Many people have had their cars parked on the street or in the garage for a long time, but hardly anyone has wondered what happens to the fuel. Gasoline and diesel have a shelf life, and aging in a car tank cannot be compared to quality wines, which get better if stored properly.

Gasoline and diesel cannot sit in the tanks for too long, or they can, but in that case they will lose their properties and when you start the car after a few months of standing, there could be problems.

You should use up the gas in the tank after two to three months. Otherwise, it will become a liquid that could damage your engine. Diesel in the tank can last just as short. In biodiesel, with which diesel fuel is mixed, there are bacteria, which will start to work when standing and because of this, sludge deposits will be formed.

Corrosion of the tank or clogging of the fuel supply system is also possible. The diesel in the reservoir should be used up in approximately three months, and at the latest in six months. All these are of course recommendations, because no one knows exactly how much fuel is in the tank, what the temperatures are and how much oxygen is in the tank.

Spent fuel in the tank is not difficult to identify, especially if it gets into your vehicle's engine. The check engine light will come on, which of course can be on for a myriad of other reasons. In this case, it is best to take your vehicle to a service center where they will find the cause of the problem.

As the HAK Review writes, the most common symptoms of using outdated fuel are problems with starting, ignition, rough idling, or loss of power when accelerating. Spoiled fuel must be removed from the tank.