Using Car After 13 Years - What To Do About Stale Fuel?

ReganAndCarter

ReganAndCarter

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I'm moving early next year and the new house will have a double garage, so I can rescue my 1986 Carlton from the single garage that it sat undisturbed in since 2007. It's the original shape MK1 facelift, 2.2 CDi. I'm going to have a play with it and see if I can re-commission it.

I'm aware that petrol degrades, but what state will it be in now? Will it just be a liquid that's lost it's volatility, or will it have turned to gum in some areas? Presume the tank will need steam cleaning and rubber lines replaced, but what about the injection system? Will this be damaged and clogged and need stripping and cleaning? How much damage does old fuel do, and what will be worst affected?

Note to Herts P&D - Yes, yet another thread about an old Vauxhall that poss should have been scrapped. You can search if you want, but the porn sites I star on are under a different user name. ;) :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:
 
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For sure the petrol will be well stale by now and will hardly be combustible.....more like parrafin really!
You need to empty the tank and renew all fuel filters. After that, see if the fuel pump will run by turning the ignition on and loosening any pipe connection onto the fuel rail, waiting for fresh fuel to spurt.
The injectors may be ok but can either be replaced (£25 abouts if I recall) or can be ultrasonically cleaned by an injection specialist who will also check the spray pattern.
You never know you may just get lucky with it, but make sure the battery is good and there’s plenty of oil in.
I don’t know if this engine has a timing belt but if it has, I’d give it a good look see before trying for a start.
John :)
 
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Burnerman said:
For sure the petrol will be well stale by now and will hardly be combustible.....more like parrafin really!
You need to empty the tank and renew all fuel filters. After that, see if the fuel pump will run by turning the ignition on and loosening any pipe connection onto the fuel rail, waiting for fresh fuel to spurt.
The injectors may be ok but can either be replaced (£25 abouts if I recall) or can be ultrasonically cleaned by an injection specialist who will also check the spray pattern.
You never know you may just get lucky with it, but make sure the battery is good and there’s plenty of oil in.
I don’t know if this engine has a timing belt but if it has, I’d give it a good look see before trying for a start.
John :)
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Thanks John. Poss worth trying to clean and replace as much of the fuel lines/filters as poss and try some petrol in a cleaned tank then. Try some injector cleaner in there too. If it doesn't run right, how easy is it to remove injectors as I only have experience with carbs?
 
Injectors are usually easy enough to replace, often retained with a spring clip - I can’t comment on yours particularly or how easy access is though!
A resistance check across the injector is somewhere in the region of 18 ohms.
John :)
 
Burnerman said:
Injectors are usually easy enough to replace, often retained with a spring clip - I can’t comment on yours particularly or how easy access is though!
A resistance check across the injector is somewhere in the region of 18 ohms.
John :)
Click to expand...

Thanks again John. Will get my meter out. And camera when I get organised.

Also, it's ye olde timing chain - so one thing less to go wrong. It's the old cam in head engine, used in CFs, early Cavaliers and Mantas if my memory serves me.
 
You might be surprised with the state of the petrol. It doesn’t degrade as much as you’d think as long as the tank has been sealed.
 
Lower said:
You might be surprised with the state of the petrol. It doesn’t degrade as much as you’d think as long as the tank has been sealed.
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The fuel cap's been left on all those years, but I suppose it's not 100% airtight. Hoping it's just lost it's volatility so it's useless but still liquid. If it had gummed up that would be a lot more than just draining and blowing the old stuff out. Wasn't sure how much it would change in 13 years.
 
ReganAndCarter said:
The fuel cap's been left on all those years, but I suppose it's not 100% airtight. Hoping it's just lost it's volatility so it's useless but still liquid. If it had gummed up that would be a lot more than just draining and blowing the old stuff out. Wasn't sure how much it would change in 13 years.
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It’ll still burn when you drain the tanks....

I’d just drain the old petrol, replace with new, turn the engine over without the fuel pump connected and the spark plugs removed to get some oil around the engine and then see if it will start. Bet you it does :)
 
Lower said:
then see if it will start. Bet you it does :)
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So do I. Reasonably simple, old school technology. Ran like new before I laid it up - only 80K on clock and well looked after. Shame they don't <<<<<<<<<<<<<< fetch money like the old Grannies which are a much better investment.

Will put a bit of diesel down bores too to ease things after all this time. Don't want to rush and do damage to what I know to be an excellent engine
 
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The brakes, lights, indicators, wipers, suspension probably won't be working. But who cares, it's an old Vauxhall.
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just as an aside, has it been left standing on the tyres, check those as well, as they may no longer be circular , tyres cracked and degraded, may be an issue, so be careful before you do drive the car
 
I bet fuel pump will be siezed/ gummed up and require replacement.

Injectors may be salvageable with an ultrasonic clean?.

Highly unlikely you have any liquid fuel left in the tank?.

I've had the joy of doing this a few times and it's not pretty.
 
I drained the fuel out of a Morris Minor I was rebuilding, it had been stood for 14 years you could put a fire out with it! Sniff the petrol it has a very different smell when its gone off.
 
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