How long before gas goes bad?

GDawg

Founding Member
Mar 22, 2002
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Nevada
I just filled up to a little over half a tank with 91 octane. Then started tearing down my car. It's been sitting for three weeks now and may be sitting for another three weeks since I have very little off time due to my job.

When do I have to start worring about the gas being less than acceptable?

BTW, it's sitting cause I'm putting in my SC and don't want to fire it up if the gas becomes questionable.
 
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I always dump my gas can after 2 months that I use for the go cart. It might still be good at that time, but I just like to use fresh as after a couple months. Ive never looked into its life span.
 
Well, I let my car set for around 6 months without driving it, and the gas was fine 6 months later.

Of course, I treat my gasoline with Amsoil PI fuel treatment, so that's probably why it stayed fresh.
 
I would like to know this too. I'm shipping out for 6 weeks and the gas will be sitting in the car for that long. I'm gonna have my dad fire up the car once a week and let it get up to operating temp. Anything else i need to do?
 
Typically our wonderful pump gas starts going bad in 28 days.. Use it up. You can get 2-3 months if you use a bit of Stabil gas treatment. (red stuff in metering jug at local parts store)
 
When I still lived in the midwest, I would usually use that Stabil in my gas right before I put my Mustang in storage. The gas in my tank would be there for 6 months before I used the entire tank after getting it out of storage. Never had any fuel problems or engine problems at all. Even if I did'nt use it and let my gas sit in my tank for 2 months with no Stabil, I never had any fuel problems.
 
04GTMustang said:
Ive heard about every month you lose an octane number so 6 weeks you should have nothing to worry about.
Thanks. I'm gonna have my dad start it up once a week just because i love the damn car and won't let her sit for 6 weeks without a bit of rumbling :D
 
I've stored mine for a 6 month deployment and came back and it ran fine. Top up your tank though. The worst thing is having a partially full tank because the empty part will be subject to condensation, then you get water in your fuel and that leads to trouble.
 
When I was NA, a delivery truck ran OVER my bumper when they pulled out of the parking space next to my pony. My car was in the body shop for 5 weeks with half a tank. It was in there so long cause Roush wouldnt send out the bumper to them, only a roush dealership. And when I got the car back, it kept stalling out on me. I whomped on it a few times and it didnt help, so I ran it down to E and filled it up and never had the problem again. This was Mobile gas, cause thats all I use.