What to do with old gas?

[Fless]

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.

I would never use old gas in a small engine; there's just not enough dilution to make it safe for the engine. I run ethanol-free with stabilizer year 'round in my small engines (mower, snowblower). I've seen and fixed many a mower carburetor that's been plugged due to old gas. If I put it in the car's tank I'd dilute it well and use it up a little at a time.

 

[Charlie207]

viking funeral

 

[Marky Dissod]

If vehicle is NOT FlexFuel / E85 capable, combine it with some 91 octane gasoline.
If vehicle IS FlexFuel / E85 capable, combine it with E85.
Either way, 2 parts new pump fuel to 1 part old 87.

 

[Lil Timmy Shy]

Every three of four years I drain the old gas from my generator and pour it in my 2014 Ford Edge five gallons at a time on a 1/2 tank of fresh gas. It burns it fine.........

 

[PatDTN]

When I raced in SCCA the rotary engine crowd was constantly asking for old gas. Anyone here that can confirm that old gas works well in rotary engines?

 

[ClayCollins]

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?

I put a gallon at a time in a 3/4 full tank of fresh gas in my Yukon or Jaguar. It's never been a problem even if it's a couple of years old. I use Stabil in my old MG that isn't driven often and in my small engines to keep it fresh for a year. When possible, I buy ethanol free gas in a 5 gallon container because it lasts longer, but I have to drive out of the city to find it.

 

[EvergreenZ71]

Put it in your crappy neighbor's car.

joe

Lol
Was that the crappy car of the neighbor or the car of the crappy neighbor?

 

[Marky Dissod]

Every three of four years I drain the old gas from my generator and pour it in my 2014 Ford Edge five gallons at a time on a 1/2 tank of fresh gas. It burns it fine ...

It's a Ford tease ...

 

[Fless]

It's a Ford tease ...

Well, TBH, mine will also go mostly into a Ford.

 

[EddieC]

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

My John Deere isn't fussy either.

 

[homesick]

Lol
Was that the crappy car of the neighbor or the car of the crappy neighbor?

Catching ambiguous statements is supposed to be MY thing. Splitting frog hairs is my specialty.

Let's pretend I put the adjective before the word I meant it to modify.

joe

 

[TxVet33]

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?

Your local dump has a oil /gas/paint recycle section

 

[Fless]

Your local dump has a oil /gas/paint recycle section

Right. Ours has a $30 fee and the gas would need to be in an approved container. I can't/won't give up a good 5 gallon gas can and pay that fee, so I'll find other uses for it.

 

[Ont240]

I use old gas up in my lawnmower. Anything thats not injected

 

[homesick]

LOL, I get the feeling that there are very wide definitions of "old gas" here; not that I mind.

joe

 

[B-train]

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?

Start a bonfire with it.....

Or, just blend it into waste oil as you go. Oil recyclers or oil burners don't care. It's all good to them.

 

[Stbentoak]

Right. Ours has a $30 fee and the gas would need to be in an approved container. I can't/won't give up a good 5 gallon gas can and pay that fee, so I'll find other uses for it.

Having a fee is why people just go dump it... Our town takes it in a 5-gallon gas can, dumps it in an approved collection tank and then returns it to your trunk free and in just a few minutes. If places expect you to recycle, they have to make it easy and free, or people just won't.....