Most of the vehicles that circulate in Spain are gasoline and diesel. Despite the growing adoption of more environmentally friendly technologies, internal combustion engines continue to be preferred by a large part of drivers, as proven by the latest sales data. In September, 38.2% of the passenger cars registered in our country were gasoline and 12.4% diesel. Pure electric vehicles only represented 5.4% of the market share.
Both gasoline and diesel are the main sources of power for the cars that circulate on Spanish streets and highways. In general, vehicles travel an average of around 12,000 to 15,000 kilometers per year, which means that drivers visit gas stations frequently to refuel.
However, while there are motorists who far exceed this number of kilometers, others tend to use the car very infrequently, especially if most of the trips are limited to urban terrain. In this sense, public transport and other shared mobility options, such as motorcycles, bicycles or scooters, are gaining ground as more sustainable and economical alternatives for these trips.
It may be the case that drivers who use their car little have a tank with fuel that has been in it for a long time. In some situations, even when the car is only used during vacation periods, we could be talking about several months. This raises a question that we rarely consider: does gasoline expire?
In reality, gasoline does not expire, but over time it degrades. This is because the hydrocarbons that form it - butanes, butenes, methylnaphthalene... - oxidize and generate insoluble compounds. These residues can cause a breakdown in the elements that are part of the car's power system or even in the injection system, RACE reports on its blog.
Contact with oxygen and high temperatures are the factors that most easily contribute to hydrocarbons degrading. They are also affected by the light that falls on the gasoline itself, the compounds in the fuel itself, and the presence of metals or moisture in the gasoline.
According to the motoring club, if gasoline or diesel spends more than six or twelve months in a tank, residues will appear that can cause breakdowns in the car's fuel and injection systems. The three elements that are most exposed to these problems are the injectors, the sender and the fuel pump.
Following the RACE recommendations, it is advisable not to leave gasoline in the tank for a period longer than 3-6 months, in order to prevent possible mechanical problems in the feeding and injection systems. In serious cases, this prolonged stay of fuel in the tank could require replacement of the injection system, the pump or even the tank.
