None for me....

My '98 Boxster has a little over 15,000 miles on it, (I only drive it about 800 miles a year.) I occasionally fill the tank, but usually fill it to the 3/4 mark and add fuel when it gets to the 1/4 mark. I use Texaco, 91 octane. I have never had an issue with the car starting or performing as it should. A friend who has six cars of which three get very little use, says I should fill the tank each time I get fuel, and mix a product called Sta-bil with the fuel. I am hesitant to change what I have been doing, since I have not had any problems. I live in West Texas with low humidity, and the car is driven year around, ie., not stored in the winter. Any thoughts from folks on this board would be appreciated. Thanks, Rich

I store my car for about 5 months each year. During that time the engine is not started at all. When I store the car I fill the tank with premium 94 octane fuel and add a bottle of fuel stabilizer. I have never had a problem doing this. I don't think you need to add stabilizer if you are running your car on a regular basis throughout the year.

if you use up the fuel within a month or so, it shoudl be fairly good.
What i might look for is so called "pure" gas, with no ethanol, to minimize the water problems caused by ETOH.

I would also change my oil every year (silly as it sounds) since you are actually making a fine mix of oil water and acid - far worse than those who get it really hot regularly.
I'd also make sure i used an oil with a hgih level of acid neutralizers (bases).

G

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

If you've had the car since new, then not using Sta-bil has worked well for about 19 years. I don't see much need to change now. The key would be if you drive it on a regular basis. If it sits for 4 or 5 months at a time, it would be worth considering adding Sta-bil.

If the tank sits for long periods of time only partialy filled, condensation can form at the top of the tank. Water getting onto the fuel system will cause hesitation, I'd fill the tank all the way when refuelling.

Just curious. With the great weather you have in Texas, is there a reason why you don't drive tbe car more?

Jeff Benson:

2016 Boxster, See it here: www.greatvalleyhouse.com/Boxster

---

First car: 1952 Hudson Hornet

First roadster: 1962 Austin Healy 3000 III

Still have: Computer free 1974 MGB

Previous Porsches since 1982: 924, 944, 944S, and four Boxsters; 97, 03, 08 & 2012

"A mile of highway will take you one mile. A mile of runway will take you anywhere."

You've never had an issue and you drive it year round. I have 356's that I've owned for many years and don't drive for 3 months a year and I've never needed any such product either. I think you're good to go (If it ain't broke.......).

Modern car fuels systems do not vent to atmosphere so there is no "breathing" done by the fuel tank. Thus there is no real concern about the fuel tank accumulating water over time.

As soon as the key is turned on the fuel pump runs and this stirs the fuel in the tank and deals with any stratification. The early Boxster fuel system is a return system so some of the fuel in the fuel lines gets "flushed" back to the tank and stirred up. If the engine fires up and settles in a good idle it would appear the small amount of fuel in the lines ain't that bad.

There is a concern about all of the fuel going stale over time. My experience (with someone else's car) is premium fuel is definitely stale after 6 months. Might note while the engine started and ran without any trouble the engine felt flat. Being unused to the vehicle I figured that was the norm. But after I ran the old fuel down to around a quarter of a tank and filled up with fresh premium, the engine was transformed.

About all you can do is buy gasoline from a busy station to ensure you get the freshest gasoline and well, drive the car enough the fuel doesn't get stale.

I suppose it is too much to hope for you at least change the oil/filter every year...

Stabil fans: oh oh... from a contrarian...

I stored my '80 280ZX Turbo in a cave (old cement mine) located in Wampum PA for.... wait for it.... seven years!! yep... seven. I did not put in any additive, just drove it in, pulled the battery out and left it. The caves are naturally temp and humidity controlled.... this thing was deep in the mountain. My dad and I pulled it out seven years later (OK, maybe 6.5 years). They drive you down in a golf cart.... the tires were near flat despite they say they go around and keep them filled. I put the new battery in, did NOT code in the security numnber (remember those add in systems)..... turned it over about 10 times..... entered the security number..... ZOOOM!!!!! Darn thing started right up!!! Unbelievable. Pumped up the tires and drove back to Dad's house on the interstate... about 1/2 hour drive. Tires were pretty square but smoothed out for the most part about 10 miles out.

No Stabil..... car ran fine...... can't make this stuff up.... Maybe it was the constant storage temperature that resulted in no or little condensation??

Old cement mine storage facility: [wampumunderground.com]

Peace
Bruce in Philly



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/24/2017 09:50AM by Bruce In Philly (2000 S Boxster, now '09 C2S). (view changes)

If you keep burning old gas after yearly winter storage. It can cause valve damage and carburetor problems. After I restored the 1974 MGB in 2000, so my daughter could drive it to high school her senior year, it has been stored every winter and driven very little in the summer leaving the old gas in the tank year after year. Eventually the MG started running poorly and it was getting worse every year. Last year it died completely. My MG specialist gave me the carburetor and valves as possible reasons for the problem. First he pulled the valve cover and found the valves to be working properly although compression was down from what it was in 2000 (if valves had been the problem it would have meant pulling the head and getting a valve job). Instead it was a $600 carburetor rebuild (dual carbs). Same experience with my lawn tractor I've had for 14 years, after leaving gas sit in the tank every winter I had to get the carburetor rebuilt. Also the same thing happened to my chain saw. For the chain saw I have discovered you can buy gas in a quart can that is already stabilized at Home Depot.

Having learned from my MGB experience, last summer I drained the olg gas out of my generator and then put in a couple of gallons of new gas with Sta-Bil. This summer if I don't have an occasion to use that gas I will drain the generator again and replace with new gas+Sta-Bil as a preventative measure.

My MGB specialist is a semi retired automotive tech writer that enjoys rebuilding MG engines and transmissions as well as repairing MGBs, he is well known in the MGB forums. His house has a three car garage with a power lift in the middle stall. He says that "old gas, when you run an engine with it turns into something like varnish, and gums up the works over time".

Better safe than sorry.
Jeff

Jeff Benson:

2016 Boxster, See it here: www.greatvalleyhouse.com/Boxster

---

First car: 1952 Hudson Hornet

First roadster: 1962 Austin Healy 3000 III

Still have: Computer free 1974 MGB

Previous Porsches since 1982: 924, 944, 944S, and four Boxsters; 97, 03, 08 & 2012



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/24/2017 12:55PM by Jeff (Philly). (view changes)

What I got from this is: Fill the tank and drive more. Thanks to all that posted.