totally OT: what to do with stale gasoline?

[AngryScientist]

this is totally OT, i know, but you folks always have good ideas, so:

to make a long story short, i have my beloved yamaha 1200 waverunner that has been sitting idle for over 3 years, which i'm dying to get back in the water. the tank is full, and i KNOW that i dont want to run that old crap through the carbs, so i'm going to siphon it out.

how on earth do i [legally] dispose of stale gasoline? i'm guessing 5 - 10 gallons of it.

thoughts?

[Frankwurst]

I had a boat with 18 gallons of old gas. Same situation as you. I dumped it in my truck that had a half of tank of new gas. No problem. Ran fine. Old gas gone. :beer:

[druptight]

Usually your town will have rules/methods for disposing of such items. I'd check the waste management part of their website.

[Ken Robb]

Fuel dock at my marina accepts bad gas,oil for $1 per gallon.

[TBDSeattle]

I've had the same sort of problem before too. Old gas in a gas can that was sitting in the garage for 2 years. I added it to my truck and mixed with new. I did not notice any difference in performance (not that that truck has any performance worth noting!) or any off odors or smoke.

Put the gas in a larger engine and mix with new.

[jordo_99]

Fuel dock at my marina accepts bad gas,oil for $1 per gallon.

You pay them to take it or they buy it back?

[ryker]

Call your local fire dept. They will know the procedures for your area. In my area you can drop that stuff off at the fire station for free (but only at designated stations).

[cp43]

Put it in your Jeep, along with some new gas in the tank, it'll be fine.

Chris

[schneiderrd]

After you get it out of your waverunner, add some Techtron (avaialble at Chevron service stations) and put it into your car.

[572cv]

I've had no problem mixing old gas with new. Siphon it out, or whatever, and run it in the car or truck with a bunch of fresh. In the past I've shot for at least 1:1 or better.

I keep a little bottle of Stabil around for equipment which is going to have some gas in it over the winter. Helps.

[canham]

Just for my personal edification--what exactly is the problem with using old gasoline?

[norcalbiker]

Just for my personal edification--what exactly is the problem with using old gasoline?

Probably like drinking an old flat soda. I'm not sure.

[norcalbiker]

Use it on a lawn mower. That's what I would do.

[oliver1850]

Find someone with an Oliver. He will almost surely make use of it.

[slidey]

Here's someone with Oliver.

http://www.thedailydust.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/image45.png

Find someone with an Oliver. He will almost surely make use of it.

[rice rocket]

Just for my personal edification--what exactly is the problem with using old gasoline?

Turns into varnish and clogs just about everything in a fuel system.

[goonster]

what exactly is the problem with using old gasoline?

Partial evaporation (composition of the mix changes as more volatile compounds vent off)
Oxidation (some of that stuff can get sticky)
Condensation (water)

The fuel will not burn as well and can (worst case scenario) clog parts of the fuel delivery system.

I would burn it off in my car, a little at a time, purely out of convenience.

[Jaq]

Just for my personal edification--what exactly is the problem with using old gasoline?

As I understand it (too lazy to google it), gas (and other petroleum products) are fairly susceptible to evaporation - even within the confines of a gas tank. As they evaporate, the remaining fluid gains viscosity. Really old fuel turns into a varnish-like sludge, clogging fuel lines, filters, carb jets, etc.

Hotter weather exacerbates it; I imagine Angry's neck of the woods gets pretty warm. It's probably perfectly fine to run... on a motorcycle or a lawn mower. But you don't want to be off-shore and have your engine quit. And since boating, like flying, or even cycling, is in large measure about minimizing risk, why take a chance?

[AngryScientist]

thanks for the suggestions.

the ski is at out beach house, and there are lots of boats around, so i like the idea of calling a few marinas or the fire dept and seeing what they have to say about disposal.

it's been sitting so long, and may have some 2-stroke oil mixed in that i'm simply not going to risk burning it in the car or the jeep, the risk/reward equation just doesnt add up for that one.

i havent run my ski in so long, i'm really looking forward to getting out on the water and running around with it a bit.

