I recently did the head gaskets on my 91 loyale spfi. I timed it and made sure that the timing belts are spot on, not a tooth off. I then timed the distributor to 20* BTDC with the first cylinder on the compression stroke using an inductive timing light at 750ish rpms (warm) and the green connectors together. The car idles like a hot knife in butter, smooth and silky.

 

Next, I disconnected the green plugs, and turned the car off. I restarted it and it idled the same. Then I applied the gas...not so nice. The car kinda boggs down for a little until the rpms pick up and it seems to pick up just fine and it goes down to idle again.

 

I checked all the vacuum lines and installed a new fuel filter. Long story short, the gas is about 6 months old. I think I put some seafoam in it before it was parked, but I can't recall. How old is too old for gas and would it cause these symptoms or am I missing something?

Long story short, the gas is about 6 months old. I think I put some seafoam in it before it was parked, but I can't recall. How old is too old for gas and would it cause these symptoms or am I missing something?

 

6 months ain't old for gas, especially when treated with seafoam, treated gas should go more then 2 years, and I know on some of my outboards, I've used treated gas that's over 3 years old and the stuff ran fine.

I never new anything but "stabil" worked.

Seafoam, really, as a gas stabilizer?

 

never knew that.

 

I have run 3 year old gas, without any stable, and was fine. But that was premium from Amoco, the ultimate grade.

 

Every year i deal with a car with at least 1 year old gas in it.

and I have had them sit for six months and the gas go bad.

I figure it's the humidity here. water in the air causes fuel to turn?

I never new anything but "stabil" worked.

Seafoam, really, as a gas stabilizer?

 

never knew that.

 

I have run 3 year old gas, without any stable, and was fine. But that was premium from Amoco, the ultimate grade.

 

Every year i deal with a car with at least 1 year old gas in it.

 

I just fired up my old chain saw for the first time in three years just before christmas (had to cut down a christmas tree) I didn't realize I had put it away with fuel in the tank 3 years ago, it was treated with seafoam before storage, and 3 years latter on the 4th pull, it fired right up and ran fine. I'll use seafoam over stabil any day.

 

This time when I was done with the saw, I made sure I drained the tank and ran it dry before I put it away.

Ok I just went to the seafoam site, it states keeps gas stable for 2 years.

 

 

thanks

Ok I just went to the seafoam site, it states keeps gas stable for 2 years.

 

 

thanks

 

the boating forums swear by the stuff, they even got a concentrated anadote formula that they mix in with a gallon of fuel and run that straight through the engines to "clean them out" I've thought about doing that to my subie a time or two, but after soaking the cylinders in sea foam (because of bad compression, and feeding it through the vacuum lines, and doing a tripple dose through the fuel tank as well as a hefty mix in with the oil, my old EA82 now runs like a swiss watch, no TOD or nothin ....and it's still not leaking oil (had to throw that one in there for good measure)

Edited January 10, 201214 yr by Stubies Subie

But that was premium from Amoco, the ultimate grade.

 

I hate to burst your bubble, but octane and additive packages are totally different beasts. All of the "tier one" fuels will have the same additive package, for cleaning, longevity and stability no matter the grade. A fuel's resistance to knocking won't effect the fuel's ability to sit for long periods of time.

I never new anything but "stabil" worked.

Seafoam, really, as a gas stabilizer?

 

never knew that...

 

Me Neither, Thanks for the info.

 

Well... about the problem with your Subie's engine, Does it boggs down a Little even after Driving it?

 

I Was thinking about a fail on the "Choke" that those SPFi systems has, but I'm not sure on the name...

 

is it "Choke"?

 

Kind Regards.

fuel life depends on where you are... down here in texas where ALL of our gas contains corn juice (ethanol) the gas is only rated for 90 days :-\. If your gas is ethanol free, it will last up to 4 times longer. Biggest problem with ethanol is that it is hydroscopic (blends with water) and it blends with fuel. It holds water to itself and oxidizes the fuel faster... I know a lot of northern states that have ethanol in the low grade, but the premiums dont. Lucky barsteds

We seem to have ethanol in all grades around me here in Oregon. But one of the stations in Sandy did put a new pump in with a smaller above ground tank that is ethanol free. The stuff is over $4.00 a gallon though. (was close to $5gal when they first installed it several months ago)

Supposed to be for off road use only.

 

I've heard the 90 days shelf life on the new blends of gas as well. But I usually have plenty of Seafoam and Stabil sitting around so if something is gonna sit, it gets treatment.

fuel life depends on where you are... down here in texas where ALL of our gas contains corn juice (ethanol) the gas is only rated for 90 days :-\. If your gas is ethanol free, it will last up to 4 times longer. Biggest problem with ethanol is that it is hydroscopic (blends with water) and it blends with fuel. It holds water to itself and oxidizes the fuel faster... I know a lot of northern states that have ethanol in the low grade, but the premiums dont. Lucky barsteds

 

We have a winner.

 

Yet another way Ethanol will harm you.

 

6 month old Ethanol gas will cause problems. Sta-bil was slow to put out an "Ehtanol" produst but they have, it' sgreen, and usually called Marine.

 

I can start an old VW with 10 year old real gas long before one with a year or two old gas with Ethanol in it. Just sayin..