All my seasonal vehicles and equipment are stored with FULL tanks of non-ethanol, premium gasoline AND SeaFoam as a stabilizer/system cleaner as insurance. Full to prevent condensation in the tank. Empty or non-full tanks are invitation to moisture, and will especially damage steel tanks and fuel systems with interior rust. I thoroughly believe this to be the best practice, I’ve done this for decades now, and have never had ANY fuel related issues since my first negative experience with ethanol based fuel that started me on this practice. I had a 1980 motorcycle that I stored with a full tank of fuel as I always had, BUT this was one of the first years ethanol was being added to “water down” gasoline. At that time, we did not know what we know now about the problems ethanol gasoline can cause. The bike actually sat in storage for 3 years this round, because I simply had no desire to use it. Then one summer, I had the “bug” to ride and I took it out. Put the battery in and turned it over, it wouldn’t fire. I popped the gas cap, the tank was empty. I was sure I stored it full but maybe...? So I proceeded to pour new gas in the tank and I had a “shower head” of holes raining below! The still sitting ethanol separated to the bottom of the tank and rotted it through. I bought a new tank, new gas, still no fire. I found the carburetor totally gummed up with a green algae over a thick layer of yellowish “paste” below. After a thorough cleaning, the bike ran well again. Ever since, I’ve practiced this new storage method, and the inside of my steel motorcycle tank is still like brand new. Clear to the bottom. At one point this bike sat in storage for several years again, then when I turned it over, it fired right off.
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