Old fuel

[Jezlyn]

Does anyone know where you can dipose of old 2-stroke mixture fuel? I inherited a tank full with the outboard when I bought my boat but my local recycling centre won't take it. I don't want to put it through my outboard as it must be well out of date!

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[stretch33]

Have a bonny in the back garden but be careful! As long as you havent got gallons of the stuff should'nt be a problem

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[VicS]

Re: Petrol on a bonfire

That is a very dangerous suggestion. Under no circumstances should anyone attempt to dispose of petrol in this way.

Provided it's not leaded put in in the car. If it is leaded put it in my car or find someone else with a very old car.

Mix it a bit at a time with fresh fuel and use it in the outboard or lawn mower or neighbour's lawn mower

If using it in any of the of the above ways filter it first just to be on the safe side.

Environmentally unfriendly way .....let it evaporate a bit at a time.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple>Ne te confundant illegitimi.</font color=purple>

 

[silverseal]

Add it at a litre at a time to a normal car fuel tank after fill up to dilute it and burn it in the usual way. The small amount of oil in the petrol will not affect the car nor the catalytic converter.
never use petrol to start a fire. the flash point is 26 degrees centrigrade - a warm summer day - petrol vapour explodes when mixed with air.

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[m1taylor]

Or find an old seagull, add copius amounts of oil to achieve a 10:1 mixture and burn it out.

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[Guest]

Oh dear ..... if you must...

Empty to a petrol container and dilute down with fresh fuel Assume that 2T mix is correct with old.

There is nothing wriong with using old fuel - as long as tank is well mixed before pulling it through carb etc.

If the engine has stood for long time with old fuel in .... suggest cleaning carb - fresh fuel mixed with the old and stop worrying.

Oh - forgot - this fuel / engine is in UK ? If in West Africa - dump the fuel !!


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ... and of course Yahoo groups :
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[Guest]

Flash is NOT in contact with air ...... it is in contact with ignition source.

If you were right then countries such as Saudi would have serious fires in all petrol stations !!

Check out ASTM D93 ..... Flsh Pt by Pensky Martin Closed Cup.

(BTW - I own a Petro-chem lab .......)

<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ... and of course Yahoo groups :
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[oldharry]

UMM - a tankfull equates to anything up to 5 gallons possibly more of the stuff. Thats one hell of bonfire......

A cupful of the stuff will produce a fireball several feet in diameter - dread to think what 5 galls will do.

It would probably be perfectly OK to use it, but diluted 50/50 with fresh fuel it will work fine in a 2 stroke.



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[Bodach na mara]

I once tried to light a bonfire with petrol when I was young and stupid and the stuff was much less volatile than now. I esacamed without damage - just- but seriously scared of the stuff. Many years later, I had to dispost of about a teacup of the stuff and thought I would use the opportunity to teach by son how dangerous it is. All possible sources of ignition were removed from the scene and the fire was checked that there were no embers from a fire two days before. It was a cold autumn day by the way.

The petrol was poured on and I stood about six feet away and told my son that I would light a match, set fire to a ball of paper and throw it at the bonfire. My son embarrased me by recounting what happened next at a (significant) birthday party. As soon as the match was struck, I was enveloped in a fireball as the vapour from the petrol ignited. Again I was lucky, escaping without eyebrows and with a row from SWMBO for singing my jumper.

<hr width=100% size=1>Ken Johnson

 

[silverseal]

Re flash point of fuel boiling point is still 26 degrees centigrade... tell that to the four lads in the Speedboat which blew up last weekend off Langstone accident occurred when refuelling..flash point/boiling point defined by phase rule, become academic.

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[Guest]

Flash is caused by an ignition source coming into contact with the vapour above the fuel.

Therefore I would assum that the fuel was spilt over a hot source or source of ignition .....

The implication you make with your line is that 26C is Auto-ignition point ...... sorry but that is far above 26C in fact I would have to run tests to reach it .....

I am totally sympathetic to any accident - but again I say clearly that 26C is not auto-ignition point - its a temp that ignition of the fuel will occur when oustide source is introduced ........

As I said - this is my business and I supervise / control a significant fuel blending operation via my labs ..... approximately 150,000 tonnes a month - so argue with that ....


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ... and of course Yahoo groups :
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[Guest]

Don\'t understand ....

Why burn off old gasoline ?

OK so its light ends may have evap. off a bit, octane rating may be a bit lower, gum deposits may be more likely ....... mix it with fresh fuel and ignore it.

Why burn off on the bonfire etc. seems a waste.

For interest I have gasoline that is over 1 year old and I still use it without hassle in both my outboards.
I even have it with the 2T already mixed in. I shake can vigourously to amke sure oil is mixed .... shake O/bd as well- to make sure any fuelin that tank is still mixed.

