Last years gasoline

  • Last years gasoline

    Posted by SilverLining on April 11, 2023 at 3:27 am

    My Dad bought gasoline last year that has been sitting in freezing temperatures throughout the winter. Can I use this gas without causing damage to my equipment/fuel lines? Should I put an additive in the gas and use it or pour the gas out? I realize gas is expensive but so are equipment repairs. Thank you in advance for your help.

    SilverLining replied 1 year, 5 months ago 10 Members · 19 Replies
  • 19 Replies
  • BiggKidd

    Member
    April 11, 2023 at 4:16 am

    I would add a dose of stabil and use it. Make sure you get the kind of stabil for gas with ethanol. IIRC they call it Stabil marine 360 I’ve used 3 year old gas with it. Generally you put it in before storing gas but I’ve also used it to rejuvenate gas.

    • SilverLining

      Member
      April 11, 2023 at 12:31 pm

      Thanks BiggKidd! It’s non-ethanol gas but I’ll read the label if I buy any.

      • BiggKidd

        Member
        April 11, 2023 at 6:01 pm

        If it were me I’d still get stabil for ethanol gas. Reason being there was a huge stink a year or so ago where stations were selling “non”ethanol gas that was just plain old regular old 10% ethanol gas. Yeah I may have trust issues! lmao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Darren

    Community Leader
    April 11, 2023 at 4:17 am

    Great question, I know I will have fuel sitting through the winter so I treat it with a product called Stabil. If you can, pour the fuel into a clear glass container to see if water is present, it will be at the bottom. I have a video on my YouTube channel on this subject. If no water I would run it, you can use another product called Heet, to dry out some of the moisture present. Hope this helps.

    • SilverLining

      Member
      April 11, 2023 at 12:30 pm

      Thank you. I’m aware of Stabil and Heet which is why I asked the question. I appreciate your input. I’m not sure how I missed your video as I’m supposed to get notifications when you post. I’ll have to check into that as well.

      I look forward to seeing you and the wife at the MWPP festival.

  • mojodoggie

    Member
    April 11, 2023 at 4:20 am

    Yes, either with or without stabilizer. My fuel is stored over the winter, actually, about 5 or 6 months. Mower starts and runs fine. I do rotate my 5 gal cans.

    • SilverLining

      Member
      April 11, 2023 at 12:35 pm

      Thank you Mojo! I had actually run non-ethanol gas out of all equipment last fall and emptied the gas tanks but Dad doesn’t think like I do. All his equipment has constant problems but I try to take care of my equipment so I’m only doing usual maintenance.

  • HillsideHomesteader

    Member
    April 11, 2023 at 9:22 am

    Freezing does not hurt gas, time does though. Stabil helps. Ethanol gas is more troublesome and shorter lived, I think it’s because it draws moisture out of the air. I store higher octane gas and sometimes non-ethanol gas. I rotate through it and recently started putting filll dates on each can to track age of various cans. If I have questionable gas, I run it through a car, not a small engine. Also, don’t forget about equipment tanks on lightly used equipment. My generator holds 5 gallons, but I rarely burn a full tank. I try to start it every couple months and siphon the gas out and replace it about once a year, running the old gas through the car. Storing ANY fuel for a long period in a partial filled tank or can is not advised as it draws more moisture out of the larger volume of air in the tank

    • SilverLining

      Member
      April 11, 2023 at 12:37 pm

      Thank you Hillside Homestead. Yes, my practice is to rotate the gas and not storing over winter but Dad thinks differently. I appreciate your input.

  • Bluesky63

    Member
    April 11, 2023 at 11:16 am

    You will have less trouble with the small gas engines if you use “non-ethanol” gas rather than the gas with ethanol. Yes, it costs a little more, but you also get more power out of each gallon. And the “non-ethanol” gas does not tend to attract moisture as much, which means you can store it longer(all winter) without problems. The “straight gas” will not dissolve the fuel lines and gaskets in the carburetor.

    • SilverLining

      Member
      April 11, 2023 at 12:38 pm

      Yes Bluesky63. That’s how I look at it too. Thanks for getting back to me.

    • GrannaLoLo

      Member
      April 15, 2023 at 12:28 am

      My brother in law made a good living repairing outboard motors ppl put ethanol gas into. It eats up the gaskets, if I’m remembering right.

  • Saul-Good

    Member
    April 11, 2023 at 12:03 pm

    I work on small engines and fuel issues constitute around 50% of our repairs. If you want to be thorough, you could use clear dry clean containers and pour the fuel into them to look for water (if ethanol gas, quite likely). Modem car engines do better on stale gas than small engines, so maybe use in the car and get fresh non ethanol for the season. BTW, look into Husqvarna fuel for long storage and to keep generators etc at the ready. It’ll evaporate Before it goes bad.

    • SilverLining

      Member
      April 11, 2023 at 12:27 pm

      Thank you. He bought it so I will tell him to put in his truck.

    • SLINGSHOT

      Member
      April 11, 2023 at 1:59 pm

      I was going to say if the fuel froze it could have caused condensation which in turn contaminates it water.

      I would also maybe strain it through some type of filter just out of caution.

    • GrannaLoLo

      Member
      April 15, 2023 at 12:29 am

      Thanks!

  • SilverLining

    Member
    April 11, 2023 at 12:24 pm

    Thank you all for your quick response. I should have said in the beginning that it is non-ethanol gas. I appreciate you getting back to me so quickly. Gotta mow today. I think I’ll just put the gas in his truck and get me some new gas to be on the safe side.

  • Helene65

    Member
    April 12, 2023 at 2:02 am

    How about propane? How long does that last? I have a bbq tank from this winter. Not extreme temps as we re just a few hrs from Danny & Wanda, but it was outside in a shed. It’s gonna hotttttt this summer too but I had it in my RV just fine so the heat doesn’t seem to explode it! Lol

    • SilverLining

      Member
      April 20, 2023 at 10:58 pm

      I don’t believe propane has the same problem. It’s more of a gas than liquid isn’t it?.

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