What to do with old gas?

[Fless]

Would like to get ideas about what to do with old gas. In the fall (hopefully) we'll be replacing the engine in my son's WRX that's been sitting for at least 4 years, and we'd like to pump the old gas out of the tank so the new engine sees fresh gas when we get around to starting it. It might have 5 or more gallons in the tank.

Any suggestions as to what to do with the old gas?

 

[Doubeleive]

it will work for green burn piles, that an a old tire will get a wet green pile going.
parts cleaner
mix with oil and use in 2-stroke
otherwise I have added a little old gas to a tank of fresh gas, it's never caused any problems

 

[89Suburban]

Use it as parts cleaner

 

[tuckerrnr1]

Mr. Molotov, hand raised high "Oooo, oooo!"

 

[SpareParts]

I put it in a water bottle with a pinhole in the lid. Perfect for spot killing weeds.

 

[West 1]

I gave 43 gallons to a guy that makes his own diesel fuel. We drained a boat with a 502 fuel injected GM V8 that had sat 4 years+. The old gas had already plugged 6 of 8 injectors. The only other place I found to dispose of this fuel wanted $10 per gallon to dispose of it!

 

[Joseph Garcia]

Like @Doubeleive, I either bleed it into my vehicles along with the good gas, or I use it directly in my John Deere tractor.

 

[Dantheman1540]

My 94 ranger couldn’t tell good gas from bad gas if it tried. 9:1cr and 160 horse powers isn’t effected by a few old gallons mixed in with good gas. Wouldn’t do it in a carburetor but early fuel injected motors don’t care in my experience.

But old gas as parts cleaner, or weed killer works too.

 

[89Suburban]

Run it 50/50 in your power equipment.

 

[homesick]

Put it in your crappy neighbor's car.

joe

 

[petethepug]

Put out a sign for “Free Generator Fuel” BYO containers.

 

[Fless]

We were able to power up the body and the fuel gauge read about 1/4 tank, so maybe 5 gallons or so, very manageable. I'll probably dilute it little by little into my DD, as well as do a few things suggested.

 

[Doubeleive]

My 94 ranger couldn’t tell good gas from bad gas if it tried. 9:1cr and 160 horse powers isn’t effected by a few old gallons mixed in with good gas. Wouldn’t do it in a carburetor but early fuel injected motors don’t care in my experience.

But old gas as parts cleaner, or weed killer works too.

lol, I have a spot of weeds I have been trying to kill for almost 10 years, nothing kills them I have dumped you name it on them, everything except weed killer, stuff just grows back

 

[Dantheman1540]

lol, I have a spot of weeds I have been trying to kill for almost 10 years, nothing kills them I have dumped you name it on them, everything except weed killer, stuff just grows back

You gotta dump gas then dump lit matches, problem solved .

Real talk tho there’s some vines down here called smilax. Almost nothing kills them, you have to dig all of their potato like roots up to get rid of them. Leave even a small piece and they come back. Been playing street chemist and dumping stuff in them for years.

 

[Coveman]

Its ok for killing weeds but try not to breathe it or get it on your skin, its not safe. Probably the biggest problem with old gas is water (and ethanol attracts water) but if it runs ok in a mower you can use it in small engines around the house. Wouldn’t hurt to add some stabilizer to it.

 

[SpareParts]

lol, I have a spot of weeds I have been trying to kill for almost 10 years, nothing kills them I have dumped you name it on them, everything except weed killer, stuff just grows back

Mix a little engine oil in with it also. I use 2 stroke oil. I find it makes it work a lot better!
I think it keeps it from drying up too fast.

 

[West 1]

UPS in Sacramento switched the delivery rigs to Diesel several years ago. They let the old gasoline tank sit for over a year before offering the left over gas for free to employees. Those that had low fuel tanks at the time had total engine damage, valves stuck in the heads letting the pistons hit open valves. Total overhauls needed. Many had less than empty tanks and maybe got 1/4 tank of free gas. Those engines lived but ran like crap till it was burned up and new fuel installed.

Talk with any machine shop about old gas damage and you will hear true horror stories, same for Lawn mower shops, most have signs warning you not to run old gas in engines.

When an engine runs on old gas it does not burn well, there is a residue like shellac that forms on the piston heads and on the valves. It is actually pretty on the pistons but is shiny goo that is hard to remove if you are trying to save the pistons. It also leave a god awful smell in the engine that will have the entire machine shop stinking after the engine is torn down. Anyone that has been around one of these bad gas engines knows the smell. It is not horrible but very distinct and you don't forget it.

I only share this hoping you guys can avoid similar fate. $50 worth of gas is not worth destroying a $7500 engine, or if you count labor make that number $15,000.

I repaired a boat for a friend 3 years ago, lucky for her 6 of 8 injectors plugged when they first launched the boat after sitting for over 4 years. The boat held 65 gallons of gas, it had around 20 gallons in it of bad gas. A potential buyer of this boat added 20 gallons of fresh gas "to be safe" before his test drive of this boat before buying it. My friend was a recent widow and was selling off her husbands toys. Someone she knew wanted to buy the boat and she let them take if for a test drive after putting in a new battery. It never ran long enough to move much past the dock. Plugged 6 injectors on a 8.2l GM big block which killed the engine and saved it from Piston and valve damage.

I flushed all 8 injectors, washed a gold goo like gel out of them and got them spraying a good pattern again. Flushed the huge gas tank and lines, and had the engine purring again. Bad gas does bad things. The boat was a nice 27 foot Cobalt so it was definitely worth repairing. Sold for $24,500. On the good running test drive it pushed nearly 63 MPH. Engine ran great.

 

[Johnny Fr]

When I bought a new lawnmower I didn't want to use 5 + 2 gal of old gas. I wasn't going to pour it out in my yard, so I just used it. I'm still using it actually and the lawnmower was purchased in 2021.

 

[alpha_omega]

Put it in your crappy neighbor's car.

joe

Use it to paint their lawn while you’re at it. Just be sure to sign someone else’s name.

 

[alpha_omega]

lol, I have a spot of weeds I have been trying to kill for almost 10 years, nothing kills them I have dumped you name it on them, everything except weed killer, stuff just grows back

Done the old 30% vinegar, arthritis rub, and table salt (sodium chloride - NOT Epsom salt which is magnesium sulfate a “food” for plants). Add dawn dish soap after it’s been mixed with some water and the dawn will act as a surfactant (sticking to the leaf). I put a drop of blue food coloring so I know what got sprayed.
I don’t use weed killers because cancer sucks and I have pets. Luckily I live on the hill above the poison factory, so Monsanto is actually downwind from me. Once it dries, throw a couple pieces of cardboard on top of the area and leave it there until spring.

You gotta dump gas then dump lit matches, problem solved .

Real talk tho there’s some vines down here called smilax. Almost nothing kills them, you have to dig all of their potato like roots up to get rid of them. Leave even a small piece and they come back. Been playing street chemist and dumping stuff in them for years.

I have this spotted Knapweed that actually poisons the root systems of the other plants around it, making them not want to grow. The roots are anywhere from 3”-3’. Seriously, they will span three foot without a problem. I think that nasty invasive plant is probably one of the reasons why the farmers willing poison the fields. Sprayed heavy enough along with aeration of the soil and even that stuff doesn’t stand a chance.
DNR told me to pull it and burn it. Otherwise it will come back. It likes dry soil and open fields. I have plenty of both.