[Louis]

You could make some Napalm.

http://www.gonemovies.com/WWW/MyWebFilms/Oorlog/ApocalypseKilgore1.jpg

[Ken Robb]

You pay them to take it or they buy it back?
You pay them to accept it into their storage tank. Then they pay a disposal company to collect all the used petroleum products for recycling.

Many states require that some alcohol be blended with gasoline. Alcohol in the gasoline absorbs water from the air. After some time it reaches its limit and the water/alcohol mixture falls out of the gasoline mixture and settles to the bottom of the tank. This will not burn in an engine so if your fuel pick-up gets into it you are stuck.

All the other warnings about gum and varnish are also valid.

[tuxbailey]

Your BMW will love it :)















j/k

[yngpunk]

Partial evaporation (composition of the mix changes as more volatile compounds vent off)
Oxidation (some of that stuff can get sticky)
Condensation (water)

The fuel will not burn as well and can (worst case scenario) clog parts of the fuel delivery system.

I would burn it off in my car, a little at a time, purely out of convenience.

I would throw in some fuel injector cleaner from the auto parts store into the mix with the new gasoline as well to help combat any potential gumming.

Also, check if you town or county has a hazardous waste collection/disposal facility. You may be able to find a collection site near you for hazardous waste.

[Seramount]

really surprised no one suggested just torching it off...

guess people are getting more environmentally aware after all.

bravo.

[Climb01742]

Save it for when the revolution comes. Can't have too many malatov cocktails. (Think that's the sort of comment the NSA catalogs?);)

[yngpunk]

Not sure where in nothern NJ you are, but here's a link the hazardous waste disposal facility for Morris County:

http://mcmua.com/sw_hhw_pfac.asp

Free for residents, but only $1.25/lb for non-Morris county residents. By appointment only though and only open on select days.

[soulspinner]

I read u lose an octane per month, and Ive had varnish affect small engines(my lawn mower) but dont know if affects todays fuel delivery in cars.

[mister]

what do you plan to do about the fuel (or varnish by now) sitting in all those little passages and bowls in your carbs?

[Tony T]

what do you plan to do about the fuel (or varnish by now) sitting in all those little passages and bowls in your carbs?

Gumout

[rice rocket]

Gumout

Gumout doesn't drain the varnish that's already in your carbs/fuel lines. :)

[Jaq]

really surprised no one suggested just torching it off...

guess people are getting more environmentally aware after all.

bravo.

Reminds me of when I was a kid and, on New Year's Day, people would bring their Christmas trees down to the beach, make a pyramid, and toss in a road flare.

Good times. Sorta.

[crossjunkee]

Heck, the gas I fill my mower/blower/trimmer up with up with is at LEAST three years old, runs fine, ha! I have a small yard, and it takes forever to get through the gas. My neighbor was scared of gas he had sitting for 3 months!

[AngryScientist]

what do you plan to do about the fuel (or varnish by now) sitting in all those little passages and bowls in your carbs?

no fuel in the carbs, there's a shut-off on the fuel tank, and when i winterized the ski i shut the fuel valve and stalled the engine. carbs should still be dry.

[Tony T]

Gumout doesn't drain the varnish that's already in your carbs/fuel lines. :)

Rebuild :)

[SlackMan]

In the future, use STA-BIL fuel stabilizer in gasoline that will sit in a can, lawmower, boat, etc. It encapsulates the gasoline molecules and protects them against oxidation. It's very cheap insurance to protect against damage to fuel delivery parts.

[wallymann]

honestly this gas should be OK to mix with fresh gas and use.

your carbs should be OK since you shut off the fuel petcock and let the engine run the carb-bowls dry before storing. if not, you'd have had a real good chance your float-bowls being gummed.

no fuel in the carbs, there's a shut-off on the fuel tank, and when i winterized the ski i shut the fuel valve and stalled the engine. carbs should still be dry.