Trick is to store gasoline in securte container in cool dark place. If you cannot get dark place .... then a dark non-translucent container ..... metal Landrover jerry cans are the best there are ..... The reason for exclusion of light is the additives used nowadays precipitate out with light over a period - giving rise to the false claim of Gum ... in fact most is additive such as xxxxx or xxxxxx - I am prevented from naming them for trade reasons.


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ... and of course Yahoo groups :
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[oldharry]

Re: Don\'t understand ....

Commenting on Stretch 33s idea of chucking it on the bonfire as NOT a good idea - how many cupfuls to a 5 gallon can - thats one of hell of a fireball! A whole lot bigger than I would want to see when I am around!

As I said - its probably perfectly ok anyway, but mixed 50/50 with new fuel, it will be fine.

But NOT for starting bonfires.

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[Guest]

My ... Don\'t understand was ....

a message to indicate my disbelief in burning it ..... I don't understand why anyone should flash it off instead of bulking out fresh fuel.

Old fuel is useable - so no need to throw away. OK so you don't want to trust in your outboard - stick it in the lawnmower or car etc. etc.


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ... and of course Yahoo groups :
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[Jezlyn]

Thnaks for the advice. I think I will mix it with fresh and use it in my outboard - rather than have a bonfire!

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[PaulJ]

You think YOUV\'E got problems!

When I started fitting out my steel boat nearly seven years ago I filled the tank (in the keel) with diesel to stop it rusting inside...... What am I going to do with 90 gallons of 7 year old old diesel fuel ? Suggestions anyone?

<hr width=100% size=1>I used to have an open mind but my brains kept falling out.....

 

[Egbod]

What you need is someone with a 1955 ex army 10 wheel drive "Reo" lorry. These are multi-fuel: diesel, petrol, parafin, white spirit, olds engine oil etc. I happen to know someone owning one of these thirsty beasts and he lives in Essex! Where abouts are you?

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[Guest]

Re: You think YOUV\'E got problems!

Considering that the average ship carrying fuels has rust in its tanks and not unusual to have some in shore storage tanks ...... you are not the only source of sediments / rust in fuel.

I assume the fuel has been stagnant in the keel area ? Being building the boat has not been afloat and the fuel slopping around ?

If so - then extract a reasonable container full and pass it through a filter. Observe filter before and after as well as the colour / condition of the fuel before and after ..... you'll probably be surprised and find that you have serviceable fuel.

To be honest - being in the PetyroCherm quality game- I would be surprised if the fuel is unuseable. Similar to the Gasoline of the original post - if you feel the fuel is old and suspect - mix it with fresh fuel and use that way.
The average red diesel burning marine engine will not mind such mix - so why waste it ?

Diesel (gasoil actually) ...... is tolerant of so much that it should only require filtering.

7 yr old diesel ..... begs only question as to where you obtained it and what grade .... as in those yrs the specification for road diesel has changed dramatically - if its red then its same then as now.

For all you lot out there - soon road diesel will change againa and the sulphur levels will be even lower by EU law ..... ok will not be a problem for most as many suppliers are already passing on this lower S grade ........



<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ... and of course Yahoo groups :
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[PaulJ]

Re: You think YOUV\'E got problems!

Thanks Nigel.

It is red diesel supplied by a local fuel/oil supplier who also supplies all the farms in this area. Being for marine use it was quite legal in those days but I'm not sure what the situation is now.....? Yes, it has been stagnant in the tank for most of that time but I did empty the tank a couple of years ago to do some work and then replaced the fuel and added some biocide. It all seemed pretty clean then. On the rare occasions when I have run the engine it has started easily and run smoothly but with some white smoke which I took to be because there was no load on the engine.....?

I will filter a small amount of it and have a look at the filter as you suggest and then I guess the only thing I can do is try it. It goes through a total of three filters before it reaches the injector pump so I don't think it will damage the engine but if there is too much crud in it I suppose it could block one of the filters which somebody's law states, will occur at the worst possible moment so in that case I guess I would have to dispose of it....... I live in Lewes and I daresay the Bonfire Societies will be most grateful!

Rgds,

Paul.

<hr width=100% size=1>I used to have an open mind but my brains kept falling out.....

 

[Guest]

Re: You think YOUV\'E got problems!

So as I understand it - your bilge space is also the fuel tank ?

I must admit I thought it a bit strange to fill bilge with diesel - when the old farm trick on Landrover frames is the old engine oil ....

Honest pump out - filter it and then put back with fresh - maybe half and half if you can store it ok. But all in all - well filtered - it should be ok.


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ... and of course Yahoo groups :
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