Mix longevity (warning: oil content!)

[GrantC]

On another thread there is something of an argument brewing: how long should you keep mixed fuel? One guy says 3-4 weeks, someone else says 3 months.

What about mix using oil that has a fuel stabilizer built in (Echo PowerBlend)? Echo doesn't say, at least not that I could find - any opinions?

(Yeah, like I have to ask for opinions around here...)

-=[ Grant ]=-

 

[oldsaw]

Depends on the quality of the gas you mixed. I've had gas go bad in a month or stay good for 3. I fixed that though, bought a few gallons of 100LL Avgas. Very stable, no alcohol, no crap in it, just gas. Need some carb adjustments to run it though.

Mark

 

[HUSKYMAN]

Just mix a gallon at a time and after a few weeks dump it in the car gas tank and mix more. Why would you want to try and use mix that was more than a month old anyways?

 

[matt9923]

never had a problem with 3 month old gas as long as it was kept in the shop in a clean sealed can. Never scored or burn a saw.

 

[radoutdoors]

One month and mix a gallon at a time, I use to mix more but realized that it takes a lot of cutting to burn up a gallon of gas. I take the old stuff and place it in the lawn mower, haha guess one batch was still a pretty good mix, the roomate wondered why the mower was smoken!!

 

[Brad101]

On another thread there is something of an argument brewing: how long should you keep mixed fuel? One guy says 3-4 weeks, someone else says 3 months.

What about mix using oil that has a fuel stabilizer built in (Echo PowerBlend)? Echo doesn't say, at least not that I could find - any opinions?

(Yeah, like I have to ask for opinions around here...)

-=[ Grant ]=-

If you are using a top quality mix oil with built in stabilizer and higher octane fuel 2 to 3 months should be OK stored properly.

 

[splitpost]

shake it

I totally agree that there is alot of differing ideas out there on this topic ,but i think the worse thing about old mix is that some of the oils on the market seperate after standing still for awhile ,it settles on the bottom of your fuel can and if you don't give it a good shake to remix it ,then this is where you get problems occuring,much like straight gassing ,so i suppose if u gotta use old mix for whatever reason giv it a shake first.

 

[BobL]

I've posted on this a couple of times - here's one.

BTW - I agree with the shaking the can bit!

 

[joe25DA]

:agree2: My old man always shook the mix can and thats how I started. Now i do it without even realizing it.

 

[matt9923]

always shake it!

 

[dingeryote]

:agree2: My old man always shook the mix can and thats how I started. Now i do it without even realizing it.

couple of months tops, then it goes into the log splitter, lawn mower or other low tech, low love, valved horror.

And yes, I shake the can when it's picked up. Been doing that since about 1975 as a Kid.


Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[Hagstar]

I almost get the impression some people don't shake their two-cycle mix can every time they fuel up. BUT not really, too horrifying a thought, I had to stop. My pal got fired for such bizarre behavior years back.

Here in VT I have to go miles out of the way to get non-ethanol gas. Tiny mom and pop stations get it because it keeps better and they are low volume/low turnover retailers.

John H.

 

[joe25DA]

I almost get the impression some people don't shake their two-cycle mix can every time they fuel up. BUT not really, too horrifying a thought, I had to stop. My pal got fired for such bizarre behavior years back.

Here in VT I have to go miles out of the way to get non-ethanol gas. Tiny mom and pop stations get it because it keeps better and they are low volume/low turnover retailers.

John H.

Wonder if the small stations in MA operate like that too. Interesting.

 

[Hagstar]

Wonder if the small stations in MA operate like that too. Interesting.

Watch out though, really small volume users can also be selling many months-old gas. My best source is really an independent station that is one of the cheapest around and does a good volume, but I am not in their neighborhood too often. Myself I've used 3-4 month old mix with no problems, but I am a religious Stabil user.

John H.

 

[Steve NW WI]

I almost get the impression some people don't shake their two-cycle mix can every time they fuel up. BUT not really, too horrifying a thought, I had to stop. My pal got fired for such bizarre behavior years back.

Here in VT I have to go miles out of the way to get non-ethanol gas. Tiny mom and pop stations get it because it keeps better and they are low volume/low turnover retailers.

