Disposing of Old Fuel

[Jonny Quest]

I'm a believer in fresh fuel. I typically mix up 1 gallon of 2-cycle fuel/oil for my chainsaws - premium fuel and synthetic 2-cycle oil. When the fuel hits the 1 month mark, I typically pour the left-over into my vehicle gas tank. I try to do this when the tank is fairly full - so that the 2-cycle oil is a diluted as possible.

Does any one else do this? Has any one had any car/truck problems due to burning the occasion diluted 2-cycle oil as described above?

JQ

 

[Brian S]

I do this, but I usually let it get to be a couple of months old. I put it in my motorcycle though, no cat or electronic fanciness to mess up.

 

[dt6266]

no problem at all ive been doing this for a while. such a small amount of oil with all that fuel will have no negative effect what so ever. think about it mabee 4 oz of oil max in several gallons of fuel.

 

[volks-man]

i use the mower and my truck.
no adverse effects yet. i have poured it in to my 1994 truck with a nearly empty tank. it still doesn't seem to mind. if you are running something 1996 or newer (obd2) your vehicle may throw a code (i dunno really).
i used to dump my old boat gas in to the truck as well. usually 6-7 months old tcw3 mix. no troubles.

 

[jburlingham]

I burn it up in my Jeep Wrangler every 2 1/2 weeks if it hasn't been used. Mine Jeep is only 8 years old so it has all the typical emissions control garbage and it hasn't at this point been an issue.

 

[dt6266]

(obd2) your vehicle may throw a code (i dunno really).

obd2 wont pick it up......i know this for sure.....class A tech for auto dealer 22 years

 

[volks-man]

(obd2) your vehicle may throw a code (i dunno really).

obd2 wont pick it up......i know this for sure.....class A tech for auto dealer 22 years

i was thinking worst case: empty fuel tank and generous oil in the mix, may pick up by the o2 sensors.

as i said, i dunno really, was just guessing. you know, err on the side of caution

 

[jburlingham]

The more the fuel is diluted the less of an issue it will be in a car, i tend to put it in whenever but a fuller tank is better. My knowledge of the OBD2 system is fair (not 100 % but I hold my own).
Based on what the combusted oil will look like to the O2 sensor the PCM (computer) will think your running rich and adjust the fuel down, in a smaller motor it may seem to lack power or sputter as its running lean (but thinks rich).

The real issue is going to be spark plugs fouling quicker (easy fix with a wire wheel) and potential plugging or pattern changing Injectors. Injectors can be helped from this with a bottle of injector cleaner per tank; not drygas, or alcohol the petroleum distillate stuff.

Like I said, I haven't had problem yet.

 

[Jacob J.]

I kill weeds in the driveway with the really old stuff.

 

[dt6266]

like i said if your running even 32-1 thats only 4 oz of oil to a gallon of gas. thats like nothing, your systems or anything else on your vehicle wont even know its in there because its such a small amount. such a small amount of oil will blend right in as if it wasnt even in there.

 

[E&R_firewood]

i dump old mix in the beater chevy half ton . . .with nearly 300,000 miles on the tbi 5.7 V-8, it likes to burn oil, so i figure a little oil mixed in keeps her happy.

 

[parrisw]

i was thinking worst case: empty fuel tank and generous oil in the mix, may pick up by the o2 sensors.

as i said, i dunno really, was just guessing. you know, err on the side of caution

Nope don't worry about it. Will not set a code will not harm anything. O2 sensors only sense the presence of oxygen. That little amount of oil will just be burned by combustion.

 

[Bill G]

Well lets see if my math skills are correct. If you have 1 gallon of old 50-1 mix it. It contains 2.56 ounces of oil, Now the original poster said he dumps it into a near full fuel tank. Let's assume there is 19 gallons in that tank. after the addition of the 1 gallon of mixed fuel there is now 20 gallons. Now 20 gallons of fuel is 2560 ounces. In that 2560 ouces there is 2.56 ounces of oil. That is 1000-1 mix. If the local pump gas was that clean then the world here would be a better place. I have ran 20:1 in one of the trucks when I misjudged the bad gauge and ran out. That was full mix at 20:1. It ran fine but is was a old truck.

Bill

 

[pbtree]

Run it through the mower...

 

[juststumps]

I'm a believer in fresh fuel. I typically mix up 1 gallon of 2-cycle fuel/oil for my chainsaws - premium fuel and synthetic 2-cycle oil. When the fuel hits the 1 month mark, I typically pour the left-over into my vehicle gas tank. I try to do this when the tank is fairly full - so that the 2-cycle oil is a diluted as possible.

Does any one else do this? Has any one had any car/truck problems due to burning the occasion diluted 2-cycle oil as described above?

JQ

how much mix do you use ???? it seems silly to dump it out every month...
i only use 5-10 gallond per year of mix on my stump rig... 2.5 gals at a time...saw for flush cutting, and the blower... no problems...

i'd keep it till you ran out.. then make up a new batch.. instead of dumping it..

JMHO

 

[Taxmantoo]

I mixed up some fresh yesterday. Had 1/2 gallon of leftover summer fuel with maybe 1 1/2 oz of Amsoil in it, threw it in the OBDII Oldsmobile without a 2nd thought. The car had about 12 gallons of gas in it already. There can't be enough zinc in 1.5oz of oil to hurt the converter. I just think of it as fuel pump and injector lubricant.

 

[tomtrees58]

I kill weeds in the driveway with the really old stuff.

you got a light tom trees:smoking:

 

[excess650]

Paranoia of ethanol makes me get rid of the mix when it goes much past a month old. I generally run it in the mower, but have run it in my '96 Jeep without problem.

 

[Longwood]

I've been pouring old mix ( 1 month or older) in my gas engine vehicles for years, no bad effects.

 

[DougNH]

A few ways I use to get rid of old UNLEADED mix:

1) any amount: Chevy C3500 - straight in
2) small amounts (less than 1 pint) of "really bad" gas: leave outside in a secure location in an open metal container for evaporation
3) less than 1 gallon: dilute into a 5-gal can that already has 3-4 gals of fresh fuel in it, then split this weak mix between 2-3 cars that already have at least 1/2 tank of good fuel in them.

Never put fuel which contains lead (100LL, CAM2, etc) into any vehicle that has a catalytic converter. This includes cars and most pickups built 1975 or later. I also never pour any type of petroleum distillate on the ground due to possible well water contamination.