The Lemon Fool

I make no apology but I always record in a notebook my car's mileage, and how much diesel I put in, to calculate mpg. Today the low fuel light came on, and as cash is very tight at the moment, I just stuck in £20 worth of fuel. Guess what? I last fuelled the car in May, about 470 miles ago. Is this a record?

NomoneyNohoney wrote:I make no apology but I always record in a notebook my car's mileage, and how much diesel I put in, to calculate mpg. Today the low fuel light came on, and as cash is very tight at the moment, I just stuck in £20 worth of fuel. Guess what? I last fuelled the car in May, about 470 miles ago. Is this a record?

Which part: the doing 470 miles on a tank, or the not putting fuel in since May?

470 miles for £20 is pretty good

it was realizing that it was five months since I'd last filled up the tank, that's what surprised me. We deliberately cut back on using the car and this reinforced how successful we'd been. Sadly, £20.00 is just about a quarter of a tank of fuel, not a 'fill to the brim'.

Will need to give serious thought to car ownership, as we're inside the M25, and the car is diesel Having been a driver all my life, it would be a major change, to abandon car ownership, yet avoiding car tax and insurance costs every month would be tempting, as long as hiring a car occasionally didn't become prohibitive.

You can try a taxi or cheaper still Uber, that will be cheaper than the occasional car hire
Be cautious letting go of your car go, that is a big move, not sure if I could do that
another inside the M25 (just) dweller

The OP ought to try to analyse just what he used the car for in these 5 or so months and whether the journeys could be substituted by a taxi or public transport. Unless the car is old (and thus will have little depreciation) he will need to add in depreciation, but even without that, he can easily calculate the cost per mile against cash outgoings. He may well conclude that it is simply not worthwhile, but it is much easier not to use a car in the fine summer months. Harder in winter.

I live in semi rural Scotland and would not want to be without my car although, at a pinch I suspect I could, with some inconvenience. I guess he could too.

Personally I am trying to fill my tank only once a month. That gets me about 400 miles which is a big reduction on what I have been doing and will probably not last.

Dod

Dod101 wrote:
Personally I am trying to fill my tank only once a month.

Dod

This is a Good Idea for a completely different reason. Fuel deteriorates with age. With petrol the most volatile fractions evaporate away quite quickly and they are put in to make the engine cold start easily.

With diesel, we now have the 'diesel bug' problem where slimy stuff grows in it when stored for long periods. A major problem with leisure boats and seasonally used farm machinery.

Mike4 wrote:

Dod101 wrote:
Personally I am trying to fill my tank only once a month.

Dod

This is a Good Idea for a completely different reason. Fuel deteriorates with age. With petrol the most volatile fractions evaporate away quite quickly and they are put in to make the engine cold start easily.

With diesel, we now have the 'diesel bug' problem where slimy stuff grows in it when stored for long periods. A major problem with leisure boats and seasonally used farm machinery.

I wonder how long you can store say petrol before it begins to noticeably deteriorate? DAK?

Dod

Dod101 wrote:I wonder how long you can store say petrol before it begins to noticeably deteriorate? DAK?

Dod

As with most things, a quick google gives an idea
Petrol 3-5 months
Diesel around twice as long

https://www.motorbiscuit.com/how-long-c ... your-tank/
The article does point out you don't know how old it is when you buy it

Dod101 wrote:

Mike4 wrote:

Dod101 wrote:
Personally I am trying to fill my tank only once a month.

Dod

This is a Good Idea for a completely different reason. Fuel deteriorates with age. With petrol the most volatile fractions evaporate away quite quickly and they are put in to make the engine cold start easily.

With diesel, we now have the 'diesel bug' problem where slimy stuff grows in it when stored for long periods. A major problem with leisure boats and seasonally used farm machinery.

I wonder how long you can store say petrol before it begins to noticeably deteriorate? DAK?

Dod

BP suggests one month, but you can 'breath life' back into it by topping it up with fresh fuel - https://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp/count ... ndling.pdf

I have also heard it recommended that for people who store their car away over winter that they brim it with super-unleaded before doing so, rather than leaving it partly full with E10 because of the alcohol in that attracting moisture.

pje16 wrote:

Dod101 wrote:I wonder how long you can store say petrol before it begins to noticeably deteriorate? DAK?

Dod

As with most things, a quick google gives an idea
Petrol 3-5 months
Diesel around twice as long

https://www.motorbiscuit.com/how-long-c ... your-tank/
The article does point out you don't know how old it is when you buy it

Thanks. I am no good at thinking like that!. I am actually thinking of some petrol I have had in a container for my petrol mower for some time. I have two containers and it is probably not very sensible as one fill more or less does the season.

Dod

Dod101 wrote:Thanks. I am no good at thinking like that!. I am actually thinking of some petrol I have had in a container for my petrol mower for some time. I have two containers and it is probably not very sensible as one fill more or less does the season.

