Old Gas

[LDUBS]

Toss out gas? Whatcha guys doing pouring it into the lake? Guess I'll burn it a little at a time, although I'm still considering just letting is sit in the tanks all winter. I ran the carbs dry on the Merc today and drained the bowls. Any gunk which magically materializes should get caught in the filter, eh?

No I don't pour it in the lake. Maybe the neighbor's weed patch (only kidding). At $6+ per gallon I would hate to dump old gaso. If I had to I would take it to our local hazardous waste disposal place. But if only a couple weeks old, then I agree with the other posts. You may not have a problem. Seems I read what @airshot says to not start worrying until after 3-4 months. Longer if a stabilizer is used.

 

[AlanT]

Many cities have hazardous waste recycling and will take old gas. I've done this before. Some recycling locations will allow you to pour old gas into their drums while others want your gas cans. You could always buy some old gas cans for a couple bucks off Facebook marketplace. At that quantity I would do this. Gas a few weeks old isn't old.

 

[LaqueRatt]

The issue isn't storing it. I have several spare boat tanks and lots of cans. Where I live there is no place to take old gas. When I got just a little bit, like from cleaning parts I throw it on my burn pile, even if I don't torch it, figure it'll evaporate.

When I've looked online before the solution that keeps coming up is burn it in your car. Not real comfortable with that, but you gotta do something with it! As hot as the exhaust gets I don't see the oil sticking around long. I winterized the new boat yesterday, leaving the fuel onboard. It has double the recommended amount of SeaFoam in it, so hopefully it will be OK in the spring.

I'll prob strain it before running it just for the heck of it, but the comment that filters don't work has me a bit puzzled. Why use them then?

 

[beagle]

The obvious answer is run the boat! I guess it's getting colder up there. We're still in the 80's down here.

So many ways to look at it. It's top end and fuel pump lube. It will make a carbureted 4 stroke engine run leaner (less fuel to same air, two stroke oil doesn't burn like gas does so it runs leaner), and who knows what it does to catalytic converters. It's a quart of oil burned in 12 gallons at 50:1, less if you dilute it with a truck tank fill up. It's designed to burn and not leave deposits - it will be a lot cleaner than 4 stroke motor oil.

I run it in the mower, and I'll admit to having run mixed gas in a '95 F150 (351, 4.10's) with no problems previously. I'd put the lawn equipment 32:1 and 40:1 in that truck at the end of the season, about 5 gallons at the most and I'd split it between the two tanks. It ate gas so 12 gallons was less than 200 miles. More like 125 if I was driving, uh, aggressively. I'd top it off and spend the afternoon driving the countryside. I like driving with no particular place to go.

That said, I would take it to the city hazardous material drop off before I would run it in my new truck. Simply not worth the 50 bucks worth of "what if" to me on a truck that cost what new trucks do. Based on your location, they may still accept it? Says gasoline... I'm not sure if this is your location. I took a wild guess. EDIT - oops. Last weekend was the last dropoff. Sorry... maybe the oil change places will take it?

https://www.lcswmd.com/household-hazardous-waste-collections/
You know, or play hookie and spend the day running it out at the lake. Grin.

 

[LDUBS]

Seems like there is a non-issue if the gaso is only two weeks old. Put some stabilizer and use it next season.

 

[LaqueRatt]

Guess that's the plan. I did put a couple gals of stuff I don't know the age of in the truck yesterday and it's running just fine.

Yes the twice a year shindig at the fairgrounds it pretty much the only way to get rid of anything deemed hazardous. Long lines and there's the issue of storing crap for half a year!

 

[thill]

I've put a few gallons of old pre-mix in my truck here and there since it was new in 2005 with zero issues. Dilution is the key. 3-4 gallons in 20 gallons.

Just make sure you siphon out any water in the fuel, if some separates out. I've forgotten a time or two, and it made no issue, as the ethanol in the fresh fuel just absorbed it. I don't like ethanol, but I don't pay $1/gal extra for E-Free except in my generators and small engines and my boats when I'm winterizing

 

[Al U Minium]

My neighbor is a fan of using the 10-15% alcohol in the gas fuel,

I am not

My newest vehicle is a 2002

My Chainsaw, weed wacker, generators, leaf blower, lawn tractors, outboards, 2 cars, 1 truck never see alcohol in the gas

Newer cars can handle the alcohol and the sensors in autos recognize the fuel from the sensors and adjust performance as needed via the computer

My stuff works and has worked and is there when I need it

My neighbor, who I freely call a fool to his face consistantly over his fuel selection, has in his JD lawn tractor - cleaned the tank out, replaced fuel lines, filters, carburetors so frequently I told him I am done helping you, suffer the consequenses, order your own parts and suffer. To save a buck he has done this to a perfectly good lawn tractor. At 75 he has almost had heatstroke working on it in the broiling sun. Can't fix stupid.

He uses Sta-Bil thinking it will stop absorbing water from the air, prevent the fuel lines from gumming up, fuel filters to clog, and corroding the carburetor fuel bowl. Well it doesn't in my opinion - in the gasoline with alcohol in it mix. And in my opnion, sea foam won't fix it either.

Find the station that sells Marine Gasoline and pay the price for it

 

[MrGiggles]

My neighbor is a fan of using the 10-15% alcohol in the gas fuel,

I am not

My newest vehicle is a 2002

My Chainsaw, weed wacker, generators, leaf blower, lawn tractors, outboards, 2 cars, 1 truck never see alcohol in the gas

Newer cars can handle the alcohol and the sensors in autos recognize the fuel from the sensors and adjust performance as needed via the computer

My stuff works and has worked and is there when I need it

My neighbor, who I freely call a fool to his face consistantly over his fuel selection, has in his JD lawn tractor - cleaned the tank out, replaced fuel lines, filters, carburetors so frequently I told him I am done helping you, suffer the consequenses, order your own parts and suffer. To save a buck he has done this to a perfectly good lawn tractor. At 75 he has almost had heatstroke working on it in the broiling sun. Can't fix stupid.

