getting rid of old/bad gas

[s1120]

I don't know if this is the best place to post this, but it seems to fit. I also posted the same on CBN.

I have a boat, and two motorcycles that have quite a bit of bad gas in them. How do you get rid of it? Any safe way? The boat gas is about two years old, and stinking pretty bad, and before I do any work to it, I would like to drain the gas. Thanks for any help.

 

[Darren]

I guess the best way is drain the gas before the equipment is parked for an extended time and use it in a vehicle you're currently driving. I usually end up with leftover gas-oil mix for the chain saw and weedeater in the fall or winter. In the spring I use a metal pan to burn it off. It's not exactly the safest way to get rid of it. But I wait for a calm day, use a shallow pan, burn off a little bit at a time where nothing combustible, including grass, is anywhere close and use a long branch/stick to ignite it.

You don't want to get close and use your Zippo to light that stuff. At best you might loose your eyebrows at worse ...

Be prepared for some black smoke. In an rural area it's no big deal. In a built up area you might find the fire dept. and police coming down the street. If you have stuff still to go after the first burn, wait for the pan to cool off before adding more and don't walk off and leave the fire unattended.

 

[normde2001]

Depending on how much gas you are talking about and your area, there are several options. most municipalities have a hazardous waste dump you can take it to and dump in their tank, or if you can burn outdoors, take an opentop 55gal drum and partly fill with combustible material, soak in gas and light er up, (carefully). If you are talking about a big boat with a lot of gas, you may have to call a hazardous waste co. to haul it off.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( take an opentop 55gal drum and partly fill with combustible material, soak in gas and light er up, (carefully). )</font>

With the emphasis on carefully! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

I have a nephew who has undergone several surgeries and now gives talks to the Scouts and similar on why this can be a bad idea. He was trying to burn the family trash in a burn barrel and could not get the fire to start. He added gas from the mower can and tossed a match in. Second degree burns to face and neck resulted…

I recently took a 55 gallon drum of old gas and diesel to the local truck stop and they dumped it into their waste oil tank for $20.00. I thought that was a bargain.

 

[fractal]

Why not just dump it in the car/truck you drive the most? Some might filter it first. All I do every six months is to wait till the tank is almost empty then drive to the gas station with my gas cans in back. Empty the cans into the tank and top off with fresh fuel. Then refil the cans with fresh gas. The small can that gets used for the lawn mower gets stabil as well.

If it were me, rather than risk life and limb, I think I would get rid of it a gallon or two at a time by mixing it with fresh gas when I was filling the car/truck. As long as it looks more or less like gasoline the vehicle should burn it a lot safer than some open fire.

I have been told you can put 2 cycle fuel/oil in the gas tank as well ... in small doses.

 

[normde2001]

Excellent idea. Had not thought of that. How bad can it be anyway?

 

[Anonymous Poster]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I have been told you can put 2 cycle fuel/oil in the gas tank as well ... in small doses. )</font>

I have done just that with no problems.

BTW, in my experience Briggs and Stratton (BS) really means burns s***. I have put some really stale gas in the old lawn tractor, which devoured it without hesitation.

SnowRidge

 

[frank_f15]

what i do is just use it! i leave gas in my gt all winter, and it starts right up, i leave gas in my chainsaw and it starts up, i leave gas in my weedwacker and it starts up. i n my estimation unless the gas is older than dirt, has a lot of particles in it ot a lot of water , it is still ok to use. or have i just been lucky for the last 62 years?

 

[Spencer]

Whenever I go to fill up my gas cans at the gas station I always put Stabil in them before I go (2 ounces to 5 gallons). That way I know that whatever gas is in the cans or in the various small engines has been treated. Cheap insurance.

 

[s1120]

I used to burn it in my old truck. Now that thats gone I don't know what to do. Maby I will just run a few gal's a tank through, mixed with 35 gals in my van I guess it cant be that bad.