John H.

I'm a serial shaker as well.

I've got a good Ma&Pa gas station a few miles away, the owner is a hot rod guy and a sledhead. Guaranteed non-ethanol premium there. I've also got 110 octane unleaded race gas available a little farther off, but I've shied away from it, because of A) price and B) needing to retune if I run out and have to whip up a batch of 92 to get by.

I've never had a 2 gallon can last long enough to recycle it into some other piece of equipment. Mixed gas here is used in chainsaws, weed whacker, Ice auger, push mower, and an old boat motor. It's rare that a week goes by that one of those isn't getting fed.

 

[BobL]

:agree2: My old man always shook the mix can and thats how I started. Now i do it without even realizing it.

A few years ago for a variety of reasons I went through a period where I just didn't even touch a CS for about 5 years :jawdrop:

Anyway, I eventually dragged out the trusty old 10-10 and instinctively shook the saw. Now there was no way I was going to use the mix that was still in the saw and I also had to ask myself why did I shake the saw - Oh yeah that's because my old man also used to shake saws and cans every time he picked them up, even if he wasn't going to use the saw he would still shake a saw.

 

[matt9923]

A few years ago for a variety of reasons I went through a period where I just didn't even touch a CS for about 5 years :jawdrop:

Anyway, I eventually dragged out the trusty old 10-10 and instinctively shook the saw. Now there was no way I was going to use the mix that was still in the saw and I also had to ask myself why did I shake the saw - Oh yeah that's because my old man also used to shake saws and cans every time he picked them up, even if he wasn't going to use the saw he would still shake a saw.

Wow don't tell no one round here that.

Glad you came to your seances!

 

[CentaurG2]

I run Amsoil saber (used to use Stihl Ultra and/or Husky XP) at 50:1 with premium fuel (yup with 10% ethanol). Date and store/use the fuel within 3 months. After that, the left over mix goes into the truck,car,boat, lawn mower etc. Never toasted a saw yet, despite my best efforts, but your mileage might vary.

 

[Nicholas]

Here's what they told us at service school regarding fuel shelf life:

Briggs Service School: 60-90 Days
Echo Service School: 30-45 Days
Husqvarna School 3-4 Weeks
Stihl Service School:60-90 Days
Toro Service School: 45-60 days

Minimum Octane rating of 89.

After about 3-4 weeks fuel is already starting to smell stale and sour like vinegar. Fuel does last longer if stored in a sealed metal safety can.

For all my personal power equipment, I dump any unused fuel after 1 month. I also drain, and run the fuel out of my equipment before storage. Especially if my equipment is going to sit unused for more than 1 month.

 

[pmbou]

my mix gas rituals

OK here's my gas habit.

I always use non-oxygenated 91 octane gas in all lawn equipment including chainsaws. A place near me sells it. I buy it 5 to 10 gallons at a time in metal or plastic 5 gallon jugs. Then I add 2 oz of sta-bil fuel stablizer per 5 gallons at time of purchase, since I never know when I will use it or what piece of equipment will sit unused for how long. I use this stabilized fuel in all my 4-strokes. For 2-strokes I take the stabilized fuel and add 2-stroke oil (usually synthetic like hp ultra for chainsaws and other air cooled 2 strokes, and quicksilver for the outboard).

Every engine gets run at least 2 times a year. Some are monthly, some are every 6 months. So far so good, every engine starts and runs every time It's been 7 years since I started doing this.

I have sometimes wondered if using sta-bil with 2-stroke mix is OK, since sta-bil contains mostly alcohol according to MSDS. But it's a tiny amount and it seems to work. Stabilizer is included in most good oils so if you get fresh gas you shouldn't need to add it.

If 2-stroke gas sits in a can more than about 3 months I dump it and mix some fresh stuff. Occaisonally I burn old mix in my lawnmower but I try to avoid it - it must leave deposits.

Who knows if lubricity is maintained with old mix, how octane rating depletes over time, and how long it takes for the carburetor to gum up - gas is cheap so I don't care to find out. Also I'm a habitual can shaker but it seems unecessary since stabilizer and 2-stroke mix is soluble in gas.