Old gas in an old car ok?

[PWN]

The non-ethanol gas with stabil or seafoam was drained from my boat tank, and some of the gas is maybe 4 years old. It is clear, smells good and has no water. Just didn't wanna be out 15 miles in the Gulf of Mexico and have an issue.

 

Think that would be OK in my 22 Chandler?

[Rusty_OToole]

If it smells like gas it should be ok. If it smells like old stinky varnish NO DON"T USE IT.

If it smells ok you could dilute it with some fresh gas for easy starting.

[playswithbrass]

Put it in your modern car,Don’t play Russian roulette 

[Barney Eaton]

I agree that you could dilute it but I would not take a chance in a boat where I could not see shore.  

Use the gas in your car and put fresh gas in the boat... 

 

[Akstraw]

I think that if the car runs on it, it is okay.  Off the top of my head, I can’t think of any damage you could do to the Chandler by trying the clean, old fuel in it.  Even after four years, it is probably much better fuel than what was available in 1922.

[The 55er]

Personally I wouldn't use four year old gas in any engine but that's just me. 

[Mark Gregush]

For cars or powered equipment, I have run stuff that the gas was well over a year old and know others that have even run gas that was older than that. Did it run, yes. Did it run well, was ok but not as strong. A lot depends on where you live in this big country. NOT all area gets the same gas or gas mixture. (Pacific Northwest) I see a lot of these post, boils down to one size experience does not fit all, your location/experience may vary. 

Edited May 12, 2023 by Mark Gregush (see edit history)

[Dave Henderson]

My personal experience is that old non-ethanol gas can still be ok, even after over a decade.  Some years back my son and I started up an old Plymouth with it in it that had been sitting all that time and it ran fine.

[yachtflame]

I bought a 1940 LaSalle that had old smelly gas in the tank. I removed the sediment bowl and poured the contents on the ground and threw a match at it….nothing! Not even a slow burn. I asked my older friend about borrowing a drain pan to drain it into and he suggested that I just try and start the car. He told me that old cars never had the octane levels that we have now and that the age of the gas most likely lowered the octane lever. He said it would probably run on that gas. It did! And nicely too.

[60FlatTop]

The Navy saying that has stuck with me all my life "When in doubt, change it out."

 

Just to ask the question leads to the idea that something ain't right. Instinct.

 

I have about 3 gallons of gas in my lawnmower can that is left from last year. The mower gauge is reading low. I am OK with dumping it in the 3/4 full 30 gallon tank of my truck. I don't want to dump it in a corner of the lawn and I don't want it concentrated in the 4 gallon mower tank. I thought that out yesterday.

 

Seeping into the lawn would be best but this time "dilution is the solution".

 

Of course if it wasn't for those random adages I probably wouldn't do much of anything.

[PWN]

1 hour ago, 60FlatTop said:

The Navy saying that has stuck with me all my life "When in doubt, change it out."

 

Just to ask the question leads to the idea that something ain't right. Instinct.

 

I have about 3 gallons of gas in my lawnmower can that is left from last year. The mower gauge is reading low. I am OK with dumping it in the 3/4 full 30 gallon tank of my truck. I don't want to dump it in a corner of the lawn and I don't want it concentrated in the 4 gallon mower tank. I thought that out yesterday.

 

Seeping into the lawn would be best but this time "dilution is the solution".

 

Of course if it wasn't for those random adages I probably wouldn't do much of anything.

You would actually dump old gas on the ground? Hope you or neighbors don't have a well. We have free hazwaste disposal to prevent groundwater contamination. Course Florida's water table is within a few feet of the ground surface in most areas and most potable water is from aquifers.

 

I diluted 50/50 with new gas and all is well.

 

 

[Rusty_OToole]

Some people are lucky. Old varnishy gas can gum up your motor so bad it would take a safe cracker 2 years to free it up. My rule, if it smells like gas it is ok if it smells like bad varnish don't take a chance, drain it and clean the tank, lines, and carburetor and replace fuel filter.

[Frank DuVal]

My shop truck was a Corvair 95 van. I would pour stale gasoline into it to dilute it and it did fine. Until...... that day when I poured maybe 3 gallons of foul smelling gas from a customer's car into it when its own tank was very low. It started fine, drove from the parking area to behind the shop to load something. Went to start it again and as soon as I let out the clutch it ran rough and died with a loud valve rocker clatter. I smelled the two carburetors, the left one smelled bad. I took off the left valve cover and all three intake valves were stuck down and the rockers were loose. Right side was fine. I sprayed the valve stems with some penetrant, and tapped the stems with an 8 oz ball peen hammer. Finally they loosened and returned to closed position. I took off the left carburetor and drained it. Then I got another 5 gallons of gas and poured it in. Ran OK after that. Lesson learned on dilution ratios! 50/50 not always OK.