What to do with bad gasoline

[Vincentc]

Last night I did some spring cleaning/maintenance with a couple of 5 hp kicker outboards. They had been sitting up a while, I drained the syrupy stuff out of the carb bowls, emptied the remote tanks contents into a storage can and put fresh gas and Seafoam in the engine tank and got both engines running.

However I have about 4 gallons of old questionable gasoline and am pondering what is the best thing to do with it.

When I was about 15 I poured some bad gas on the bayou and lit it, (as my father used to say) I did that twice, my first and last time. Since then I've run it through lawn mowers etc, but I don't run a mower any more and would rather not store it that long.

I cannot think of an acceptable way to dispose of it, other than use it. Can you treat bad gas so it is safe to use?

 

[Boatsb]

Dilution if you are going to use it. Put a 1/2 gallon in your car and see if it does anything. Make sure there is no dirt in it.

If that won't work for you take it to the local hazmat wast site and they will know what to do.

 

[REBrueckner]

Many towns have hazardous materials dispoal days.....check your local town website.

I'd not put any old gas like that in my car nor any of my yard equipment engines.

You can also chek with a local auto service center....they recyle oil for sure and maybe will accept gas or know where you can put it.

Or, if you just put the gas in an open container and let it sit outside it will slowly evaporate....maybe use a gallon can for example....placing it in the sun will warm it a bit and hasten evaporation.

 

[Boatsb]

Or, if you just put the gas in an open container and let it sit outside it will slowly evaporate....maybe use a gallon can for example....placing it in the sun will warm it a bit and hasten evaporation.

Thats not only unsafe but against the law. It's as bad as dumping it in the bayou.

Clean old gas will burn fine in most engines if diluted. I bet there is someone with an old pickup in the area that would thank you for the fuel. My Ranger runs fine on just about anything.

You could put it in a Harley and then no one would know if it was running right.

 

[yachtsmanbill]

HEY!! That aint right... ws

 

[MikeP]

"Clean old gas will burn fine in most engines if diluted. I bet there is someone with an old pickup in the area that would thank you for the fuel. My Ranger runs fine on just about anything.

You could put it in a Harley and then no one would know if it was running right."

All totally correct - I pour gallons of old fuel into my wife's car's gas tank pretty regularly while I'm at the boat; never a problem. I use her car because mine little car's tank isn't very big.

 

[Freeebird]

Last night I did some spring cleaning/maintenance with a couple of 5 hp kicker outboards. They had been sitting up a while, I drained the syrupy stuff out of the carb bowls, emptied the remote tanks contents into a storage can and put fresh gas and Seafoam in the engine tank and got both engines running.

However I have about 4 gallons of old questionable gasoline and am pondering what is the best thing to do with it.

When I was about 15 I poured some bad gas on the bayou and lit it, (as my father used to say) I did that twice, my first and last time. Since then I've run it through lawn mowers etc, but I don't run a mower any more and would rather not store it that long.

I cannot think of an acceptable way to dispose of it, other than use it. Can you treat bad gas so it is safe to use?

First, since you mentioned outboards, we're not talking about pre-mixed gasoline, are we? If so, that'll make that Harley seem like it's running like it should.

Seriously, how old are we talking here? If it's a year or less, I'd run it in anything that needed it. I actually found an old gas can in my warehouse last year (long overdue spring cleaning) with gasoline that had to be at least 2-3 years old. I used it to start things up on a big brushpile I had on my lake lot from having done some cleaning. To my surprise, it would hardly burn.

 

[smoothmove]

I just might have the record here. I bought some land one time and found a buried tank with 100 gallons of gas in it. It was an abandoned radome site that had closed 16 years earlier. Pumped the gas out and gave it to an employee who burned it a little at a time in his pickup. No problems, but I could smell him coming a block away by his exhaust.
Eric

 

[bobk]

I have added old two stroke gas/oil to my 2006 Chrysler minivan and it burned just fine. Dilution level about 15%. Just filter if necessary (paper towel) and decant any water. YMMV

Bob

 

[jimbo46]

I was able to find a local auto salvage yard who took it from me. Remember, they have to pump gasoline from fuel tanks all of the time. Suggest you call around till you find one who is amenable. This was only about five gallons and it was real old!

Jim

 

[bigbill]

put it in your car or truck, and fill with fresh gas. i have done this many times, and all was okay

 

[saltshaker]

Burn it yourself as others have suggested or give it away to a local marina or landscaper. they will be happy to take it.

 

[Passages]

Warning. MTBE gas is not compatable with e-gas unless you burn it up quick (like a week or so). 15% in your daily driver should be fine. In your outboard tank where it may sit for a few weeks - no.

 

[Passages]

Or, if you just put the gas in an open container and let it sit outside it will slowly evaporate....maybe use a gallon can for example....placing it in the sun will warm it a bit and hasten evaporation.

You are joking yes? I thought so.

 

[MikeP]

Still one of the best (and cheapest) parts cleaners around!

(the usual cautions apply - yeah, it burns!)

 

[Bayside Bert54]

Doesn't our military hundreds of thousands of gallons of jet fuel in the ocean while lightening their load before carrier landings? Or is this just a myth.

 

[krush]

I have added old two stroke gas/oil to my 2006 Chrysler minivan and it burned just fine. Dilution level about 15%. Just filter if necessary (paper towel) and decant any water. YMMV

Bob

The O2 sensors and catalytic converter may not like it. They definitely don't like leaded gas.

Chemtool B12 is stronger than seafoam.

I don't like putting any old stuff in my cars. The little sock filter on most fuel pickups isn't easily changeable....

 

[Vincentc]

Thanks for the comments and advice.
Since the gas is only months old, I think I will pour it though the Racor Filter funnel, give it a shot of Seafoam or Chemtool and use it diluted with fresh gas.

 

[rsmith]

You are joking yes? I thought so.

REB never jokes around. These are impoetnt issues.

 

[Freeebird]

I have old gas I took out of my boat and motorcycle (approx 40 gallons) and I don't know what to do with it. How do I dispose of it properly

If it's in a 50 gallon steel drum, cut the top off with a torch and let it evaporate.