Moisture in fuel
Moisture in fuel Hey I was just wondering how some of you guys that are located in colder climates that leave your cars outside in winter months, deal with things such as moisture in the tank causing back firing and sputtering issues? Anything you would recommend placing in it to keep it out? Everyone told me to just use injector cleaner and it will clear it up. Just wondering if there is anything I can do while it sits for a couple months waiting on warm weather now. Thanks!
Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
Keep the tank full and put Stabil in the gas. That's what I always do for out door OR indoor storage, and I never have backfiring/sputtering/etc. issues of any kind.
Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 34,629
Likes: 2,549
From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
The more full you can keep the tank, the better.
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yeah it's a sealed system, sealed enough to where there is no inflow or outflow of air/fumes so you will not get moisture in the tank. plus if you're area is selling 10% ethanol gas the ethanol works the same as drygas and cause any water to mix with the gasoline and burn with little issue. I've had my 2002 ss since new and it sit albeit in my garage from december till may and i've not used anything in the gas for the past 10 years and have never had a fuel issue. I'm not a big fan of stabil, have used it in the boats with carburetors and have seen firsthand rust and pitting still happen inside the carb bowl even when (ethanoled) gas was treated with stabil. my recommendation is run your tank to below a 1/4 before storage, then when you get back on the road you're going to fill up with fresh gas.
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From: Knappa, Oregon
No. The tank is sealed and slightly pressurized only while the engine is running and for a short period after the engine has been turned off. Go out to your car first thing in the morning and remove the gas cap. Hear any hiss of air being drawn in or pushed out? Of course you don't, the system is not sealed or pressurized, the air in the tank has equalized to the pressure of the outside air.
The air in a less than full tank contains moisture. For a car that is parked outside in the weather this air in the tank, and the tank itself, will go through many cycles of warming and cooling as the temperature outside changes.
This warming and cooling will condense water out of the air and deposit it in the bottom of the gas tank.
Each time the air warms up it will expand, driving some of the air out of the tank, and when it cools again the air contracts and draws in new air with new moisture.
Keeping the tank full of fuel eliminates the air space and the problem.
The air in a less than full tank contains moisture. For a car that is parked outside in the weather this air in the tank, and the tank itself, will go through many cycles of warming and cooling as the temperature outside changes.
This warming and cooling will condense water out of the air and deposit it in the bottom of the gas tank.
Each time the air warms up it will expand, driving some of the air out of the tank, and when it cools again the air contracts and draws in new air with new moisture.
Keeping the tank full of fuel eliminates the air space and the problem.
I've had the tank filled full and it still seems to get this problem sometimes in the winter, it has done it the past 2 winters now and clears up once I drive the ***** off it a few times, then it's fine from there own out, guess I need to just start it more often and let it run over the winter. Placed some stabil in it this weekend so I'm gonna try to dive it around and get it moving in the fuel system. Hope it helps!
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From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
Originally Posted by Camaroo1
BS its a sealed system!
You are misunderstanding how the EVAP system works. The tank can never be 100% sealed at all times, because air must somehow be allowed to replace the fuel that is consumed by the engine, otherwise vacuum would eventually collapse the tank. There is a vent system to allow air to be brought into the tank. This air contains moisture (unless outside humidity is at 0%).
The system is sealed only in the respect that it does not vent fuel vapor to the outside, but it does draw outside air into the tank as needed.
The air in a less than full tank contains moisture. For a car that is parked outside in the weather this air in the tank, and the tank itself, will go through many cycles of warming and cooling as the temperature outside changes.
This warming and cooling will condense water out of the air and deposit it in the bottom of the gas tank.
This warming and cooling will condense water out of the air and deposit it in the bottom of the gas tank.
OP, Seafoam will also do the trick, it will be able to remove the moisture that is in the tank (by breaking down the chemical bond of H2O) and it will also stabilize the fuel up to 2 years.
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Google says you have it there as denatured alcohol, rite aid, cvs, drug stores. amazing what you can find when you are not an arrogant *******
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From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
I'm sorry, but it seems that you may still be a bit confused as to how the EVAP system works. The tank can never be 100% sealed at all times, because air must somehow be allowed to replace the fuel that is consumed by the engine, otherwise vacuum would eventually collapse the tank. There is a vent system to allow air to be brought into the tank. This air contains moisture (unless outside humidity is at 0%). The system is sealed only in the respect that it does not vent fuel vapor to the outside, but it does draw outside air into the tank as needed.
This is correct. And the air that gets into the tank when you open the gas cap or run the engine contains whatever moisture is present in the outside air at that time. That moisture is then in the tank. It does not simply disappear. Then, the following happens:
Originally Posted by ghardester
The air in a less than full tank contains moisture. For a car that is parked outside in the weather this air in the tank, and the tank itself, will go through many cycles of warming and cooling as the temperature outside changes.
This warming and cooling will condense water out of the air and deposit it in the bottom of the gas tank.
This warming and cooling will condense water out of the air and deposit it in the bottom of the gas tank.