Questions about Storing truck - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

72gmcshorty · 10-10-2004, 01:14 PM

My truck has been sitting in my garage for half the year now. I started it up yesterday and ran it for a while and noticed a VERY strong smell of varnish (or turpentine not sure which). I'm guessing my gas has soured. What do I need to do now to fix this and how can I prevent it from happening after I fix the problem. I need to drive the thing more often but I can't afford to. Is the oil also toast now too?

72gmcshorty · 10-11-2004, 12:49 PM

Anybody?

mrein3 · 10-11-2004, 12:59 PM

I'd change the oil no matter what.

As far as the gas goes you need to either treat the he!! out of it with a product like Stabil or Seafoam or stop using ethanol when you know it is going to sit. Ethanol blended fuel can seperate in as little as TWO WEEKS.

I only allow ethanol blended fuels into cars I drive on a daily basis. For everything else I find a pump marked as having no ethanol.

I quit treating the fuel my boat a couple of years ago. It sits from November 1 or so until the middle of April. I've never had a problem. In my old boat I put ethanol in it twice. Each time I had to rebuild a carb on the outboard.

Stryker67 · 10-11-2004, 02:17 PM

You should just get somebody (like me) to take it off your hands....... That would be easiest....... Seriously, I would drain the gas, and put some good fresh gas in with some fuel treatment. Drive it around to help clear the carb.

jimfulco · 10-11-2004, 10:45 PM

Depends on how much gas is in it now. If it's just a few gallons, you could put a few more gallons of fresh gas in it & drive it. Then when storage time comes, put some fresh gas & some Sta-Bil in it, then drive it enough to get some treated gas into the carb. Sta-Bil will slow the deterioration of the fuel from oxidation, but it will not stop the lighter components of the fuel (the stuff that makes it easier to start when cold) from evaporating. If it's full of bad gas now, I'd siphon some out & sacrifice it creatively.

Lippyp · 10-12-2004, 05:37 AM

Get a big can of carb cleaner and once it's running on fresh gas give the carb a good long spraying (pull the filter off first!) This should make sure that any gum in the carb gets dissolved away. I'd also run a few tanks through with some fuel system cleaner in it too.

10-10-2004, 01:14 PM	#1
72gmcshorty Registered User Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: North Delta, British Columbia Posts: 1,344	Questions about Storing truck My truck has been sitting in my garage for half the year now. I started it up yesterday and ran it for a while and noticed a VERY strong smell of varnish (or turpentine not sure which). I'm guessing my gas has soured. What do I need to do now to fix this and how can I prevent it from happening after I fix the problem. I need to drive the thing more often but I can't afford to. Is the oil also toast now too? __________________ 1992 Gmc 2wd 1972 Chevy Blazer 2wd

10-11-2004, 12:49 PM	#2
72gmcshorty Registered User Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: North Delta, British Columbia Posts: 1,344	Anybody? __________________ 1992 Gmc 2wd 1972 Chevy Blazer 2wd

10-11-2004, 12:59 PM	#3
mrein3 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Center City, MN, USA Posts: 3,254	I'd change the oil no matter what. As far as the gas goes you need to either treat the he!! out of it with a product like Stabil or Seafoam or stop using ethanol when you know it is going to sit. Ethanol blended fuel can seperate in as little as TWO WEEKS. I only allow ethanol blended fuels into cars I drive on a daily basis. For everything else I find a pump marked as having no ethanol. I quit treating the fuel my boat a couple of years ago. It sits from November 1 or so until the middle of April. I've never had a problem. In my old boat I put ethanol in it twice. Each time I had to rebuild a carb on the outboard. __________________ '70 cab, '71 chassis, 383, TH350, NP205. '71 Malibu convertible '72 Malibu hard top Center City, MN

10-11-2004, 02:17 PM	#4
Stryker67 Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Location: Fayetteville, Ga. Posts: 150	You should just get somebody (like me) to take it off your hands....... That would be easiest....... Seriously, I would drain the gas, and put some good fresh gas in with some fuel treatment. Drive it around to help clear the carb. __________________ [FONT=Georgia] If nothing else, we can all serve as a bad example. We don't know what we don't know. The world needs ditch-diggers too.

10-11-2004, 10:45 PM	#5
jimfulco Registered User Join Date: May 2003 Location: Shreveport LA Posts: 3,170	Depends on how much gas is in it now. If it's just a few gallons, you could put a few more gallons of fresh gas in it & drive it. Then when storage time comes, put some fresh gas & some Sta-Bil in it, then drive it enough to get some treated gas into the carb. Sta-Bil will slow the deterioration of the fuel from oxidation, but it will not stop the lighter components of the fuel (the stuff that makes it easier to start when cold) from evaporating. If it's full of bad gas now, I'd siphon some out & sacrifice it creatively. Last edited by jimfulco; 10-11-2004 at 10:47 PM.

10-12-2004, 05:37 AM	#6
Lippyp English Chevy Owner Join Date: May 2002 Location: Shropshire, UK/ Lot, France Posts: 1,848	Get a big can of carb cleaner and once it's running on fresh gas give the carb a good long spraying (pull the filter off first!) This should make sure that any gum in the carb gets dissolved away. I'd also run a few tanks through with some fuel system cleaner in it too. __________________ Phil '67 C10 long fleet. 350/TH350, 4 bbl Carter, K&N, Dual exhaust, loads of stuff coming soon 2001 S10 Blazer Daily Driver, bone stock 4 door 4x4 with manual transmission



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