I was just going to post that I was pleasantly surprised today - went and got the Toronado out of storage after almost 6 months. Expected the worst, but it started right up and the clock is even exactly right!

What's the longest you squeezed out of yours with no trouble?

 

i had a 91 Quad 442 W-41 that sit for 3 years. i took the battery out when i parked it. when i put the battery back in it fired right up. it ran like crap from bad gas but that went away with a new tank of gas. i will never let one sit like that again. my Rallye 350 has sit for several months at a time but don't know how long.

 

Living in Canada my car sits for 6 months every year.

Wayne

 

I use the gas stabilizer and refill the carb via the vent befor cranking. Starts on the first turn of the key. Usually sits for at least 2-3 months at a click.

 

Probably have squeezed out about 4 months without any problem.

 

23 years....yup 23 years. Put a battery in it, replaced the coil (had it mounted upside down and it leaked), pulled the plugs squirted oil in the cylinders and cranked over by hand. Splash of gas in the carb and it fired right up, on 23 year old gas!........God I love my Cutlass!!

 

I can only go a few days without driving mine at the moment - and that is because the convertible top leaks and it has been a rainy couple of days

 

My 71 sat for 10 years. Fogged it before putting it away. I did have to replace a freeze plug. Other than that it was fine.

 

My 86 often sits for 6-10 months at a time. I keep a low current charger on the battery that turns on a few hours a day.
I do make sure that all the gas in the tank is replaced each year at the latest.
Never a problem with running it, but it takes a bit of cranking at first to refill the carb.
The 7 year old battery finally shorted out internally and needs replacing. THAT is the reason for using a low current charger. Had it been a high current one, the short could have caused the battery to heat and rupture. I found out about it by just glancing at the ammeter, which was pegged!

 

13 years while I was stationed overseas. It was wrecked so I had to restore it upon return but pretty much the same story, squirted oil in the cylinders, turned it by hand, poured gas in the carb and it started. It did belch a little smoke for a few minutes but after that it ran smooth.

 

longest time 2-3 weeks just can't pass up a sunny day. Don't use salt around here so we can drive ours year around. Don't think I could take 6 months without driving the 57

 

Not exactly letting it sit, but I drove my convertible into the garage in 1994!!! was just going to do some minor restoration and fix some "little" spots of rust, then got sent overseas for a "quick" 90 TDY that lasted 4 years LOL... came home started doing the "little" things and one thing lead to another, Pulled the body off the frame in 2000, and well kinda snowballed after that. Then with a family, bills, work, a few more trips overseas things got stalled until I found this site, you guys got be back on track and

I THANK YOU!!!!

This is the most fun you can have! (with your clothes on!!!)

 

on more than one occasion it sat for over a year. no fuel stabilizer, only a Solar brand battery maintainer. the Delco battery lasted 9 years. the only problem, the leaking POS Holley carb

 

well maybe this isn't as easy as it seems. something stinks. I went home for lunch, parked in the garage (actually kinda noticed it last night so maybe it is as simple as bad gas) when I went out to leave it stunk in there, not the usual gas smell, but nasty.

It also kinda ran like crap when I nailed it, actually dying when floored (ok @ secondaries opening but further killed it - was fine when I let up a bit)

There was just over 1/2 a tank in there for 6 months.

My mechanic said run it out, fill it with super and ethanol medic.

ok. But the thing is when I got back to work it kinda smelled, just in the parking lot.

I took off the gas cap, smells fine, like gas.

I stuck my nose where the wipers are, smelling under the hood (just driven and stopped) no smells.

WTF???

 

Sat for about 5-6 months this winter while the weather was bad and I was working on it. Just pulled the battery. Fired right up after a little cranking. Something to be said about a low compersion 350.
Larry

 

Better keep a fuel filter in the car. That old gas has been known to clog it up.

Mine sits for up to a year at a time because I travel for work. Never given me an issue with starting after a few cranks...... Oh,boy... shouldn't have said that out loud!

 

Maybe you hit an escaped Flamingo from Hialeah

 

filling it with super will not do anything, zip, zero, nada. it will not "clean it out" as many people think.

gas that has gone bad will have a sickening sweet smell. no pour in the tank additive will bring it back to life. if the previous gas in the tank was a winter blend it will deteriorate faster than a summer blend. could be the old gas was just on the verge of turning.

fill it, run it, see what happens

 

thx Blk, I used to use super than stopped and it has run better on regular

I think it's a combo of ethanol and age

summer winter blends here may not apply (south florida) but who knows.

1 thing I do know, my present 1/2 tank will be gone tonight, just have to find that happy medium between really low and out of gas

I think the ethanol has affected the sender a bit (or I am just paranoid)