So today we got my Dad's Triumph Vitesse based kit car going after 4 years in storage.

Thing is... It basically was running on easy start to begin with.. but as it woke up it began to idle and run on the fuel in the tank.

That fuels 4 years old.

It went into storage because it started stalling at lights etc so Dad figured the Twin Carbs needing adjusting... but just put it away and left it till now.

So, If it goes, is there any reason to drain the fuel? I mean.. Will old fuel cause any damage or will it just run a bit cackky because it's lost some of it's octane?

Thanks

Rob.

yes, it does go "off", I doubt it would cause any damage, but I also doubt it would run right... I'd just change the fuel for good measure.... gasoline is "volotile" it will evaporate into the atmosphere, and at that age, i wouldn't like to guess what exactly the composition of the liquid left behind is....... I'm sure it will still go 'bang' , but id replace it

Modern petrol goes off quite quickly, due to the way they extract more petrol from a drum of oil. After 4 years, it will be like varnish, and can gum up carb jets and filters etc.

Modern petrol goes off quite quickly, due to the way they extract more petrol from a drum of oil. After 4 years, it will be like varnish, and can gum up carb jets and filters etc.

Agreed.I emptied a tank that had stood for 20 years,it was like penetrating oil.

You can get fuel additives if fuel is standing for a long time.e.g. a classic car over winter.

I believe frosts sell it.

Yes; in particular modern "unleaded" fuels lose their aromatics and volatiles in months rather than years.

Several answers, not sure which route to take.

So I can get an additive to save the fuel? Or is that a preventative additive you put in before storage?

And the 4 year old fuel in the tank counts as "modern" fuel.. And so, if used, could start gumming things up, so running the engine on it is not advised?

I think it's about a quarter of a tank... What's the view on filling it back up with out draining... or is that wishful thinking?

Yes it goes manky after a few months. I used to drain the dank and run the engine dry when I was laying up my bike for winter.

Something with carbs maybe wouldn't be so sensitive as newer engines with injectors.

Several answers, not sure which route to take.

All saying much the same thing though; 4yo fuel is scrap.

So I can get an additive to save the fuel? Or is that a preventative additive you put in before storage?

It's a preventative. I'm not sure it's ever good for "several years" though.

And the 4 year old fuel in the tank counts as "modern" fuel.. And so, if used, could start gumming things up, so running the engine on it is not advised?

Yes, very much so.

I think it's about a quarter of a tank... What's the view on filling it back up with out draining... or is that wishful thinking?

1/4 tank would be what 2 or 3 gallons. Are you so desperate for cash that you're prepared to risk having to strip and clean an entire fuel system to save £18?

1/4 tank would be what 2 or 3 gallons. Are you so desperate for cash that you're prepared to risk having to strip and clean an entire fuel system to save £18?

It's not so much the cost, just working out my options. Wasn't sure if new fuel would help thin out the old stuff.. but I guess if that were the case then everyone would just top up rather than drain. The easier it is to do the more likely it is my Dad will do it, and the sooner it's gone the sooner something mass produced and easy to look after comes to live in the garage. Something built in some kind of logical order allowing access to parts.

You should have seen the palaver it required to change the starter motor.. It took two of us and Axle stands.. several sets of spanners and a piece of string because the car had obviously been built with the drive train in place.. Could NOT get to the nuts, just the bolts and feel the nuts, nice wooden bulk head in the way! GRRRRRRR It's this kinda thing that makes me hate kit cars... mini Marcos & Any 7 are the only exceptions.

Anyways, lol... Questions Round 3.

Best way to drain the fuel? Using the fuel pump or the old hose pipe n suck method?

What on earth do you do with Vintage fuel?

Vitesse-based? What is it? All I can think of is a Bond Equippe, and that had a flip front just like a normal Triumph.

I've no idea how to dispose of old petrol, other than I guess you're not meant to pour it into a tin bath then add a match?

Here... It's an even uglier one of these....

..As for the tin Bath? It'd crossed my mind but don't think the neighbors would go for it... I wonder what fore courts do with large spillages? I'll have a search..

Oh god... It's so ugly!... I mean, WTF's going on with the side window? Did the designer just decide that complimentary lines were over rated and any old angle would do? God I'll be glad to see the back of this car.. Haven't liked it since the day he bought it. Engine is the only thing going for it.. And when I think about that too long I despair at the waste of a mechanically sound Vitesse to build it.

WTF!!? I'd expect Stevie Wonder to come up with a better styled car than that!

Is that a Spartan?

Yes it does go "off" You'll have to drain it and dispose of it in a enviromentily safe way, ask your local council how.

Yeah, it is Fordfan! Good Eye.. going by your user name I'm guessing you've seen a few more of the Cortina based ones? Not sure how much you know but they were Herald / Vitesse based to start with. They actually built them up the road from me here in nottingham.. We suspect ours to be one of the early factory mules because it's got a completely different set of wings both front and rear.. They swoop round Aero morgan style on ours.

This is a pic of Dad's for reference.

Looks like the Fabia pikey arch mod was inspired by a Triumph

We took a Cortina based one in at work around 25 years ago. It's the gap between the wing and the bumper that I remember after mullering my shin on it. Your dads one looks far more pedestrian friendly.

Maybe it was Spartans Prototype safety car version lol..

Someone did a top job on the mods though.. Cuz they are standard wings like you remember with a completely fabricated front extension. Also, You may remember (like the picture further up) that on normal Spartans the head lamps are mounted in the wings.. At some point on my Dad's somebody took the hump off, filled it in and mounted external lamps.. It looks better at the front than most Spartans.. It's a shame the whole things pig ugly as a concept.

Just to shamelessly say..

It's on the bay...

Bid on me, you know you want to!