# Gas getting stale? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [August 14, 2014, 8:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-getting-stale/86609 "2014-08-14T20:23:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![melott](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/melott/32/10827_2.png) [@melott](https://community.cartalk.com/u/melott)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 8:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-getting-stale/86609/1 "2014-08-14T20:23:37Z")
I have an old Chevy Tahoe which I don’t need to drive much. (It’s a second car.) Anyway, I would like to do what I can to keep it in shape and avoid paying for gasoline stabilizer. How long will gas be ok without it? (Car parked on carport.) Am I right that ethanol-free gasoline will last a little bit longer without going bad? Any other advice? (Don’t bother telling me about battery, oil, running engine as I already know about that.) Thanks ---
**Author:** ![wesw](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wesw/32/2713_2.png) [@wesw](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wesw)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 8:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-getting-stale/86609/2 "2014-08-14T20:49:44Z")
yes ethanol free gas will last much longer, but it is more expensive and a fill up with it will cost more than a small bottle of stabilizer. even so, I would get ethanol free gas and shell out 5-6 bucks for a bottle of stabilizer that will be enough for 5-6 fill ups. also keeping the tank full will help eliminate condensation and oxidation , both of which will accelerate the gas going bad ---
**Author:** ![ken\_green](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/ken_green/32/816_2.png) [@ken\_green](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ken_green)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 8:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-getting-stale/86609/3 "2014-08-14T20:57:59Z")
Just pay for Staybil. My 79 has not had any gas added for two years ! Right now, today, it will start right up . ---
**Author:** ![wesw](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wesw/32/2713_2.png) [@wesw](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wesw)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 9:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-getting-stale/86609/4 "2014-08-14T21:06:22Z")
lol ken, you are right I think, but its about time to burn that old gas up isn t it? I think if you live in a dry area of the country gas will last longer too ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 11:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-getting-stale/86609/5 "2014-08-14T23:09:40Z")
If you could run a tank of gas through it every 3 months or so I would skip the Stabil. Otherwise, it’d be cheap insurance IMO. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 11:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-getting-stale/86609/6 "2014-08-14T23:29:38Z")
A bottle of Stabil costs like, 14 bucks. I don’t understand what the big deal is. ---
**Author:** ![melott](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/melott/32/10827_2.png) [@melott](https://community.cartalk.com/u/melott)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2014, 12:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-getting-stale/86609/7 "2014-08-15T00:23:16Z")
This beast has a 30 gallon tank. How much Stabil is that? ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2014, 12:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-getting-stale/86609/8 "2014-08-15T00:39:31Z")
Gas, even E-10, should be okay for 6 months…With a stabilizer, it’s good for a year or more…You don’t need to keep 30 gallons in the tank…10 gallons is plenty…How old is your Chevy? If the gas tank is sealed (does it have a carbon canister?) condensation is not a problem… ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2014, 12:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-getting-stale/86609/9 "2014-08-15T00:45:04Z")
I’ve got to go start mine up. I get ethanol free and also put stabil in. Yeah it costs a little more but so what? It just sits there anyway. I think last year I added about $20 worth. ---
**Author:** ![wesw](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wesw/32/2713_2.png) [@wesw](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wesw)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2014, 12:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-getting-stale/86609/10 "2014-08-15T00:47:56Z")
I need to do the same to mine bing… ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2014, 12:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-getting-stale/86609/11 "2014-08-15T00:54:08Z")
The 10 oz bottle says ‘treats up to 25 gallons’, costs about $5. Cheap insurance. ---
**Author:** ![satisficer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@satisficer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/satisficer)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2014, 3:36am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-getting-stale/86609/12 "2014-08-15T03:36:08Z")
If burn your Tahoe’s soon-to-be-stale fuel every 3 months, you’ll spend about $80 to fill the tank. If you use a can of Stabil (or another additive) you will spend maybe $7 or $8.