Using Old Gas

[swampcedars]

There is a guy that has a couple of above ground Unleaded Gas tanks, good condition, with about 400 gallons in them. The Gas is 16 months old, has not been treated. I have no problem using it for the tractors, but am concerned about using it in the car and truck...was thinking of mixing it in at about a 4 to 1 ratio?

Any knowledge on this out there? The stuff is definetly weak.

-Swamp

[DM]

I'd do the same as you said, use it in my tractor, or mix it a little at a time with fresh fuel in my car...

I've done this in the past without problems..

DM

[Tightwad]

It's not so much that the gas is "weak" as it is
now lacking much of the vapor components that
make it easy to ignite. The 'aromatics' are the first
components to vapor off over time as they are the
weakest in the carbon chain that makes up gasoline.

With gas this old you really shouldn't use it in
anything but lawnmowers or other carburetor
engines. NEVER, EVER USE OLD GAS IN A FUEL
INJECTED VEHICLE UNLESS YOU WANT A BIG
REPAIR BILL FOR PLUGGED INJECTORS.

The best use of this old gas is lighting brush fires.

Believe it or not......Gasoline & Diesel DOES spoil.

[ChoochCharlie]

I agree. It would be great in a 2 cycle engine or rough and tumble 4 cycle like a boat motor or tractor, but I would not put it in my car or truck. The repairs would out weigh the savings.

[Michael32170]

Read this:
http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/abstract.cgi/iechad/1949/41/i08/f-pdf/f_ie50476a048.pdf?sessid=6006l3

[DavidOH]

With gas this old you really shouldn't use it in
anything but lawnmowers or other carburetor
engines. NEVER, EVER USE OLD GAS IN A FUEL
INJECTED VEHICLE UNLESS YOU WANT A BIG
REPAIR BILL FOR PLUGGED INJECTORS.


Ditto. *The truck with a carb runs just fine on old gas.
It sat for 2 YEARS, and fired right up on the same old gas left in the full tank. *I would't dare use old stuff in the truck with fuel injectors.

Oh, and I never used any fuel treatment in it!

[Nickathome]

Untreated gas will even clog a carbureted engine in due time. Best to simply get rid of it, or in the case of storage use it up on a regular basis and replenish. Do not let it sit for long periods.

I think the man being spoke of here is going to find himself with over 400 gallons of varnish that will be useless for whatever he had originally intended.

[jlmissouri]

I would agree to avoid its use in injected vehicles. I have ran hundreds of gallons of old, and sometimes very old gasoline in my truck. I haul a lot of scrap, and a lot of the tanks will have quite a bit of fuel. When my lawn mower could not keep up, and fuel prices went sky high, I started burning it in my old truck. Carb fed 300 six. I mix it with additives, and fresh fuel. Three years plus, and no problems. Although over time I am sure you might have to clean the carb up.

[Catalpa]

Man, I'd be really really careful about using old stuff.

I learned an expensive lesson this summer...had some old gas in the shed, didn't realize it had become varnish instead of gas, and put it in my lawnmower tractor. I have a nice JD 23 horse with only 150 hours on it, and it just about ruined it. Wouldn't start, wouldn't run, nothing. Cost me a fuel filter, fuel pump, and needle-float-carb assembly. Big bucks for a moment of inattention. It still doesn't run quite right; lots of burping and farting and clearing it's throat and nasty smelling exhaust. I still have to keep putting fuel line cleaner in it, too. I think next summer I'll have to figure out how to take the gas tank off and thoroughly clean it out.

I suppose if you have an old beater truck with a carb, and cut the old stuff with fresh gas, it might be alright, but any old gasoline I have around is now strictly for starting brush fires.