Drain tank or dilute old gas?
#1
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Drain tank or dilute old gas?
I'm in the process of doing a semi tune up on my car and was wanting some opinions on the old gas in the car. It's probably 3 or 4 years old and has some premix in it. Total amount of gas is unknown. The gauge is touching the line right above E.
Now it's getting kinda of hard to start, and I was thinking about putting in some new plugs and fuel filter in, and I'm on the fence about draining the tank (PITA), or diluting it with 10 gallons of fresh gas.
What do you guys think?
Now it's getting kinda of hard to start, and I was thinking about putting in some new plugs and fuel filter in, and I'm on the fence about draining the tank (PITA), or diluting it with 10 gallons of fresh gas.
What do you guys think?
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I've done both. Draining it is your best choice as it gets rid of anything harmful that's brewed up including water. It's actually fairly easy if you go through the fuel pump hatch using a siphon kit that you can pick up at Walmart or Harbor Freight. I did zip tie a long socket extension to the hose in order to keep it standing upright in the tank and so the hose would sit at the bottom of the tank.
Should you choose to dilute it fill it with new gas and treat the entire tank with fuel stabilizer. The old gas is really past the ability of fuel stabilizer to help but it will also help trap any any moisture that's built up and clean up any immediate gunk. After you've run a few tanks through treat a tank with Chevron Techron Fuel Cleaner.
It seems to do a good job with any buildup in the injectors and crap that has built up on the fuel level float.
Should you choose to dilute it fill it with new gas and treat the entire tank with fuel stabilizer. The old gas is really past the ability of fuel stabilizer to help but it will also help trap any any moisture that's built up and clean up any immediate gunk. After you've run a few tanks through treat a tank with Chevron Techron Fuel Cleaner.
It seems to do a good job with any buildup in the injectors and crap that has built up on the fuel level float.
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You are changing the filter anyways right?
Is it so hard to move to the back of the car and undo a 14mm bolt?
Quit being lazy and making excuses!!..(your car will thank you for it!)
Is it so hard to move to the back of the car and undo a 14mm bolt?
Quit being lazy and making excuses!!..(your car will thank you for it!)
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#8
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My preference is to drain it, but I dont know if I have a container that will hold it all.
Im not trying to make a huge mess in my garage, and dont know what I would do with the old gas.
Im not trying to make a huge mess in my garage, and dont know what I would do with the old gas.
#13
Sharp Claws
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the containers are not made to carry flammables, if they even smell a hint of gasoline they usually will refuse it.
don't do this, it's bad advice. you can use it as a solvent or in actuality it WILL dilute with old gasoline but it should be filtered and run in an engine that runs low compression otherwise it will knock. the octane of the fuel deteriorates over time. i usually filter it, mix it about 20% and run it in the non turbo 7 since they are very tolerant of even the lowest octanes.
Last edited by RotaryEvolution; 09-05-12 at 03:18 PM.
#15
I just did this. It's not too hard to put the plug back in while it's draining and switch containers. In fact, I would recommend it to avoid a pan that is full and weighs 45 lbs.
#16
FC guy
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i learned the hard way running old gas in stuff I thought could handle it, never again. Just not worth it.
I pump gas out of the boats all the time, look at it, smell it- think its good., filter it through a 10 micron water filter. I had a fuel pump and a carburetor lining corrode to the point I had to replace it, and in the bowl was brown crap. Meanwhile the thing had run GREAT for years, over 50 to be exact. Put some gas I thought was ok and it was like flipping a switch everything went to ****.
For years I had burned older gas in that old tug and it handled it, but get the wrong batch of gas just once and you are fucked.
I pump gas out of the boats all the time, look at it, smell it- think its good., filter it through a 10 micron water filter. I had a fuel pump and a carburetor lining corrode to the point I had to replace it, and in the bowl was brown crap. Meanwhile the thing had run GREAT for years, over 50 to be exact. Put some gas I thought was ok and it was like flipping a switch everything went to ****.
For years I had burned older gas in that old tug and it handled it, but get the wrong batch of gas just once and you are fucked.
#22
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Well I got it all drained out. That **** took forever, and almost filled my 15qt drain pain.
If it ever stops raining here Ill leave it out to evaporate.
Got the fuel filter in as well, now to replace the plugs and a few cracked vacuum plugs.
If it ever stops raining here Ill leave it out to evaporate.
Got the fuel filter in as well, now to replace the plugs and a few cracked vacuum plugs.