starting car with tank of old petrol

[Ext User(Borked Pseudo Mailed)]

I have stored a Falcon with 4.0 MPEFI motor for
several months. I have started it every two weeks
in that time. Usually this was in the afternoon,
when temperature was over 30 degrees.
I had no problems.
This morning, when temperature was abnormally cold,
I started it and it was hard to start. Furthermore,
it was misfiring on 1 cylinder for about a minute,
then came good.
My housemate, who is a chemist, said it is just
that the volatile parts of the petrol have
evaporated over the months, and these are required
to start a cold engine.
Is this the reason?

[spock]</users/whigton/txt%

[Ext User(Noddy)]

"Borked Pseudo Mailed" <nobody@pseudo.borked.net> wrote in message
news:66ffc5dd0d67fb14a5a36ee5e328f0a2@pseudo.borke d.net...
>I have stored a Falcon with 4.0 MPEFI motor for
> several months. I have started it every two weeks
> in that time. Usually this was in the afternoon,
> when temperature was over 30 degrees.
> I had no problems.
> This morning, when temperature was abnormally cold,
> I started it and it was hard to start. Furthermore,
> it was misfiring on 1 cylinder for about a minute,
> then came good.
> My housemate, who is a chemist, said it is just
> that the volatile parts of the petrol have
> evaporated over the months, and these are required
> to start a cold engine.
> Is this the reason?

Not really.

Most likely the cause it that you're a complete fucktard who should be
raped, beaten, shot and then burnt.

--
Regards,
Noddy.

[Ext User(John_H)]

Borked Pseudo Mailed wrote:

>I have stored a Falcon with 4.0 MPEFI motor for
>several months. I have started it every two weeks
>in that time. Usually this was in the afternoon,
>when temperature was over 30 degrees.
>I had no problems.
>This morning, when temperature was abnormally cold,
>I started it and it was hard to start. Furthermore,
>it was misfiring on 1 cylinder for about a minute,
>then came good.
>My housemate, who is a chemist, said it is just
>that the volatile parts of the petrol have
>evaporated over the months, and these are required
>to start a cold engine.
>Is this the reason?

Doubt it.

I'd suggest looking for signs of water in the fuel tank if the petrol
smells OK.

Anything less than 12 months under extreme temperature conditions
would be unlikely to have a significant effect on the fuel.... And,
unless it's contaminated in some way it'll normally work fine (start
and run) so long as it smells like normal petrol.

I buy some of my petrol in bulk. The storage tank which is vented to
atmosphere (unlike a modern car's fuel tank) only gets filled once or
twice a year. In spite of the inevitable losses due evaporation I've
never had problems with it. I also live in the tropics, where the
average temperatures are higher than most.

For whatever reason, 2-stroke premix (petrol plus oil) goes off a lot
quicker than straight petrol (and doesn't smell right when it does).

--
John H

[Ext User(Just JT)]

"Noddy" <me@home.com> wrote:
>
> "Borked Pseudo Mailed" <nobody@pseudo.borked.net> wrote in message
> news:66ffc5dd0d67fb14a5a36ee5e328f0a2@pseudo.borke d.net...
>>I have stored a Falcon with 4.0 MPEFI motor for
>> several months. I have started it every two weeks
>> in that time. Usually this was in the afternoon,
>> when temperature was over 30 degrees.
>> I had no problems.
>> This morning, when temperature was abnormally cold,
>> I started it and it was hard to start. Furthermore,
>> it was misfiring on 1 cylinder for about a minute,
>> then came good.
>> My housemate, who is a chemist, said it is just
>> that the volatile parts of the petrol have
>> evaporated over the months, and these are required
>> to start a cold engine.
>> Is this the reason?
>
> Not really.
>
> Most likely the cause it that you're a complete fucktard who should be
> raped, beaten, shot and then burnt.
>
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Don't hold back now....

--
Don't.be.bashful.

[Ext User(Jason James)]

"John_H" <john4721@inbox.com> wrote in message
news:qrsbt3l75okf7jpj77c0egsg33jut9ph82@4ax.com...
> Borked Pseudo Mailed wrote:
>
> >I have stored a Falcon with 4.0 MPEFI motor for
> >several months. I have started it every two weeks
> >in that time. Usually this was in the afternoon,
> >when temperature was over 30 degrees.
> >I had no problems.
> >This morning, when temperature was abnormally cold,
> >I started it and it was hard to start. Furthermore,
> >it was misfiring on 1 cylinder for about a minute,
> >then came good.
> >My housemate, who is a chemist, said it is just
> >that the volatile parts of the petrol have
> >evaporated over the months, and these are required
> >to start a cold engine.
> >Is this the reason?
>
> Doubt it.
>
> I'd suggest looking for signs of water in the fuel tank if the petrol
> smells OK.
>
> Anything less than 12 months under extreme temperature conditions
> would be unlikely to have a significant effect on the fuel.... And,
> unless it's contaminated in some way it'll normally work fine (start
> and run) so long as it smells like normal petrol.
>
> I buy some of my petrol in bulk. The storage tank which is vented to
> atmosphere (unlike a modern car's fuel tank) only gets filled once or
> twice a year. In spite of the inevitable losses due evaporation I've
> never had problems with it. I also live in the tropics, where the
> average temperatures are higher than most.
>
> For whatever reason, 2-stroke premix (petrol plus oil) goes off a lot
> quicker than straight petrol (and doesn't smell right when it does).

FWIW. I found old ccars with the cap off the tank, but the flap closed, went
off faster than when the tank was sealed. A Falcon will easily last 2-3 yrs
if the cap has been on. Off fuel smells revolting. Much like turps with a
green sludge in the carby.

Jason

[Ext User(John_H)]

Jason James wrote:
>"John_H" <john4721@inbox.com> wrote in message
>news:qrsbt3l75okf7jpj77c0egsg33jut9ph82@4ax.com...
>> Borked Pseudo Mailed wrote:
>>
>> >My housemate, who is a chemist, said it is just
>> >that the volatile parts of the petrol have
>> >evaporated over the months, and these are required
>> >to start a cold engine.
>> >Is this the reason?
>>
>> Anything less than 12 months under extreme temperature conditions
>> would be unlikely to have a significant effect on the fuel.... And,
>> unless it's contaminated in some way it'll normally work fine (start
>> and run) so long as it smells like normal petrol.
>
>FWIW. I found old ccars with the cap off the tank, but the flap closed, went
>off faster than when the tank was sealed. A Falcon will easily last 2-3 yrs
>if the cap has been on. Off fuel smells revolting. Much like turps with a
>green sludge in the carby.

The OP was particularly concerned about the loss of the more volatile
components, which is likely to affect the octane rating, but probably
won't affect other critical properties unless the losses are extreme.

A reduced octane rating won't affect starting and idling, though it
would affect engine performance under load.

--
John H