Fuel System Inhibitors

[n/a]

Gentlemen:  A question.  A lot of us in the northern climates relegate our cars to winter storage. or even storage in general for terms of 6 months or longer.  This modern unleaded gasoline that we are now using is well known for turning to a brown sludge over time and causing all kinds of grief in fuel systems. What do SL owners do to pre-empt this problem in storage, and what product is used as a fuel system inhibitor, or is in fact nothing used at all?  Has anyone had problems with gasoline degradation with cars in storage?

With my fleet of vintage motorcycles, I can turn off the gas and run the carbs dry.  I do the same, with my tractor, chainsaw, and grass whip.  I can't do that on my Honda ST1100 motorcycle so I use a commercial product to inhibit the fuel system.  Since I am new to the mechanical fuel injection of the Benz, I'm wondering if next winter that I should be using the inhibitor in its fuel system.  Your comments please.

Jim Hunter
Ottawa, Canada

JLHunter

[Jonny B]

I am in NE Ohio, and do store my car over the winter. As the time grows close for storage, I will try to maneuver to have about a half a tank of gas, then when ready to store, I will put in a bottle of Techron, fill it to the top with Premium grade, drive to the garage and then park it til spring. This was the same procedure I used with my 107 for some years, and I never had a problem.

Jonny B
1967 250SL Auto

[graphic66]

I always add a fuel stabilizer like Stabil as per instructions. You are creating a recipe for problems shutting off the fuel and running the engine out of fuel. The film of gasoline and small puddles in the carb dry and create varnish deposits that plug the carb. These deposits are deadly to two stroke motors as the usually plug the high speed jet and melt the piston at full throttle. Also always fill your fuel tank to stop condensation and to help make it.   less volitale during storage. On engines I rarely use I always add stabilizer to the fuel. I have never had any problems using this system.