Disposing of Stale Petrol

I've never had to dispose of stale petroil - if it's kept in an airtight container you can use it 3 years later.
What does happen is that people leave it in the OB, the flammable part evaporates, leaving a sort of lacquer in the carb.
At that point you have to seriously clean the carb - using solvent and a lot of hard work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtvKZyxbVdg

The best plan is to always winterise your OB, drain tank the whole fuel system and store it upright.
Then refill in the spring with the original fuel which you've kept carefully in its airtight container.
Petrol mixes vary, country to country - those with ethanol in them stored in part full cans can pick up water and negatively affect 2-strokes.

If you are disposing of pre-mixed fuel, use it in low concentration 1/100, in a modern petrol-engined car. 5 litres will take a fair time to get through, about 10 tankfuls.
If you have an old banger, with carburettor (like a 4.5 blower Bentley) you can pour the whole lot into the tank. It serves to lubricate the Rootes blower.
 
charles_reed said:
...the flammable part evaporates...

If you are disposing of pre-mixed fuel, use it in low concentration 1/100, in a modern petrol-engined car. 5 litres will take a fair time to get through, about 10 tankfuls.
If you have an old banger, with carburettor (like a 4.5 blower Bentley) you can pour the whole lot into the tank. It serves to lubricate the Rootes blower.
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Tsk, Charles. Inflammable, surely? ;)

The OP doesn't have a car, although of course others who refer to this thread may well have. Doubt many blower Bentleys, though. Monstrous, but lovely.
 
macd said:
Tsk, Charles. Inflammable, surely? ;)
Click to expand...

inflammable (adj.) Look up inflammable at Dictionary.com
"able to be set alight," c. 1600, from Middle French inflammable, from Medieval Latin inflammabilis, from Latin inflammare "to set on fire" (see inflame).Since 1980s use of the word, especially in safety warnings, has been sometimes discouraged for fear it could be misunderstood as meaning "non-flammable" through confusion of the two prefixes in-. The word was used earlier in medicine in the sense "liable to inflammation" (early 15c.). Related: Inflammability.

It is because of the possible confusion caused by the word Inflammable (see above) that the word 'flammable' is often used instead. Definitely preferable in my humble opinion. I still remember being quite flummoxed as a kid when I discovered that inflammable meant the opposite of what it said.
 
MonniotC said:
inflammable (adj.) Look up inflammable at Dictionary.com
"able to be set alight,"

I discovered that inflammable meant the opposite of what it said.
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That was precisely my point. No lesson needed, thanks.
Charles is notoriously unimpressed by new usages, particularly if there's even a suspicion that they emanated from anywhere west of County Mayo.

Incidentally, it doesn't mean the opposite of what it says, any more than 'intense' is the opposite of 'tense'. The 'in' prefix has two different origins and two meanings (which just happen to be almost diametrically opposed, but that's English for you). But confusing, definitely, and in an area where confusion could be fatal.
 
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nigelmercier said:
No, the other prefix is "-im"
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No, sorry, it's 'al'.
As in the Alzheimer's I seem to be suffering from :ambivalence:

Actually, that's quite wrong: inflammable, from Latin inflammare. 'Imflammable' does not exist, at least in the OED, or even the (US) Webster's. If that was your point, which it may not have been.
 
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F.F.S. The guy wants help with his engine, not an exercise in semantic willy waving!

To the OP. Might be a nuisance but before you throw it away just drain the fuel tank and try running on fresh petrol. My bet is that it makes no difference
 
laika said:
This has come up before and I'm pretty sure it's a no-no but if it turns out to be ok, do post: could be useful.

Curious isn't it how few of our neighbours have lawn mowers...
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I ve tried using it in the lawn mowe but I cannot figure out how to get it down the fuel pipe when its got a moulded on plug on the end

$_35.JPG
 
charles_reed said:
I've never had to dispose of stale petroil - if it's kept in an airtight container you can use it 3 years later.
Click to expand...

Funnily enough I just topped up my 5 litre plastic auto container from my 20L metal jerry can a couple of hours ago and then filled the outboard and the Honda genny which ran perfectly this afternoon. I remarked to the "crew" that I filled up the 20L jerry can on out cruise exactly 3 years ago this month and it's now about half full.

This shows:

a) how little petrol we actually use each year, and

b) that petrol keeps perfectly for 3 years in the heat of the Med.

In fact, at this rate I reckon I'll still be using the same petrol in another 3 years and it will still be perfect ....... guaranteed! :)

Richard
 
RichardS said:
Funnily enough I just topped up my 5 litre plastic auto container from my 20L metal jerry can a couple of hours ago and then filled the outboard and the Honda genny which ran perfectly this afternoon. I remarked to the "crew" that I filled up the 20L jerry can on out cruise exactly 3 years ago this month and it's now about half full.



This shows:

a) how little petrol we actually use each year, and

b) that petrol keeps perfectly for 3 years in the heat of the Med.

In fact, at this rate I reckon I'll still be using the same petrol in another 3 years and it will still be perfect ....... guaranteed! :)

Richard
Click to expand...

it doesn't prove current petrol lasts that long.
It doesn't.
 
RichardS said:
Funnily enough I just topped up my 5 litre plastic auto container from my 20L metal jerry can a couple of hours ago and then filled the outboard and the Honda genny which ran perfectly this afternoon. I remarked to the "crew" that I filled up the 20L jerry can on out cruise exactly 3 years ago this month and it's now about half full.

This shows:

a) how little petrol we actually use each year, and

b) that petrol keeps perfectly for 3 years in the heat of the Med.

In fact, at this rate I reckon I'll still be using the same petrol in another 3 years and it will still be perfect ....... guaranteed! :)

Richard
Click to expand...

Very unlikely in part filled can.
 
This sender had been sitting in 4-star for 20 years

IMG_0427_zpsqj7djti8.jpg


I managed to buy a replacement tank but the (Ford) sender is no longer available. After a great deal of TLC, it's now fully working and fitted to the tank in the car.

Interesting, the engine ran ok on the 20 year old fuel. The Bosch fuel pump couldn't cope with the carp in the tank and this led to having to replace the tank and pump.

I have about 25 litres in a container at the moment so I'm watching this thread with interest!
 
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