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Does Gas Go Bad?
By ERIC PETERS, AOL AUTOS[/align][align=center]
(Good Article on `Gas) A `SpaceShareProduction [8D]

Does gasoline really go "bad" if you leave it unused for a period of time? Some people are convinced this is just another urban legend, and that people who worry about "old gas" and spend money on fuel stabilizer are wasting psychic energy as well as cash.
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But in fact, gasoline can degrade over time. That can lead to a number of problems, ranging from hard starting, to rough running, to no starting at all.
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Here's Why
Unlike crude oil, gasoline is a highly refined product brewed to a certain chemical composition with very specific characteristics. One characteristic of gas is volatility, a term used to describe how easily and under what conditions the gas vaporizes so it can be efficiently burned in your car's engine.
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[:@][8D]" The most highly volatile components in gasoline also tend to evaporate over time. " [:@][8D]
[:-][/align][align=center][/align][align=center][/align][align=center][/align][align=center][/align][align=center]The most highly volatile components in gasoline also tend to evaporate over time. As they do, the remaining fuel's volatility and ability to combust properly degrades. The less volatile the fuel, the less effectively it burns in your engine. The result is diminished engine performance. Your engine may still start and run, but it probably won't run as well.

The good news is, once the old gas has been consumed and the tank is topped off with fresh fuel, the problem should cure itself. Evaporation of volatile compounds can be limited by making sure the gas cap is secured tightly. For the same reason, be sure all portable gas containers are sealed tightly as well.

A More Serious Problem: Oxidation[/align][align=center][/align][align=center][:-]
Hydrocarbons in the gas react with oxygen to produce new compounds that eventually change the chemical composition of the fuel. This leads to gum and varnish deposits in the fuel system.
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[/align][align=center][/align][align=center][/align][align=center][/align][align=center]These deposits and impurities can clog up gas lines and filters,[:-][&o][] as well the small orifices in a carburetor and the even smaller orifices in a fuel injector. Removing these deposits can be expensive and your vehicle may not run at all or run very poorly until they are removed.
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Water Contamination[/align][align=center][/align][align=center][:-]
Condensation can form inside your gas tank and lines from heat cycling. Fuels such as E85, which have a high concentration of ethanol alcohol, may be even more susceptible to water contamination, as ethanol likes to draw moisture out of the surrounding air.
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Water contamination can be a problem at gas stations with light traffic due to a slightly different kind of heat cycling. The underground storage tanks experience increases and decreases in temperature. This can cause moisture to form and contaminate the fuel.[:@] When you fill up at such a station, you're pumping in the water along with the gas.[:@] Such low-traffic stations may also have other contaminants in

 

Gasoline can turn to varnish if left to sit long enough.

People I talk with on Chevy Talk say gas left in a gas tank over a period of time allows moisture to collect in the tank and promote rust.

You can pour new gasoline in with the old stuff and the engine will run better till the old is used up.

 

What fool wrote that fuel stabilizer was a waste of mone?

Sounds like some Zhithead.

 

 

Oh I'm sorry Space,he meant a waste of cash.