2 cycle fuel going stale

[deerefan]

Quick question...is it true 2 cycle (mixed) fuel does not stale as fast as regular fuel? I was told this a while back and I guess it makes sense b/c of the oil mix, but it seems the gas would still go stale w/ or w/out the mix. Am I correct in this thinking? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[djradz]

My opinion is there will be no difference, unless of course you use some of the newer mixes that have fuel stabilizer in them already. I know Stihl's does.

 

[billbill1]

I mix about 2 gallons of fuel at a time and use it until it's gone in the weedeaters and the chainsaws. I haven't had it go stale on me in 20 plus years that I've been using mixed fuel. I did however ruin a little chainsaw by leaving fuel in the tank for over 3 years without running the saw. I rebuilt and even replaced the carb and it just never ran right again. If you use up what you mix within a year, I think you will be OK. IMO

 

[KubotaSteve]

I ran into a problem once when I mixed a bunch of the 2 cycle stuff up and didn't use it all for a couple of years, it seemed like some of the gas evaporated and left the mix with extra oil. I shook the can up everytime I used it. I now only mix up enough for the season.

 

[Youare]

All of the chainsaw dealers in my area have told me when I purchased a new saw never to use mixed fuel that has been around for more than a couple of months. One Husky dealer told me not to use fuel over a month old.

They say lubrication properties of the two-cycle oil break down after being mixed for a while. I mix a gallon at a time to make sure the fuel is fresh. The way I look at it my saws run from $400.00 to $600.00 a piece and keeping fresh fuel at say $3.00 a gallon is a pretty cheap investment to protect my saws.

Also never use outboard two-cycle oil in a chainsaw. The operating temperature of a chainsaw is much higher than a water cooled motor.

Randy

 

[slowrev]

I use the Poulan oil and have never had any mix go bad. I know it will keep for about 1 year.
Ben

 

[Maine_Polack]

I believe, from my own experience, that the mixed fuel should be used in 2 - 3 months. Never thought much about it until one experience some years ago. I filled up my saw with "old" fuel, (probably 6 - 8 months since mixed). When I ran it out, I used newly mixed fuel. The difference in performance captured my attention. It definitely ran better. Now this is all within an hour +-, so all external factors were the same for both fuels.

Now when I even think the fuel might be gone-by, I dump'er into one of my vehicles, and get new stuff.

Just my observations....

 

[arthr31]

can you really dump the older stuff into the tank of another vehicle and not worry about it? Didn't know this, should be helpful to rid of stale fuel (i guess with the right dillution it doesn't matter..) Thanks. -Art

 

[Jay4200]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( can you really dump the older stuff into the tank of another vehicle and not worry about it? Didn't know this, should be helpful to rid of stale fuel (i guess with the right dillution it doesn't matter..) )</font>

I always dump my old mix into my car. It doesn't care. I also toss in a bottle of cheap injector cleaner at the same time, just in case some varnish had begun to form.

2-strokes aside, an important thing to consider - and few know this, but I learned the hard way - when gas goes bad, your motor will still run on it beautifully. As the bad gas goes through the carb, however, it deposits large amounts of varnish. At the END of the tank is where you will have your carb or injectors fail, not at the beginning. This happened to me on a motorcycle - the gas in the tank was a couple of years old, but the bike started up and ran great. Off I went, then the bike pooped out and stranded me 50 miles from home. It felt just like a seize when it died, then blew huge clouds of smoke and spat a stream of fluid 20 feet out of the side of the motor when I finally was able to re-start it (it was gas - automotive-style fuel pump). I thought the bike was blown up for sure, but it turned out to be simply a severely gummed up carb. And there is nothing worse than removing and re-installing carbs on a Yamaha Virago, let me tell you.

Jay

 

[NY_Yankees_Fan]

What do you think of adding Sta-Bil to the gas oil mixture? I have a leave blower and hedge trimmer with gas left in the tank. Should I just run it until empty or just and a bit of stable and run it to get it into the carburetor?? I hate waste the gas if the Sta-Bil will work.