[ankur2018]

Hi members,
Hope everyone is safe and healthy.
I have 2018 BMW X3. I have not been driving my car much in the past 2 months, just 1-2 times a week for essential trips, so maybe just 2-3 km/week.
I have not filled gas in past 2 months in the car.
So, I probably have old gas in my car. I haven't put any fuel stabilizer in my car.
My check engine light came on today, so I'm guessing that could be because of oxidation of gas in the car gas tank?

So, In order to fix it, can I just fill the gas tank with new gas to the brim and add a fuel stabilizer in the car to fix the issue?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. TIA

[cooolone2]

If you've been driving it a few times a week, the issue isn't the gas.

Have you read the codes (CEL)? Find out what they are and stop guessing.

Good luck!

[ankur2018]

Thanks for your reply cooolone2.
Actually the check engine light also came on a month ago. I took my car for service that time and the code and problem which came up after checking was :-
COMPLAINT: CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON -- LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON/OFF
INTERMITTENTLY -- CHK AND REPORT FINDINGS
CAUSE: UPPER AIR FLAP DRIVE MALFUNCTION.
CORRECTION: HOOKED UP BATTERY CHARGER AND ISTA, FOUND FC FOR
UPPER AIR FLAP. PERFORMED TEST PLAN, TOLD TO REPLACE
UPPER AIR FLAP CONTROL DRIVE. DIAG CODE D1150 00000000 40
009.
REMOVED & REPLACED UPPER AIR FLAP DRIVE. CLEARED FAULTS.
TESTED AGAIN,
OK.

So I don't think if this time its for the same reason.

[cooolone2]

Don't think, don't guess... Get the codes read! Go from there.

Honestly, it doesn't mean the fix worked, or that was the original issue. But codes will guide the way.

Worst thing people do is shotgun parts at a problem, thinking they know what the issue is. Is like having a health issue, get the right tests and diagnosis and then decide on what to do. Guessing and throwing things at your health may or may not work out well, lol.

[LOW4LYF]

Not after 2 months, never.

I have some of my cars sitting for a year or longer without any issues.

[ankur2018]

Originally Posted by cooolone2

Don't think, don't guess... Get the codes read! Go from there.

Honestly, it doesn't mean the fix worked, or that was the original issue. But codes will guide the way.

Worst thing people do is shotgun parts at a problem, thinking they know what the issue is. Is like having a health issue, get the right tests and diagnosis and then decide on what to do. Guessing and throwing things at your health may or may not work out well, lol.

ok, thanks a lot for the advise.

[ankur2018]

Originally Posted by LOW4LYF

Not after 2 months, never.

I have some of my cars sitting for a year or longer without any issues.

thanks for your feedback.

[davidr3]

Yup, as others said. Read codes then go from there. Anything else is shooting in the dark.

[chassis]

Old gas is an urban myth.

The codes posted have nothing to do with gas.

[ankur2018]

Originally Posted by chassis

Old gas is an urban myth.

The codes posted have nothing to do with gas.

Hi, I did put in new gas yesterday and the check engine light went away after driving a 1-2 kms.

[BMWZ4]

Originally Posted by ankur2018

Hi, I did put in new gas yesterday and the check engine light went away after driving a 1-2 kms.

Again, check the codes. Maybe you have an Evap valve fault and by removing the fuel cap to top up your fuel it cleared the CEL. Highly unlikely topping up with fresh fuel is the issue

[spta97]

Originally Posted by chassis

Old gas is an urban myth.

The codes posted have nothing to do with gas.

It's really not a myth, but less impactful on fuel injected engines.

Carburated engines suffer badly from stale fuel.

The problem is the ethanol in the gas is hydroscopic and will absorb moisture over time causing gum deposits.

This is more of an issue of you have lawn equipment - I had to replace my carburetor twice on my snow blower before I learned. Even when the gas is new it can have been sitting in the station tanks for a while (especially now).

