Leaded gas and VP race fuel

[jww426]

Well....Im obsessed with gas for all my old cars. Performance and storage concerns are legion.
Here's what I learned by calling the Tech service at Sunoco Racing and VP Racing:

• Racing fuel has better Alkaloids, and is a purer distillation off the crude oil.

• Mix with pump gas is a BAD IDEA period. Use this  only as a temporary solution for a week plus in the tank only. (Im guessing 2 weeks max)
(No real word whether or not adding leaded race gas will help preserve pump gas.)


• For all vintage cars, use leaded gas, or ethanol-free gas if possible. (Liberty 87) 
T-Lead is only necessary for an octane rating boost.

• VP makes "Vintage VP", 98 RON for old cars. Shelf life is 6 years. (Blue color)     All VP leaded fuels (ALL ethanol free) will last 6 years if stored in steel drums.

• BTW:   ALL Sunoco race fuel is ethanol-free, leaded or unleaded. FYI.

What I didn't learn was WHY leaded fuel has a greater shelf life than the crappy ethanol pump gas (3 months)–––– or even Unleaded race fuel which Sunoco says will last 1.3 years if stored properly out of the light. (Steel containers are best. Plastic jugs should not be used to store fuel for more than 2 weeks.)


If anyone knows why  (For Sure)  leaded race fuel has a greater shelf life let us all know.
Thanks!
John

[Ghoste]

Why did they say mixing it with regular pump fuel was bad?
My guess on the ethanol shelf life would be its ability to absorb water.   

[jww426]

Mixing leaded race fuel and ethanol pump gas is bad.
Mixing it with Liberty non-ethanol gas is OK.
Basically, stay away from ethanol gas is the idea for all old cars.

• Use Gumout Fuel System Cleaner once a year to clean your fuel lines, carb, etc.

JWW

[davidcam69]

I don't know the answer to why but I can tell you that racing fuel does have a very long self life. Back in the 90's we were removing the fuel cell in our race car and got rid of 5 or 6 gallons of racing fuel by putting it in my son's 70 GTX that sat in the corner. At least 7 years later we removed the fuel from the stock tank thinking it had to be bad. To our surprise the fuel looked and smelled the way it did the day we bought it. Put it back in and it ran fine. I do know it was mixed with pump gas but don't know if it was ethanol free or how much. I've had non ethanol gas go bad over the winter. I have never had ethanol gas go bad. 

[Wicked72]

hell i keep some stinky old fuel in my plastic cans for months and it runs my cars fine when i need it.

[jww426]

• Store fuel outside, but if winter-stored in a building it must be well ventilated. Below 40 degrees F.

• Do not store gasoline or leaded racing fuel in plastic jugs for more than 1 week. The fuel eats into the plastic eventually, the ethers leak out, and light of any kind destroys the fuel. Use steel containers instead.

• If fuel is stored outside, it should be kept on the north side of the building so it never gets any direct sunlight

• Use Gumout Fuel System Cleaner once a year to clean your fuel lines, carb, etc.   (The best says many mechanics)

[moparnation74]

Lets clarify this up a bit.  Here is from Sunoco's website.

http://www.racegas.com/article/index

Mixing is only an issue with o2 sensors and catalytic convertors.

Shelf life is longer and is decreased by light exposure, air exposure etc.

[Ghoste]

Okay, that makes more sense, it does not somehow make the fuel become "bad", the lead as we know is bad for modern engines.

[moparnation74]

Okay, that makes more sense, it does not somehow make the fuel become "bad", the lead as we know is bad for modern engines.

Correct,  the lead is mainly there to produce more octane.