old gasoline in tank

[WriteOn]

What's my best strategy with 1/2 a tank of gas that's 2.5 years old? About to start some outings that will use more than a tank of gas.

Should I fill it up right away? or what? I'm really ignorant on the topic of old gas but have read that old gas is a potential problem.

If it matters, I've been in a desert environment during this 2.5 years.

[mcarden75]

Originally Posted by WriteOn

What's my best strategy with 1/2 a tank of gas that's 2.5 years old? About to start some outings that will use more than a tank of gas.

Should I fill it up right away? or what? I'm really ignorant on the topic of old gas but have read that old gas is a potential problem.

If it matters, I've been in a desert environment during this 2.5 years.

I don't know if this is a good idea but I've read about water separator chemical and an octane booster. Honestly if it was me, I would empty the old and recycle it. Being 2.5 years have you run your engine at least weekly or every other week? Mainly for oil lubrication.

[WeatherTodd]

siphon most of it out. Fill with fresh fuel. Run through a full tank if possible!

[WriteOn]

I've been living in it almost full time. So, I've run the generator occassionally just to run it. Occassionally due to power outage. I've driven it a short distance to get propane and to have it inspected.

Originally Posted by mcarden75

I don't know if this is a good idea but I've read about water separator chemical and an octane booster. Honestly if it was me, I would empty the old and recycle it. Being 2.5 years have you run your engine at least weekly or every other week? Mainly for oil lubrication.

[WriteOn]

Running a full tank won't be a problem. But I have no idea what I'd do with all of the gas.

The only place I could syphon it would be my car's gas tank. I"m leaving next week so couldn't even add a couple of gallons to my car every week. But I could take out some and add a premium gas to my car.

Originally Posted by WeatherTodd

siphon most of it out. Fill with fresh fuel. Run through a full tank if possible!

[awol50]

Originally Posted by WriteOn

Running a full tank won't be a problem. But I have no idea what I'd do with all of the gas.

The only place I could syphon it would be my car's gas tank. I"m leaving next week so couldn't even add a couple of gallons to my car every week. But I could take out some and add a premium gas to my car.

If it seems to run ok now, I would just use it down to about 1/8 tank and then refuel.
Maybe add a couple cans of seafoam now.

[Shawn6596]

Let's start with does the coach run on the gas? if yes then I would dump heet in the tank (per the instructions). it's in a yellow bottle then I would put a few miles on it to be sure it still runs good and top off the tank with premium, it will help balance out the octane. Odds are it doesn't run with the old gas. in that case then you will need to have the carb rebuilt, and the tank drained.

[Arch Hoagland]

I think I'd start it up and let it idle a half hour or so. Still running? Then I'd head over to a gas station and fill up.

[TripleGGG]

X2 for Seafoam

[Old Crows]

Desert environment.... like west Texas and panhandle???? Dry climate.

Since you have been 'using' the fuel with the genny and occasionally driving the RV to get propane...... Were it me, I'd just top up the tank and drive on. Assuming it's been running OK when you drive it and the genny runs OK.

Modern gas is better refined and will not 'gum' up as easily as the fuels from decades ago. Also, it has ethanol added. Ethanol is a solvent and will absorb minor amounts of moisture. So, adding more chemicals may, or may not, help here. At the worst, because the tank was not full much of the time, changes in temperature will encourage moisture collection within the tank. (Always store with full tanks! to avoid this problem.)

Small amounts of moisture will be miscible in the ethanol and will burn off as it runs just as if you have added a fuel additive. Maybe get a mid-grade.

The solution here is 'dilution'. By adding fresh fuel you 'dilute' the older fuel. In a tank or three you are using fresh fuel.

Besides, jacking around trying to drain the tank presents a safety issue. That old fuel will burn just as easily as the fresh stuff. And.... once you have drained the tank, what the hell do you do with the stuff? Better to dilute it out and burn it through the engine. Simple. Safe.

[WriteOn]

Exactly. West Texas. Not sure there's been a 1/4 inch of rain in six months.

I filled it up when I got out here because I was advised to keep a full tank because the electricity wasn't dependable and the winter storms had been bad.

Since I'm living in it, I've never thought of it as, "being in storage." LOL

Originally Posted by Old Crows

Desert environment.... like west Texas and panhandle???? Dry climate.

Since you have been 'using' the fuel with the genny and occasionally driving the RV to get propane...... Were it me, I'd just top up the tank and drive on. Assuming it's been running OK when you drive it and the genny runs OK.

Modern gas is better refined and will not 'gum' up as easily as the fuels from decades ago. Also, it has ethanol added. Ethanol is a solvent and will absorb minor amounts of moisture. So, adding more chemicals may, or may not, help here. At the worst, because the tank was not full much of the time, changes in temperature will encourage moisture collection within the tank. (Always store with full tanks! to avoid this problem.)

Small amounts of moisture will be miscible in the ethanol and will burn off as it runs just as if you have added a fuel additive. Maybe get a mid-grade.

The solution here is 'dilution'. By adding fresh fuel you 'dilute' the older fuel. In a tank or three you are using fresh fuel.

Besides, jacking around trying to drain the tank presents a safety issue. That old fuel will burn just as easily as the fresh stuff. And.... once you have drained the tank, what the hell do you do with the stuff? Better to dilute it out and burn it through the engine. Simple. Safe.

[Waiter21]

If you're able to siphon out 5 gallons at at time, mix it in with your car. i.e. run your car down to about 1/4 tank, go to the gas station, put the 5 gallons of old gas in, then top it off with fresh gas.


When the MH gets down to 1/4 or lower, fill it up with fresh gas..

[Bahamaniac]

Mine had sat for 5 years when I bought it. I added stabil and filled the tank. Had no issues. But I did smell it first to see if it had turmned sour and it smelled ok.

[grindstone01]

With old gas you are risking your motor and most likely a carburetor/injector rebuild if the fuel is bad. I would siphon the gas out and check with a local fire station on disposal suggestions. Some things just aren't worth the risk and the repair could be costly.