It's good practice to use stabilizer and run ethanol free fuel (available at home stores) if a carburated engine is going to sit longer than 30 days.

Like I said, less of an issue with FI engines, but not a myth.

https://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/31/does-gas-go-bad/

[Efthreeoh]

Gas does not go stale in 2 months. Modern car fuel injection systems are designed to use ethanol content fuel. Just take the car out for an extended highway run, top off the tank and add Stabil to the fuel tank at a ratio of 1-ounce per 5 gallons of gasoline and drive home. The Stabil bottle has a built-in measurer. It doesn't need to be precise.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by spta97

It's really not a myth, but less impactful on fuel injected engines.

Carburated engines suffer badly from stale fuel.

The problem is the ethanol in the gas is hydroscopic and will absorb moisture over time causing gum deposits.

This is more of an issue of you have lawn equipment - I had to replace my carburetor twice on my snow blower before I learned. Even when the gas is new it can have been sitting in the station tanks for a while (especially now).

It's good practice to use stabilizer and run ethanol free fuel (available at home stores) if a carburated engine is going to sit longer than 30 days.

Like I said, less of an issue with FI engines, but not a myth.

https://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/31/does-gas-go-bad/

Ethanol gas just tears up lawn equipment. I use Stabil year round in my lawn equipment fuel. There is an app available to find ethanol-free fuel.

Just replaced the carburator last weekend on my 20-year old Craftsman lawn mower. Runs like a champ now.

[spta97]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Ethanol gas just tears up lawn equipment. I use Stabil year round in my lawn equipment fuel. There is an app available to find ethanol-free fuel.

Just replaced the carburator last weekend on my 20-year old Craftsman lawn mower. Runs like a champ now.

I switched from Stabil to Startron. It was recommended by a lawnmower repair shop.

I had an old bottle of Stabil and it turned into a gummy mess. Perhaps it would fair better when mixed, but I was a bit worried about it.

I run the star tron in all the gas, but at the end of the season I run it dry and then run for a few minutes of True Fuel that they claim has an indefinite storage life. I haven't used my snow blower in years..

I'm not convinced that stale gas has zero impact on FI engines, but definitely not in 2 months.

[BMWZ4]

When I had a 3rd vehicle that was stored during the winter I would top up (Shell V) and add fuel treatment and it sat covered in my garage for 5+ months. Zero issues come spring.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by spta97

I switched from Stabil to Startron. It was recommended by a lawnmower repair shop.

I had an old bottle of Stabil and it turned into a gummy mess. Perhaps it would fair better when mixed, but I was a bit worried about it.

I run the star tron in all the gas, but at the end of the season I run it dry and then run for a few minutes of True Fuel that they claim has an indefinite storage life. I haven't used my snow blower in years..

I'm not convinced that stale gas has zero impact on FI engines, but definitely not in 2 months.

I'll look for it. I've never had an issue with Stabil going "stale" LOL. But I can see your concern though if that happened. I run all my equipment dry in November over the Thanksgiving day weekend. I keep my chain saws dry unless I use them, which is why I picked up an electric battery powered saw last year. They are getting pretty good now. For light saw work, it makes it easy to drop in a battery and "fire" it up.

[spta97]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

I'll look for it. I've never had an issue with Stabil going "stale" LOL. But I can see your concern though if that happened. I run all my equipment dry in November over the Thanksgiving day weekend. I keep my chain saws dry unless I use them, which is why I picked up an electric battery powered saw last year. They are getting pretty good now. For light saw work, it makes it easy to drop in a battery and "fire" it up.

One thing I used to do is bleed the last bit of gas out of the carb which is really what causes the damage. Some have a drain specifically for this purpose, others you have to take the bowl off. It’s easy to lose the tiny parts when doing the latter so I now I run dry and then run for 5 min with the true fuel.

This way it removes all the old gas.

Sorry to OP for the off topic posts