Dod

I think you'll be OK, all those are time estimates, I suspect it would have to be a lot longer to do any damage, after all your mower isn't a high performance vehicle

Dod101 wrote:I wonder how long you can store say petrol before it begins to noticeably deteriorate? DAK?

Dod

Depends on the fuel, the storage, and the use.

As Mike says, Diesel goes mouldy, but as it is oil it doesn't tend to lose flammability.

U/L in a jerry can will keep for ages if it has a good seal and is more than half full, it will be fine in the bike or car after winter, even stored in a relatively warm dry garage rather than a cold outhouse. The Brigs and Stratton in the lawnmower is fine on the 1/2 tank of fuel that has been there from October to march out in the shed, and the BMW doesn't seeem to mind being left on the CTEK for 5 months and then run on the remnants of half a tank of fuel. The Maserati hated stale fuel, and needed to be run every couple of weeks otherwise it would sulk.

Paul

Dod101 wrote:

Mike4 wrote:

Dod101 wrote:
Personally I am trying to fill my tank only once a month.

Dod

This is a Good Idea for a completely different reason. Fuel deteriorates with age. With petrol the most volatile fractions evaporate away quite quickly and they are put in to make the engine cold start easily.

With diesel, we now have the 'diesel bug' problem where slimy stuff grows in it when stored for long periods. A major problem with leisure boats and seasonally used farm machinery.

I wonder how long you can store say petrol before it begins to noticeably deteriorate? DAK?

Dod

With petrol for my generator on the boat, it seems to last about a year in a sealed can before the genny gets difficult to start on it. In a vented car petrol tank, probably less.

Mike4 wrote:

Dod101 wrote:

Mike4 wrote:

Dod101 wrote:
Personally I am trying to fill my tank only once a month.

Dod

This is a Good Idea for a completely different reason. Fuel deteriorates with age. With petrol the most volatile fractions evaporate away quite quickly and they are put in to make the engine cold start easily.

With diesel, we now have the 'diesel bug' problem where slimy stuff grows in it when stored for long periods. A major problem with leisure boats and seasonally used farm machinery.

I wonder how long you can store say petrol before it begins to noticeably deteriorate? DAK?

Dod

With petrol for my generator on the boat, it seems to last about a year in a sealed can before the genny gets difficult to start on it. In a vented car petrol tank, probably less.

I do notice I need an extra squirt of "start ya bast*rd" when the mowing season comes around after having the machine rested
- compensates for the loss of the top notes (not that I drink the stuff)

-sd

servodude wrote:

Mike4 wrote:

Dod101 wrote:

Mike4 wrote:

Dod101 wrote:
Personally I am trying to fill my tank only once a month.

Dod

This is a Good Idea for a completely different reason. Fuel deteriorates with age. With petrol the most volatile fractions evaporate away quite quickly and they are put in to make the engine cold start easily.

With diesel, we now have the 'diesel bug' problem where slimy stuff grows in it when stored for long periods. A major problem with leisure boats and seasonally used farm machinery.

I wonder how long you can store say petrol before it begins to noticeably deteriorate? DAK?

Dod

With petrol for my generator on the boat, it seems to last about a year in a sealed can before the genny gets difficult to start on it. In a vented car petrol tank, probably less.

I do notice I need an extra squirt of "start ya bast*rd" when the mowing season comes around after having the machine rested
- compensates for the loss of the top notes (not that I drink the stuff)

-sd

Or so you say...

servodude wrote:I do notice I need an extra squirt of "start ya bast*rd"
-sd

Do Halford's sell that in a can, or as a spray

pje16 wrote:

servodude wrote:I do notice I need an extra squirt of "start ya bast*rd"
-sd

Do Halford's sell that in a can, or as a spray

It's a spray can
https://www.nulon.com.au/products/aerosols/start-ya-bastard-instant-engine-starter

servodude wrote:

pje16 wrote:

servodude wrote:I do notice I need an extra squirt of "start ya bast*rd"
-sd

Do Halford's sell that in a can, or as a spray

It's a spray can
https://www.nulon.com.au/products/aerosols/start-ya-bastard-instant-engine-starter

Brilliant
I was joking..... you live and learn

pje16 wrote:

servodude wrote:

pje16 wrote:

servodude wrote:I do notice I need an extra squirt of "start ya bast*rd"
-sd

Do Halford's sell that in a can, or as a spray

It's a spray can
https://www.nulon.com.au/products/aerosols/start-ya-bastard-instant-engine-starter

Brilliant
I was joking..... you live and learn

Well despite earlier comments, I will ensure that my mower holds little or no petrol over the winter months (and anyway that is what the manual advises) Will Aldo pour any leftover fuel into my car’s petrol tank. Thanks for these answers.

Dod