I've got gas - does it smell bad to you?

[Stargazer14]

The boat has a 40 gal. tank that was filled about 95% - but it has been sitting 3 years.
I removed the inspection cover, siphoned some out from the bottom to check for sludge or water(found none), and it all does not smell stale (i have smelled stale gas before and its something you remember...)
So when does fuel go bad and what happens if its used?
I'm trying to put in a new tank and wondering what to do with my 35+ gallons of gas.....

do I try to use it?
Is there a miracle additive?
Do I slowly use it in my diesel?

(I called a nearby recyling place - they want $200 to take it -if i deliver it!)

Your thoughts?

[brad9798]

Was a stabilizer added prior to the three-year 'rest?'

Before I bought my boat, it sat for over a year ... with about 150 gallons (of a possible 180) in it ... never missed a lick when I fired her up.

She had a stabilizer in the tank, though.

Brad

[sdowney717]

PRI-G is a gas additive that restores old stale gas.
You can buy it at westmarine. Check out the newsgroups on it and you will see how well it works. A bottle can treat hundreds of gallons.
PRI-D for diesel

[Victor]

I just tried to use up some bad gas in my motor. It immediately conked out and took an hour to get running again. It was worse than yours, though. I'd get the engine hot before running it through.

[Concordia..41]

Maybe our guys are just idiots, but they're ever so pleased to take everyone's old gas and put it in the travel lift???

[Donn]

Reckon it all depends on stabilizers and a good filtering system. Nothing can get into fuel that can't be neutralized or filtered out. My diesel wrench regularly pumps out customers' tanks, and pumps it into his heating fuel tanks...through 4 different filters.

[ken mcclure]

As noted above there are additives to 'restore' the gasoline.

What happens is this:

When oil is refined, part of the process yields gasoline as a byproduct. "Above" gasoline are higher volatiles, like naphtha and "below" it are heavier stocks, like diesel.

Oil companies, in an effort to maximize the usage of product, will mix some of the higher and some of the lower products into the gasoline. As gasoline sits (if unstabilized) some of the higher volatiles will evaporate, leaving a heavier fuel which may or may not run a given engine. Additives 'lighten' the fuel and make it useable.

[Donn]

"..in an effort to maximize the usage of product, will mix some of the higher and some of the lower products .." In the illicit drug business, that's known as 'stepping on' the product. :D

[ErikH]

Is it Gas? Or diesel?
If it's diesel, you can probably filter and burn it in your home furnace--it's not nearly as sensitive as a motor.

[Ron Williamson]

We "restore" stale gas,by adding fresh gas to it.
As said above,the volatile "light ends" evaporate,and you're left with stuff that doesn't burn as easily.
Old "unusable" gas,goes into our loader.
R

[Mike Vogdes]

In the past I have allways burned stale gas in our trucks, simply fill the truck 3/4 full at the gas pump then add a few gallons of stale gas, as long as you don't go crazy adding to much stale gas you will dispose of your stock pile in a reasonable amount of time.

[Stargazer14]

I spoke to the PRI people, they say 'no problem', recommended the PRI-G and a filter, and for $30 it all sounds pretty good to me.(They say they have 'refreshed' 15 year old gas)
I will treat it, filter it, put in in the new tanks with some fresh gas and let you all know what happens.
Now, does anybody have a pump I can use to move this stuff?......

[Hughman]

Originally posted by Stargazer14:
Now, does anybody have a pump I can use to move this stuff?......OK, NOW you need to be careful. Make sure the pump you use won't spark!!

Sparks can be caused by motors, and also by static electricity.

[Gary E]

If the boat is out of the water why not just syphon some into your car, your wife's car, your friends cars?

If you must pump it use a manual pump or one aproved for the job.

Storing gas is a pain, and can be dangerous. Giving it away is easier and 40 gal is not worth messing with.

Edit...
"I'm trying to put in a new tank "
Why?
does the tank leak?
you want a larger tank?
or some other reason?

[ 08-27-2004, 08:27 PM: Message edited by: Gary E ]

[High C]

Originally posted by Mike Vogdes:
...simply fill the truck 3/4 full at the gas pump then add a few gallons of stale gas...This works to get rid of flat CoCola in those giant bottles, too. ;)

[ohiomike]

hi, in my tried methods just add some fresh fuel to it.. fuel economy will suffer but if engine is tuned correctly she will burn the old fuel fine..

exhuast may smell a bit though.

my plastic boat i had sat for 5yrs added a few gallons of fresh fuel and out i went in lake erie and burn 75 gallons of it never missed a beat..

just change water seperater when your done cause there is some water in the fuel from condensation..

mike

[Stargazer14]

To answer Garys post, my car is diesel, so it would take me a while to use 40 gallons and I want to get rid of it this weekend! I'm just gonna do the transfer from the old tank to the new tank deal. Of course the problem there is it just cant be easily siphoned because of that
'same level' factor.
The old, original tanks are galvanized, i've heard they dont last forever and will flake inside causing clog problems, and since they are 36 years old, i'm going with the new tanks
I have sitting here that are the exact same dimensions. Its not that the old ones have caused me any problems(i have yet to use the boat!) but in my renovation I am replacing anything questionable -hmmm, :rolleyes: except my gas it seems.....

[ 08-27-2004, 08:46 PM: Message edited by: Stargazer14 ]