from gas??
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Old Jan 2, 2009 | 09:41 PM
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Originally Posted by 9000th01ss
You can run out of gas with a 99-02 f body and the pump will be submerged in fuel still.

As for other vehicles---pure BS. Why? A fuel pump is an electric motor right? Yes, it is. How many electric motors do you see that HAVE to run in a tank of fluid? Yea, not many. Why design ONE motor that has to be submerged in a liquid when the most common design doesn't.
What about the pump part, does it wear? No. Why? Because when it no longer gets fuel the engine stops, when the engine stops, so does the pump.

You want to change my mind, do a test with two identical pumps. One submerged constantly pumping fuel and one out in the open pumping fuel. Run video until one dies. Otherwise there is nothing anyone can type here or in a link you find on google thats going to change my mind.


motors are used to do work, if you have lets say a fan motor and you stop it from moving, it will overheat, same goes with the fuel pump motor, when its not pushing gas through, it will overheat and burn up

try it, get a little hand held fan and stop the blades from moving, you will be surprised about how quick the motor will start getting hot
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Old Jan 2, 2009 | 11:51 PM
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Originally Posted by slvr98camaro
motors are used to do work, if you have lets say a fan motor and you stop it from moving, it will overheat, same goes with the fuel pump motor, when its not pushing gas through, it will overheat and burn up

try it, get a little hand held fan and stop the blades from moving, you will be surprised about how quick the motor will start getting hot
I've worked on electric motors from 1/16 hp up to 100 or so. 5 volts to +575 volts. I've learned a few things along the way.

What experience do you have? Your example above doesn't even make sense.
In simple terms when a fuel pump pumps fuel it uses more energy than when it pumps nothing.

When a fan is blowing it uses energy to push air, if you hold the blade it adds load, and can obviously burn up.

It's hard to even give an example to what you posted.
Heres another shot at it.
When your fuel pump runs out of fuel to pump, it's like running your car with the rear wheels in the air.

With your fan explaination, thats comparable to running your car up against a wall and holding the gas pedal down.
Two entirely different things.

Most important, no untouched car come from the factory set up to run an electric fuel pump for long when the engine is off.

Your facts are way wrong. Try again.
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Old Jan 3, 2009 | 12:39 AM
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Originally Posted by 9000th01ss
You can run out of gas with a 99-02 f body and the pump will be submerged in fuel still.

As for other vehicles---pure BS. Why? A fuel pump is an electric motor right? Yes, it is. How many electric motors do you see that HAVE to run in a tank of fluid? Yea, not many. Why design ONE motor that has to be submerged in a liquid when the most common design doesn't.
What about the pump part, does it wear? No. Why? Because when it no longer gets fuel the engine stops, when the engine stops, so does the pump.

You want to change my mind, do a test with two identical pumps. One submerged constantly pumping fuel and one out in the open pumping fuel. Run video until one dies. Otherwise there is nothing anyone can type here or in a link you find on google thats going to change my mind.
You must be the only person in the world that honestly believes that running your tank dry DOESN'T damage that pump. Sure, many people don't know it might do damage... ignorance is acceptable... but total defiance? I havn't seen a single manufacturer say that it is safe to run a pump dry, or a single mechanic, or autoparts store... just you.
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Old Jan 3, 2009 | 01:50 AM
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Originally Posted by xephona
You must be the only person in the world that honestly believes that running your tank dry DOESN'T damage that pump. Sure, many people don't know it might do damage... ignorance is acceptable... but total defiance? I havn't seen a single manufacturer say that it is safe to run a pump dry, or a single mechanic, or autoparts store... just you.
yeah, in my years of owning an fbody i have seen a TON of posts from people who let their tank get empty and their fuel pumps not working, not just because the filter sock got clogged.

but since he has a ton of experience with motors, i guess i am wrong and it is all just a coincidence

edit* oh yeah, bosch even states that their fuel pumps should never be run dry because the fuel cools and lubricates the pump, and they also say that dont let the tank get too low because it may suck up air and ruin the pump.

