Really old gasoline question

The World would, combined with condense and possible dis-similar metal corrosion. Metals like to find there way back to the earth in the form of oxides. Highly oxidized gasoline helps some as well.
 
walkerlakeprinter said:
This is out of the tank of my old Econoline truck! No wonder the fuel pump was not working! Also.....explains all the crud in the tank which I am still in process of draining. What in the world would corrode a dip tube like this??
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Mine looked like yours in my mustang. I just removed tank and all as I tried to clean the tank on my chevy dump truck with a pressure washer. I couldn't tell I'd even been there. I read some info about putting gravel or nuts and bolts in the tank and sloshing them around. I guess it rubs the corrosion off as it is moved around. You could also seal the stuff in. Since both of mine are more modern I'm just getting new tanks. Fortunately they're both found at a decent price. The tanks of both are sitting in the back of another truck, empty and able to breath outside my shop (will go for scrap). If you get anywhere close you can still smell that old gas.
 
walkerlakeprinter said:
While not directly a Model A question, but maybe related. I have a 1977 Ford Econoline flatbed truck that has not been driven for several years. I'm in the process of draining the gas tank to investigate what is going on. The gasoline that I am pumping out is the color of Coca-Cola and really stinks. Is this normal deterioration? I've never seen this before.



I was able to get the Econoline to run on this gas with a little effort, but not well. I will have about 10 gallons of this bad gas when I am done and wondering if it would work in my Model A in a pinch.
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If I leave gas in my mower over the winter, I have trouble starting it in the spring.
I have since learned to drain and runn out during winter storage.
 
One more thing to buy that has limited effect. For small engines, it's not worth the money. Here is Texas, it's too hot for any stabilizer to last very long. It will last longer in cooler climates but even the stabilizer only lasts for 2-years setting on the shelf. If you use it, check the date if it has one. It only works for fuel fresh from the pump. If it's already set for two months than no stabilizer will help it. They say that stabilized fuel will last for 24-months but they also have the fine print about the longevity in warmer temperatures and higher humidity environments.
 
Kurt, My current "daily driver" is a Mercedes 1980 300SD. It is a slow restoration project for me. I figure once I fix it up I will be able to put a few hundred thousand miles on it and might even add a spare fuel tank to switch to/from waste veggie oil.

As for old gas, I give it away to the landscaper. Let him screw up his mower.
 
rotorwrench said:
One more thing to buy that has limited effect. For small engines, it's not worth the money. Here is Texas, it's too hot for any stabilizer to last very long. It will last longer in cooler climates but even the stabilizer only lasts for 2-years setting on the shelf. If you use it, check the date if it has one. It only works for fuel fresh from the pump. If it's already set for two months than no stabilizer will help it. They say that stabilized fuel will last for 24-months but they also have the fine print about the longevity in warmer temperatures and higher humidity environments.
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I guess where I live it works much better. I use it in all things that sit for most of the year. gensets, lawn mowers, ect ect. works well here
 
walkerlakeprinter said:
This is out of the tank of my old Econoline truck! No wonder the fuel pump was not working! Also.....explains all the crud in the tank which I am still in process of draining. What in the world would corrode a dip tube like this??
Click to expand...
It's normal for the new CRAP gas to do this kind of damage. That corn crap attracts moisture and corrodes (rusts) things like crazy. At least the new vehicles with plastic gas tanks don't have to worry about rust from the new crap gas. The shelf life is very short with crap gas, so if it's more than about 6 months old, I'd use it to kill weeds or to start my recreational fire.
 
Tom Wesenberg said:
It's normal for the new CRAP gas to do this kind of damage. That corn crap attracts moisture and corrodes (rusts) things like crazy. At least the new vehicles with plastic gas tanks don't have to worry about rust from the new crap gas. The shelf life is very short with crap gas, so if it's more than about 6 months old, I'd use it to kill weeds or to start my recreational fire.
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I've seen a couple comments about using stale crap gas to kill weeds. My wife says almost everything in our desert yard qualifies as a weed. I'm hesitant to pour gasoline around as it might get into our ground water. Ideas?
 
I found out today that our local land fill takes motor oil and crap gas and puts it in barrels to be taken to where they can properly process it. Yay!
 
Or you save it for winter, and you light one of those oil burner heaters. There's some good designs that heat the oil, burn it, and somehow heat & re-burn the gasses left before it goes out the smoke stack. Supposed to be pretty clean & odor free.
 
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