Disposing of old fuel

Marmalade

Marmalade

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Have had several problems with the outboard that seem to trace back to using last season's fuel. Have now reached the same point this year - with 3/4 of a can of petrol which will sit unused until April.

My question is this - how does one dispose of unwanted petrol. My local amenity / tip place doesn't take it; pouring it down the drain is poor form; so how do you get rid of old stale fuel.

I don't have a lawnmower, car is diesel and we don't have space for bonfires so I can't use it to start one.

Stumped.

Simon
 
Can't you lend the can to a neighbour with a petrol car and let him dribble it in a bit at a time? Seems a terrible waste and harmful to the environment when it can be burnt in an engine perfectly safely.
 
Fuel will keep from one year to another.

Best to use metal cans IMHO and to keep them full to minimise the exposure to air.

Keep them in a cool place. I regularly keep fuel (2 stroke mix) in this way. BUT before use the following year I always filter it and I usually mix with about an equal volume of fresh.

I have kept it for several years. This summer I have been using 3 year old outboard fuel in the Flymo.

Failing that give it to someone with a petrol mower.
 
Vic, I think things have changed since they started adding ethanol and more octane-enhancing chemicals. I have heard that the shelf life of petrol is much shorter but I don't have any hard evidence. That's why I suggested mixing it slowly into a car. I don't keep last season's now, I get rid of it by Christmas when we no longer want the tender.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Vic, I think things have changed

[/ QUOTE ] We'll find out next summer! I have just transfered about 4 gallons from the outboard tank (plastic) to metal cans.

At least I have a petrol car I can use it in if I need too.
 
LAWNMOWER!.........Any petrol I get for my 2 stroke outboard I mix with oil. If it's knocking about the garage I just use it in the lawnmower and it works fine. That way I know the outboard will get the 2 stroke and not 4. It works fine for me anyway.
 
[ QUOTE ]
if you have a catalyser!

[/ QUOTE ] No, no cat. However please explain why 2 stroke mix should not pe put in a car with a cat. What does it contain that is incompatible with a cat.
 
Slight drift here - I inherited with my boat a 5ltr plastic can of diesel that is now at least 3 years old. I am not going to put in my boat tank and I have a petrol car. I was going to tip it in the oil disposal container at the marina - any better ideas?
 
Cool dark place in a sealed can. Average plastic fuel can is not gas-tight and will lose light ends..... unless real cool location. A metal Lubricating oil can is better than a standard plastic gas-can.

Fuel does have enhancers etc. in nowadays - in fact has had for some time .. these are designed to inhibit gum formation and to keep octane rating up. These can be lost if not stored well.

I use old fuel in all my Outboards ... in fact one time at Yarmouth - I proudly showed my Marnier 2 running fine on 3 yr old petrol ...

If you cannot use it yourself ... the advise to blend of with fresh stock is a good one ... then offer it someone else ... I'd have it if in UK and close to you !!
 
Virtually no problems with diesel, provided it has not got water in the can, but Nigel will expand on that if necessary.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Why metel rather than plastic containers?

[/ QUOTE ] As nigel has already said it can lose some of the lighter fractions ... through the walls of the plastic container I think. Also polythene is permeable to oxygen so it may be that oxidation of some components will occur.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Slight drift here - I inherited with my boat a 5ltr plastic can of diesel that is now at least 3 years old. I am not going to put in my boat tank and I have a petrol car. I was going to tip it in the oil disposal container at the marina - any better ideas?

[/ QUOTE ]
I inherited about half a tank of diesel with Border Maid that would have been about 2 years old. It was perfectly fine once I had separated the bacterial sludge and water from the actual fuel, and mixed with some clean fresh diesel it ran the engine perfectly well.

re 2 stroke fuel I have run an O/B on 2 stroke mix that was more than a year old with no apparent problems. It was a Seagull mind you.
 
2stroke is oil and 'Cats' hate oil.
They can even get ruined with unburnt petrol, so if your car doesn't fire up and you keep turning the engine over it could
be the end of your 'Cat'.
Unless you've run out of petrol that is. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Another good reason not to push start a 'Cat' car.

Also once read that you should buy petrol from a busy garage because petrol starts 'going off' after a few weeks. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
'Cats' hate oil.

[/ QUOTE ] The quanity of oil in a few litres of 2t mix is pretty small compared with the quantity of engine oil that'll get burnt once the engine is past its prime. That's a major problem for owners of older cars then.
[ QUOTE ]
Another good reason not to push start a 'Cat' car.

[/ QUOTE ] Not quite sure I see the difference between starting in the normal way and push starting.
 
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