sometimes i hate it when companies dont know their products that they designed well enough and give out wrong information.
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Old Jan 3, 2009 | 05:27 AM
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Although i know that running the tank that low can hurt it. You still should anyway if not then eventually you will less and less room of useable fuel. I have over 100k on mine and i do it every tank run it dry. Know that i say this i can see my self cutting the access panel now.
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Old Jan 3, 2009 | 08:10 AM
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Originally Posted by xephona
You must be the only person in the world that honestly believes that running your tank dry DOESN'T damage that pump. Sure, many people don't know it might do damage... ignorance is acceptable... but total defiance? I havn't seen a single manufacturer say that it is safe to run a pump dry, or a single mechanic, or autoparts store... just you.
Originally Posted by slvr98camaro
yeah, in my years of owning an fbody i have seen a TON of posts from people who let their tank get empty and their fuel pumps not working, not just because the filter sock got clogged.

but since he has a ton of experience with motors, i guess i am wrong and it is all just a coincidence

edit* oh yeah, bosch even states that their fuel pumps should never be run dry because the fuel cools and lubricates the pump, and they also say that dont let the tank get too low because it may suck up air and ruin the pump.

sometimes i hate it when companies dont know their products that they designed well enough and give out wrong information.

Read what I said very carefully, I should have made a point, if I haven't I'll try again.

What kind of car will let the fuel pump run after it's run out of gas and the engine has shut off? NONE.
Is there something built into cars that says **** the tank is dry, set fuel pump to run on continually, NO.

A clogged sock, yes I can see that ruining a pump. In a 99to 02 f body, the pump should be submerged even if you run the tank dry, the pump sits in a bucket. If the pump is not submerged then there is a problem with the bucket leaking down, maybe.

I'm saying under normal circumstances running a tank dry with an electric fuel pump is not going to burn it up.

Again, the engine shuts off, the fuel pump shuts down.
Whats so hard to understand about that?

Last edited by 9000th01ss; Jan 3, 2009 at 08:15 AM.
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Old Jan 3, 2009 | 08:19 AM
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Originally Posted by xephona
You must be the only person in the world that honestly believes that running your tank dry DOESN'T damage that pump. Sure, many people don't know it might do damage... ignorance is acceptable... but total defiance? I havn't seen a single manufacturer say that it is safe to run a pump dry, or a single mechanic, or autoparts store... just you.
If you disagree with me, and you've heard so many other opinions, then why can't you just ignore me.
Trust me, I'm not gaining anything by stating my opinion, I'm not selling fuel pumps. I don't expect everyone (or anyone) to read this and change their ways so their fuel pumps burn up and I get rich because I'm a major supplier.
Read what I said, think to yourself this guys wrong, and move on with life.
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Old Jan 3, 2009 | 02:45 PM
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instead of hijacking this guy's thread... and having a pissing match instead of helping... how about you give a suggestion as far as a fuel additive like HEET that removes water from gas??

Sta-bil is also supposed to take water out of gas. btw.
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Old Jan 3, 2009 | 09:33 PM
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Originally Posted by Mustang5.Ohater
You do know that the fuel acts as a lubricant/coolant for the fuel pump? Your asking for problems by running the tank that low.
You really don't think I mean "EMPTY" do you? I always run it down to where the needle is just about on the last white mark, "E". Still has a gallon in there. Been doing that for 11 years, nothing at all can happen to the fuel pump by doing that.
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Old Jan 3, 2009 | 11:52 PM
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Originally Posted by LS6427
You really don't think I mean "EMPTY" do you? I always run it down to where the needle is just about on the last white mark, "E". Still has a gallon in there. Been doing that for 11 years, nothing at all can happen to the fuel pump by doing that.
Yea it would be kinda hard to make it to the gas station when the engine isn't running
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