If I can run the Plug-in Prius on EV for a week (or a month) without using much Gas, will I need to add Gas Stablizer? Without Guessing, who really knows?
For what it's worth, this is the faq from the Sta-Bil co: http://www.goldeagle.com/faq/default.aspx#2 My boat mechanic recommends using every fillup regardless of time spent in storage.
What's in fuel stabilizer? What is the chemical reaction that removes water, gum, and varnish? Where does the water, gum and varnish go?
FWIW, I've had a point where I was only putting in gas in my cars about once a month since I was putting on so few miles. Nothing bad happened, as far as I could tell. One of the cars I sold in July though...
I will tell you guys this coming from a Volt owner, and I am sure Toyota will have the same recommendations.. The Volt manual specifically states to NOT put any products like Stabil in the fuel tank. The Volt has its own system of fuel control to preserve the fuel in the tank.. In my mind now, the Plug In Prius should not need the Volts pressurized fuel tank (keeps water from condensing).. Also Chevrolet requires us to put Premium gasoline in it.. Every 6 weeks the engine will run 10 minutes to burn off some gas, and lubricate the engine. If after a year somehow you still have the same gasoline in the tank the Volt will then burn off the entire gas tank to the low level light (the gasoline age is an average based on how many times you have refueled, etc)... The Volt manual also tells you though that if you know for a fact you are not going to burn gas to not put more than a couple gallons in the tank (it has a 9gal max capacity) I imagine the Prius should not need a system like that with a 15 mile range, and it not having as powerful of an electric motor as the Volt. I do expect you guys will do amazing things with the car achieving 90-100mpg on it. I do not think the gas will have an opportunity to go bad though. I very well could be wrong.. I do not use the Volt for much more than going to work, and making emergency trips to the store during the week, and the 40 something mile range is barely enough for that. I think at best the average PiP owner will get one way on the Li-Ion battery, and get 50mpg (hopefully 60) on the way home.
I beleive the Prius Plug-in does have a pressurized fuel tank, unlike a 'regular' Prius. The PiP has a button on the dash to pop open the gas tank door while the regular car has a traditional floor lever/wire syetem to pop the fuel filler door open.
That pressurized tank is a mother the first couple times you refill it, LOL... When I first started looking at the Volt Nimnicht Chevrolet just handed us the keys to the demo without explaining anything at all... So of course I am out there with my wife opening every door, and messing with all the buttons. Hit the fuel door, and could not figure out why it wouldn't open right away. I thought it was broken. After we bought ours it was some 3 weeks later when I actually needed to put gas in it, and I was at an Exxon station with the manual. Figured out that you must press & hold the button and wait for the "Ready to Refuel" message to appear on the driver screen. Now that I know that it is easy to put gas in it.
Seafoam can be used as a stabilizer, and it's just isopropanol, naphtha, and pale oil. The isopropanol will absorb any excess water. I guess the rest keep the octane up, which is the other problem with aging gas. Home brews use diesel for the pale oil.
