Old gas and gas+oil (50:1) mix - Disposal?

[Gary Fowler]

Funny that this topic should come up after just yesterday I had to remove and replace about 3 gallons of old gas from a golf cart. It had been in there for about a year. Last month it fired up and ran good but yesterday if wouldnt fire at all. I pumped all all the gas and replace it and all was well, not gummed carb but the old gas was really dark colored and had a bad smell. I poured out a bit of it and thru a lighted paper towel on it and it didnt flash off like gas, it was more like diesel and smoked to high heaven with dark black smoke. I guess that it lost most of the volatiles out of it. I had the same thing happen with my lawnmower that had gas left over from previous season. It wouldnt start the mower but it wasnt off colored or smelly so I put it in my truck and it ran ok. THIS stuff will be used for brush fire starter using extra caution to stay upwind and back away from it to start. If I have to use gasoline for fire starter, I use a large stick with some fuel on it to start and then throw it from a long distance and always stay upwind since the fumes will drift downwind.
My normal firestarter is used motor oil or used hydraulic oil. It works the best for this and burns hot and long with no danger of flash burn. I will likely just mix this gas with my used motor oil to get something approximating diesel since i just drained 2.5 gallons of motor oil yesterday from my tractor.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I suppose if you dont want to burn with it, you could take it to a used motor oil place and dump it in their big tank.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I put mine in one of my boats gas tank as long as its good gas. IE: the weed eater or whatever it came out of will still run on it. (I am just taking it out to lay up for the winter). My boats tanks are 85 gallons and 100 gallon so 1/2 a gallon of mixed gas 32:1 40:1 or 50:1 will not make any difference in them tanks.

By the way, I top off both boats tanks for winter storage also with fresh gas. I have been thought the condensation thing and spend too many hours, dollars, and busted knuckles removing more than a 3 gallons of water from a 75 gallon tank. Never again. Just put fresh gas in it about October with the proper amount of stabilizer and you are good to go in the spring.

Also, for you that think it will hurt anything. Mercury, the biggest manufacture of boat motors, recommends running the motor till up to temp with a 10:1 mix of TCW3 2 cycle oil when laying up for the winter on fuel injected models. I have a 3 gallon boat tank that you put 2.5 gallons of fresh gas in, 32 oz of TCW3 2 cycle oil (1 Quart), and the right amount of stabilizer in. Remove the fuel line from the motor and hook up this temporary tank then run it for 10 minutes till up to temp then shut down. This "Fogs" the engine with oil and does smoke a little but not as much as you would expect. This is on fuel injected engines. Mainly GM 4.3L, 5.0L, 5.7L, 6.2L, 7.4L, and 8.1L models.

Chris

 

[slowzuki]

No, don't do this, most places get penalized if gas or antifreeze shows up in their used oil tank. Plus its dangerous.

We burn varnished gas mixed with oil as a bonfire starter but you have to be sure it has gone very bad. I only mix 1 quart of 2 stroke at a time so I never have to throw any out. Unmixed that has started to go bad gets mixed at 50/50 into the atv. no cat to clog and the plugs need cleaned often anyways.

I suppose if you dont want to burn with it, you could take it to a used motor oil place and dump it in their big tank.

 

[PatasColo]

Wow... lots of good info here, based on people's experiences. For me, the amount of "old gas" (both plain, and 50:1 mix) that I'll have is fairly small... maybe a gallon total. I was of the mind that diluted in the car, it would do no harm, but all of our vehicles are from this millenium, and I'd not considered all the electronic sensors, catalytic converter, etc. that could be affected; thanks for bringing that up. :thumbsup: That would be such a pain!

And honestly, the whole idea of draining the gas is to keep the small engines of my equipment from gumming up / not starting, so it seems prudent to not put it back in (even diluted with new gas).

Looks like my small amount each season may just go to the local hazardous waste disposal, and chalk it up as the most prudent course of action. I just didn't want to take it there if it could be used with no adverse effects (or even possibility of adverse effects) whatsoever.

Thanks again fellas! -Mitch

 

[BrianR]

An EXTREMELY bad idea!

Gasoline fumes burn readily. Many people have been burned by using gasoline as a fire starter.

Ok....I need to clarify this before someone gets hurt.

Usually the gas is very old.....if it weren't, I'd just use it my lawnmower/weedeater/chainsaw.

When used as a fire starter, I cut it with used motor oil about 50%. That said, I am only using about 1 cup on some split wood in a fire ring. I am NOT dumping 5 gallons of pure gasoline on a brush pile, waiting for 10 minutes to find a lighter (while the are fumes building up), and then attempting to light it. A friend of mine just got out of the hospital from doing this same brush fire burn. He did not have fun with it.

 

[Soundguy]

Also, for you that think it will hurt anything. Mercury, the biggest manufacture of boat motors, recommends running the motor till up to temp with a 10:1 mix of TCW3 2 cycle oil when laying up for the winter on fuel injected models. I have a 3 gallon boat tank that you put 2.5 gallons of fresh gas in, 32 oz of TCW3 2 cycle oil (1 Quart), and the right amount of stabilizer in. Remove the fuel line from the motor and hook up this temporary tank then run it for 10 minutes till up to temp then shut down. This "Fogs" the engine with oil and does smoke a little but not as much as you would expect. This is on fuel injected engines. Mainly GM 4.3L, 5.0L, 5.7L, 6.2L, 7.4L, and 8.1L models.

Chris

they probbaly don't have cats to deal with though.. curious.. do they have 02 sensors?

soundguy

 

[BrianR]

they probbaly don't have cats to deal with though.. curious.. do they have 02 sensors?

soundguy

Yeah......oil and catback systems don't mix well. When piston rings and valve stem seals start to wear out, the excessive oil in the combustion process tends to foul up the honeycomb in the catalytic converter.

I would bet that heated O2 sensors also would not like the oil, but I have never been willing to try it!

 

[flyingcow]

Not uncommon for me to pour out on my gravel drive and burn it off. Takes just a minute. Seen several DEP guys do this at a vehicle wreck.

 

[LBrown59]

If I have to use gasoline for fire starter, I use a large stick with some fuel on it to start and then throw it from a long distance and always stay upwind since the fumes will drift downwind.

I use a 12 to 18 inch cattail with an inch or less dipped in fuel as a torch .
It will not go out before it gets to the burn pile after you throw it.