Gasoline has a limited shelf life, and over time its quality deteriorates, which negatively affects the performance of the car. The lifespan of a fuel is influenced by various factors, including temperature changes and sealing.

According to standards, the shelf life of gasoline does not exceed five years, regardless of brand and octane number. Gasoline must be stored in optimal conditions, away from oxygen and without sudden changes in temperature. These conditions are difficult to achieve when using a car, so some experts reduce the shelf life of gasoline to six months or even a year.

During the process of evaporation and oxidation, gasoline loses its octane number, and sediment may also form, especially during long-term storage in a car tank. Direct contact of fuel with brass and copper impurities in the intake tube and mesh of the fuel tank also accelerates the oxidation process, especially when the car is in an open parking lot with sudden temperature changes, reports Tarantas News with reference to AvtoVzglyad.

The use of gasoline that has lost its characteristics leads to negative consequences, such as the formation of soot and tar in the fuel system and engine cylinders. This also affects the traction characteristics and dynamics of the car, and fuel consumption increases. A solution to the problem may be to dilute the old fuel with new fuel with a higher octane number to clean the system.