Tim Streater gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:
"A month"? That's a bit of an over-reaction! Yes, it does go off - but it'll be fine for a lot longer than that.
It's great for cleaning parts...
It will be fine for much longer than that, just have a decent proper sealed petrol can, see
Some years ago I was told that water is absorbed into unused petrol. No idea if that really is what happens.
Adam
on 28/03/2010, Tim Streater supposed :
A month lol
My bike and the tractor mower regularly stand unused for 4 or 5 months with fuel in their tanks. Both started up and ran without any problems.
Ancient? Months or years? If years - Just mix the half with a full tank of fuel in the car etc..
"ARWadsworth" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:
In a jerrycan, there's no way for moisture to get in.
In your car's fuel tank, otoh...
ARWadsworth wrote on 28/03/2010 :
They cannot mix, but you can get water pumped from the underground tank with the petrol and /or water condensing inside your car's tank.
Seconded. It's not additives that polymerise, it's that you lose the more volatile parts of the fuel so that cold starting gets worse, especially on engines that are a bit "iffy". You can get condensation in fuel tanks, but petrol only dissolves a couple of hundred parts per million of water, and that makes no difference to performance.
So is that a problem? When I open the fuel cap on my old banger there is an air vacuum displacement when I break the seal by opening the fuel cap. Air tight means water tight or am I wrong?
N reg Honda Civic. Sometimes left parked up for upto two months.
Cheers
Adam
"ARWadsworth" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:
Not ime - I've left cars unused for 18mo+, and they've run just fine. I'm merely pointing out that it's definitely not a problem for a can of fuel left on one side for a lawnmower etc...
If it really was air-tight, what d'you think'd happen to the tank as the
50+ litres of fuel you've put in are removed by the engine?Oh, and "N-reg"? "Old banger"? It's 6yrs newer than the newest of our fleet...
The system deliberately creates a slight vacuum so that all vapours can be drawn into the engine and burnt. Hence you often hear a hiss, as you remove the filler cap.
AIUI, when unleaded was first introduced in the UK their were problems of this sort, are various after-market additives appeared to allegedly counter the problem.
Don't know what changed about manufacture, but AFAIK this is no longer a problem.
Point taken. It would be squashed. I have seen old HW clylinders crushed by vacuums created by draining them down.
Well it is old compared to the rest of the cars on the street. But I like it, it works and it is fun. Only got 55k on the clock.
Adam
Just got a petrol mower, and the vendor and the instructions both say you can't use unleaded older than about a month, cos it "goes off". Anyone know in what way? I'm assuming some additive or other than polymerises or something but would like to know.
Also SWMBO has about a half can old reeeeely ancient unleaded, how do we dispose of this other than on bonfires hem hem hem?
Thanks,
A proper explanation:
Small amounts of water are supposed to be good for the engine anyway ;-)
Mine said that too. I've ignored it for the last six years. No problems. However: I do notice a slightly easier start up when the new can for the year gets bought in about May. No idea what causes it though. R.
gradually mix in the old stuff.
Could put the old stuff in the car but its a diesel so the results would be undesired.
In message , TheOldFellow writes
I have 2 Briggs and Stratton engines on a couple of mowers and both started last week, first pull, with last Octobers fuel in the tank! Really must get around to changing the oil this year, it is OK to leave it for 3 or 4 years isn't it? :-(
The only machine I have had that was VERY particular over fuel was a McCullech 28cc strimmer, there again that was particular over everything, if the wind was in the wrong direction it wouldn't start either.
Been using our mower over the last week or so. Machine spent the winter outside with temps down to -12ish. It started all right with the petrol left in from when we last used it about Sept / Oct. (and that was fuel that was at least a month old then)
John
In message , JTM writes
I haven't used either the car or the bike since xmas
both started first time no problems
Old petrol is a bit of a myth, although some of the lighter fractions can evaporate off and make it less volatile so I am led to believe
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