OT: Having your car sitting for a few days ?

30 comments

• twentyfive

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  5 years ago

  try some dry gas sounds like you might have some condensation forming in your fuel lines, its common here at this time of the year, best way to prevent it is keep your gas tank full
• Papi_Chulo

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  5 years ago

  The gas tank was pretty-full - it had rained hard earlier today at my crib so IDK if this had any effect
• Longball300

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  5 years ago

  How old is it? Carburetor? Single point or multi-point fuel injection?
• twentyfive

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  5 years ago

  Could be bad gas that happens also at the older stations, shuddering and sputtering, still it sounds like moisture in a gas line or fuel pump.
• Icey

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  5 years ago

  A car shouldn't do that.4 days isn't long at all.
• Icey

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  5 years ago

  Ive had a car sit for 2 months with no problem
• rickdugan

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  5 years ago

  I've left my high performance vehicle in airport parking for 2+ weeks and it purrs like a kitten when I get back. ;)
• twentyfive

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  5 years ago

  ^ the higher octane fights against condensation and has additives If you’re using premium gas 93 or better
• Papi_Chulo

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  5 years ago

  It's a 2015 Nissan with 50k miles and sequential fuel injection
• Papi_Chulo

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  5 years ago

  I put 93 Octane at either Chevron or Mobile - hadn't had this issue b/f - back in October I had left my car at my bro's house for 10-days and it was fine - supposedly my bro started it once or twice during that time
• bubba267

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  5 years ago

  Agree with moisture in the fuel theory.
• san_jose_guy

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  5 years ago

  Gasoline left in carb or fuel injection jets can turn into varnish. They make cleaners you just pour into the gas tank. Possible could need more extensive cleaning. Injectors which don't close, they cause vapor locking.
  
  Carbureted or fuel injected? What kind of fuel injection, how old? Some kinds of fuel injection had serious vapor locking problem, if jet seals don't close right. Newer kinds usually not like this.
  
  Look for water or oil loss. And always look for ATF getting into the water too.
  
  How old spark plugs, miles?
  
  Either check spark plugs or just buy new ones. But always check old ones for problems. Spark plug checks are an important diagnostic.
  
  https://www.championautoparts.com/Parts-…
  
  Usually if a car sits, all that happens is the battery goes dead.
  
  But what you are describing sounds like vapor locking, or water or oil getting into combustion chambers, or just thrashed spark plug electrodes.
  
  How many miles on car, on spark plugs, on ignition parts, water or oil loss, fuel injected or carburetor?
  
  Oh, I see now, 2015 Nissan, sequential fuel injection. Those very unlikely to vapor lock, as injectors just go straight up to fuel header.
  
  Has low pressure shut off valve to stop fuel from getting out of header when not running. But that could fail.
  
  Probably problem can be found by watching for oil or water loss, and by looking at spark plugs. 50k miles is not a lot, but things do fail. Ways for oil or water to be getting in. This will show if you check spark plugs.
  
  Fuel injector cleaner in tank might help injectors close better. Another good first thing to try.
  
  Any other incidents like this?
  
  Remember, fuel injected like that, they circulate the fuel, up to the header, then back into the tank. Pump has great surplus capacity when running at low power.
  
  SJG
• san_jose_guy

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  5 years ago

  Here in CA they do vacuum check the fuel system and the tank cap, for the semi-annual smog check. Could be cap failing, but there are other parts of fuel vapor control system which could have failed and allowed moisture in.
  
  SJG
• lotsoffun201

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  5 years ago

  Moisture or maybe a bad coil pack
• doctorevil

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  5 years ago

  I agree with the moisture theory, perhaps related to the heavy rain you mentioned. A four day break shouldn’t cause any problems. I have a sports car I rarely drive more than once or twice a month. It always cranks right up and idles smoothly.
• RTP

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  5 years ago

  I am an engineer by degree, although not a very good one, and I also agree that it sounds mostly like moisture or condensation. Could have been the rain, could also be at the gas station. Dry gas or more good gas should solve the problem.
• doctorevil

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  5 years ago

  Where’s Click and Clack when you need them?
• Clubber

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  5 years ago

  Papi,
  
  Come on man! 2 Sentences for a car problem? Should have been a page or two! :)
• ATACdawg

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  5 years ago

  Possibly water in/on the coil assembly as well. Could have caused intermittent shorting until the car warmed up enough to evaporate the water.
• Papi_Chulo

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  5 years ago

  Thanks for the feedback - hopefully it'll drive alright tomorrow - I'll report back.
• Liwet

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  5 years ago

  Have you tried having a mechanic look at it?
• flagooner

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  5 years ago

  4 days really isn't a long time.
• Musterd21

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  5 years ago

  Seafoam
• Mate27

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  5 years ago

  Sounds like water condensation in the fuel line. Go to Napa/auto store and get some product to help clean it out, and if it doesn’t work out on its own, next step is mechanic. This happens in older vehicles usually, but Florida has more rain/water around.
• TheeOSU

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  5 years ago

  ^
  Meat, you could always send him some dry Arizona air. :D
• Jascoi

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  5 years ago

  some people would say Time for a new car.
• crazyjoe

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  5 years ago

  A 2015 is a jalopi?
• twentyfive

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  5 years ago

  ^ No it's a Papilopy
• flagooner

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  5 years ago

  LOL
  
  It's a jalopy if it's an Infiniti.
• Papi_Chulo

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  5 years ago

  The Papi-mobil was back to normal today - IDK if it was rhe heavy rains yesterday or the 4-day R&R, or a combo of both (or something else)