I recently put my car in storage for the winter. My question is if I should leave gas in the tank (1/2 full) or not? I know running your tank low all the time can cause your tank to rust. Would leaving my tank empty over the winter do this? Also, if I had gas in the tank by spring would the gas in there be junk? Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank You

 

if you are planing on storing your car for long time fill it up FULL with fresh fuel and add fuel stabilizer.

 

fill it up and add the stabilizer and you should be fine, then if you can go out and start the car about once or twice a month that will help it immensly too.

 

I thought starting it & running a short time would be worse than not running it at all. But taking the car out & REALLY running it (20-minute actual driving) sorta defeats the purpose of storing it...

 

I just pulled my car out of storage, it was stored on an Army base while I was in Iraq for a year. Stored outdoors, full tank of gas, no fuel stabilizer, ran like a champ when I pulled it out.

And starting up the car about once a month and just letting it idle for about ten minutes will help the battery stay charged, thats about the only benefit I see from it. I just had my battery disconnected while I was storing it.

 

I'd agree on that one.... I had one of my cars stored for a year while I was playing army over there too and it ran fine afterwards... running them once in a while helps keep the battery charged and can prevent some rust (just ensures that everything inside the engine gets re-oiled and water circulates) Will it hurt anything to leave it for a year? No, probably not but as was mentioned disconnecting the battery is a good idea too.

 

gas usually last for the 3-4 months of winter. I would recommend that you at least start and get the car up to operating temp and drive it a few miles once a month so that you do not get flat spots on the tires, everything is getting lubed (engine, trans ps, etc) and suspension and brakes do not get stiff and rusty

 

if you are goping to store it and not move it at all........i would raise the car and put it on blocks. this way my help reduce tires flat spots ......if car sits too l,ong,, also it is a very good idea to start the car and let it run rven if you do not drive it out of the stored place again if car is on blocks you can go through all the gears,, the the main thing running it will keep all the seals lubed,,, after car has been sitting a while and no running , it might dry up the oil seals , make them crack and develop an oil leak ..

if you are storing it and going to another state,, i would have a relative, a trusted friend and or neighbor to do it for you..

 

Thank You for all your replys. I always wondered why my Dad had his 73' chevelle SS up on blocks. Now i know. I filled my tank with gas and added fuel stabalizer. My storage garage is close enough to where I live I can go run it ever once in a while. Besides, I dont think I could go a whole winter without sitting in it or running it. Thanks