He uses Sta-Bil thinking it will stop absorbing water from the air, prevent the fuel lines from gumming up, fuel filters to clog, and corroding the carburetor fuel bowl. Well it doesn't in my opinion - in the gasoline with alcohol in it mix. And in my opnion, sea foam won't fix it either.

Find the station that sells Marine Gasoline and pay the price for it

I have always heard stuff like this and have never experienced it for myself, despite doing all the "wrong" things.

The best anecdote I can give is a Troy Bilt ZTR that was bought new in 2005. I took the carb apart one time to bypass the backfire solenoid and it was spotless inside. Still has the original fuel filter. Our mowing season is longer than some (April-November) but I never once properly winterized it, just parked it in the shed. It's had straight pump gas with ethanol all it's life, there's only one station here in a 50 mile radius that sells ethanol free, it's a pretty major inconvenience to only get gas from there.

I've certainly fixed my fair share of fuel problems, but never really had any on my stuff.

 

[airshot]

Every one to his own, I have used the E10 since it came out, with no issues. This summer, I pulled out my old rototiller that is 50 yrs old. Hasn't run in 3 years...still had a full tank of fuel. Just dumped that out and added fresh gas, started on the third pull!! My neighbor has been driving his old cars from the 70's on one and two yr old E10 all summer, no issues ! Just don't see why there are complaints about E10....

 

[jethro]

I'm with you airshot, I've been mandated to use E10 fuel for well over 25 years here in NH, I haven't had a problem even in antique motorcycles.

What's making me laugh however is all you in warm states!! Here in NH my snowmobile sits for easily 7 or 8 months with gas in it and my boat sits for easily 4 or 5 months. There is no issue with year old gas if it has been treated properly.

 

[LaqueRatt]

You guys must live right. Any machine I let sit with gas in it for more then 3-4 mos I can count on cleaning the carb.

 

[KMixson]

You guys must live right. Any machine I let sit with gas in it for more then 3-4 mos I can count on cleaning the carb.

I have a lawn mower that does that. Let it sit over the winter and it refuses to start without rebuilding the carb. I have a spare carb for it. I swap it out at the beginning of the season and rebuild the one that came off of it to have it ready for the next years season.

 

[airshot]

I wonder if it is how the fuel at the station is maintained?? Around my area and state, they are inspected and graded. I know of many stations that have failed or poorly rated and I don't go to those!! Where you get your fuel makes a world of difference!! Even non E gas has issues over time, gumout was very popular long before corn fuels !!

 

[LDUBS]

I wonder if it is how the fuel at the station is maintained?? Around my area and state, they are inspected and graded. I know of many stations that have failed or poorly rated and I don't go to those!! Where you get your fuel makes a world of difference!! Even non E gas has issues over time, gumout was very popular long before corn fuels !!

I forgot about Gumout. Been around seems like forever. Like STP.

 

[MrGiggles]

I wonder if it is how the fuel at the station is maintained?? Around my area and state, they are inspected and graded. I know of many stations that have failed or poorly rated and I don't go to those!! Where you get your fuel makes a world of difference!! Even non E gas has issues over time, gumout was very popular long before corn fuels !!

May have something to do with it. I'm lucky, there's a Pilot about 4 miles from me, they pump out a lot of gas in a day.

 

[airshot]

I forgot about Gumout. Been around seems like forever. Like STP.

Yes it has, as a young lad, I tore apart hundreds of carbs that were as we called it " varnished up", had to soak them in gumout for hours and days to dissolve the crud. I remember when they even recomended adding gumout to your fuel tank regularly to keep from getting buildup....any of this sound familiar...nothing has changed !!

 

[davidj65]

I bought a new Yamaha 25 in July and the dealer strongly recommended NOT putting ethanol-free gas in it, because hardly anybody buys it and it just sits and ages. He said I'd be better off with regular gas and stabilizer. I have always put ethanol free gas from the same gas station in my mowers, chainsaws, etc, with no stabilizer, and I've never even drained the gas or added stabilizer. They all start right up in the spring. BUT, I live in a semi-rural area, and the station I buy from probably goes through a lot of it for farm equipment, chainsaws, 4wheelers, dirt bikes, boats, etc. I imagine that makes all the difference.

 

[LaqueRatt]

Well I've been around the block a few times and in the old pre-ethanol days, gas "might" stay good for 6 mos. Now it's what? 2-3? For what it's worth I put Seafoam in every tank of marine gas I mix and also put it in any gas I bring home for the mowers, etc. 1 oz per gal is really cheap insurance against your gas going bad and as a side benefit it actually cleans the motor every time you run it. Seems like a no-brainer to me.

 

[Sea Antsy]

Well I've been around the block a few times and in the old pre-ethanol days, gas "might" stay good for 6 mos. Now it's what? 2-3? For what it's worth I put Seafoam in every tank of marine gas I mix and also put it in any gas I bring home for the mowers, etc. 1 oz per gal is really cheap insurance against your gas going bad and as a side benefit it actually cleans the motor every time you run it. Seems like a no-brainer to me.

AMEN to SEAFOAM... IDK what is in it, but have seen it "WORK" several times... I keep a can next to my gas can and don't go for gas without adding first..