2 year old treated gas...use/don't use?

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  • Fanner50

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    Hey guys,

    I have two 2 year old five gallon cans of treated gas (Sta Bil Marine) that I had forgotten about in my outdoor storage shed. Is it safe to use in my generator after two years? I don't want to screw up the generator with a storm brewing out there. Thanks.
     

    TK5o

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    It should be fine. Thats based on the gas I have in mine thats about the same age and treated with same stuff. If you really dont want to use it a generator mix one can at a time with a full tank in your car and burn it that way. The extra 15-20 gallons in your car should make it not an issue
     

    fl57caveman

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    maybe it is just me, but I would buy new 100% octane(marine) gas for genny, and treat it with seafoam


    blend the other in your car, 3-4 gallons at a time..add some seafoam too..
     

    stage20

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    If it's got ethanol it's not worth the hassle. These small engines need non ethanol gas more than your car. Small orfices get clogged easily. Id never use it.
     

    FLT

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    Less than $30 to insure that your generator doesn’t fail to run , because of bad fuel = priceless !
     

    Welldoya

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    I’ve run ethanol gas in my generators for years and they are fine.
    The trick is to not let it sit too long.
    After a hurricane, I go thru a lot of gasoline. With non-ethanol being 80 or 90 cents a gallon more, I buy regular ethanol gas. If I don’t use it within a couple of months, I pour it in my truck.
     

    MauserLarry

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    I only use non ethanol gas in my small engines and my 2000 Corvette. I don't leave the non ethanol gas in the small engines. I drain it out when I'm through running them. I've read gasoline starts going bad in 90 days. If it has that funky old smell I use it to burn brush and limb piles.
     

    wildrider666

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    Part of the problem with old gas breakdown is loss of octane rating. Low grade as little as 3 months, high octane as long as 9 months. Thats not counting additives you trust. If i were putting 5 gal of stale gas in a vehicle, I'd do it at the Pump, then top of with a mid grade to get the octane level back up. A good filter on your Can will keep crud out of you truck.

    https://www.sunocoracefuels.com/tech-article/octane-stability-high-octane-vs-low-octane-fuels
     

    stage20

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    I’ve run ethanol gas in my generators for years and they are fine.
    The trick is to not let it sit too long.
    After a hurricane, I go thru a lot of gasoline. With non-ethanol being 80 or 90 cents a gallon more, I buy regular ethanol gas. If I don’t use it within a couple of months, I pour it in my truck.

    That's fine if you don't let it sit. Once it starts breaking down I can just about guarantee it won't start.
     

    Zeroed in

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    If it has a good odor of gas (smell it), it looks good, no sediments, pour it in your vehicle's tank, pour a bottle (maybe 2) of octane boost in with it. Shouldn't have any problems. Or you could use it in the mower, but you won't know the octane rating (if you poured octane boost in it), and most mowers aren't designed for 100+ octane fuel, may cause damage? And unless you run a yard mowing service, it'll take longer to use up the fuel, depending on how many gallons you have.

    Still unsure what to do with it? You could take it to your local landfill that takes oil and fuels at their recycle area.
     

    Daezee

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    OK, here's what I do and have been doing for years with no problems as I rotate my gas. I simply pour the old gas into my wife's van's tank (2011 Honda Odessy) with about a half tank of fuel already in the van. By the time I get around to doing it, some of the gas in the oldest 5 gallon can has evaporated, so it's probably not in the best condition.

    Gas used and kept normally in my Kawasaki Mule and Honda generator is ethanol free and Sta-Bil treated unless it's an emergency (power outage for example) and I've used up the gas in their tanks, in which case I'll use the freshest regular 10% ethanol gas on hand. My Mule and generator are also run every month per recommendation of the Honda dealership that services them. I used to not run them as often, and they got hard to start. They start easily now.
     

    SAWMAN

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    Hmmmmmmmm . . . . I never put gas in my buggy and it runs ok.
    But the rest of my stuff . . . I put Marine StaBil in them all. Chain saws,lawn mowers,my truck,wifes Jeep,etc. --- SAWMAN
     

    stage20

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    Spending more money buying octane booster for old gas is a waste
     

    fl57caveman

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    9 mile is a long road, if you're at the eastern most end, the Marathon on scenic hwy and I-10 has marine fuel

    Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk

    CMP store, at us 29 & beck's lake rd, has non ethanol gas, maria's on mobile hwy, in Beulah has it, but she is proud of it... stateline pride, in Seminole al has it, & I think somewhere on 9mi , but can't remember where
     

    stage20

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    I don't know if the raceway in front of Lowe's has it. There is a small convenient store at olive Rd and briese lane. They have 100% gas. As well as the Valero on olive Rd in between Davis and palafox.
     

    Fanner50

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    Thanks for all of the replys everyone. I really appreciate it. I will Not use the gas. A disabled generator after a power outtage is not an option that I want to take a chance on.
     

    FrommerStop

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    Kill fireants with it. Bad gas that has turned yellows seems even worse for fireants. But if you have a well nearby maybe using gasoline that way is not smart if you drink from that well.
     

    Famine

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    Murphys on 29 sells 93 octane ethanol free and the shell station in Cantonment just north on the paper mill on the East side of 29 sells 87.
     
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