When does fuel go bad?

[The_Handier_Man1]

From: jipjob1  (Original Message)
Sent: 11/14/2003 1:23 AM

What is the time that fuel or gas will turn bad? I have had my two tanks haft full for over two years now and have not had much road time with my rig. Is thier sometype of additive I can use to help with this excess old gas to keep it from getting to old. Or can I just top the rig oft with fresh gas and say that good?



From: Sea Hag
Sent: 11/14/2003 10:19 AM

I'm not really sure how long it will actually stay good for . The newer blends seam to smell stale quicker than it use to . I use a product called Stayble in all my lawn equipment and vehicles with low use . They run much better than before I started useing it and I don't have to tear down the 2 cycles to clean the fuel systems in the spring . One of the problems with alcohol or methenal gasoline blends , while they dispers water . the alcohol can begin to seperate on the bottom after a long period of time . making the consentration of alcohol greater than fuel system seals can handle . You can remix it by installing a tube down the fill and mix it with air before you try to start it . Altimitly it would be best to drain the tanks but diposal can be difficult . My Chief sat for several years before I purchased it . It ran reluctantly with very poor millage . I filled up the rest of the way with new gas . as I used it up millage and performace Imporoved but I will evetually drop and clean the tanks as fuel lines clog up once and a while . I have started using stable in my rig as it can be mixed for seasonal use or storage . I don't know of any products that restore old gas , you might try adding an octane booster . - Sea Hag



From: Jim83Itasca
Sent: 11/14/2003 11:03 AM

On the "left coast" fuel really starts to degrade after 6 months.
The new'r MH purchased in Jan 03 had 1/3 of a tank that was 18 months old and would hardly run.
I put in 2 pints of "berryman  B12 chemtool" along with 2 gallons of premium fuel + 1 small bottle of "sea foam" and would run/drive every day and it finally woke up.
After the majority of fuel was consumed i put in 2 more cans of berryman along with 30 gallons of the "good" fuel and it has run very good so far.

Jim



From: denison
Sent: 11/15/2003 8:56 PM

I use my winny as a gasoline mini-tanker. I siphon fuel from its tanks, for the mower, for cleaning auto parts, but mostly I siphon it out to pour into the family cars - my teenager specializes in bringing her car home with an empty tank. Then when the winny tanks are down to 1/4 or so, I drive on some errand, not just to the gas station and back, but some errand that takes me out for 30 minutes or more, and back home with full tanks. This is about each 3 or 4 months. Thus with a little trouble I keep the fuel fresh all winter. I use a clear polyethylene tube for siphoning, being tired of the taste of gasoline. denison



From: Sea Hag
Sent: 11/16/2003 10:58 AM

Denison - thats a good idea for keeping gas fresh in your winne - I use to syphon gas from my other rig when I got home with to much in the tanks , before taking it to storage . I used a syphon pump for a portable K1 heater , I found a piece of polly tubing the fit tightly over the intake tube and fastend it with a small zip tie . it worked great no more gulps of gas or funmes in my lungs , no more spills . There is also a larger version sold for drum syphon pumps - there fairly cheap .-- Sea Hag



From: UluzYarx
Sent: 2/22/2004 6:51 PM

Old fuel bungs up fuel filters ~ if you want to use the old petrol ~ get a few spare filters in ~ that way, with a bit of luck, you will get away with it.
All the best ~ Dave