Old Petrol

[Maydup]

We have a can of petrol in the shed which we used to use for the lawnmower. Last year we changed to an electric mower and the petrol went unused all summer.

Its now 18mts old, ordinary unleaded petrol in a plastic petrol container. Would it be Ok to put in the car and mix it in with a fullish tank or is it a bit old?

[HowardKennitby]

Yes, petrol does not go off unless you light a match near it.

[DTCwordfan]

dont put it all in at once - if a 6 or 8 litre can, blend it in with a regular ocatne say 2 to 3 litres a time. Unless you use super that carries a little higher octane - most newer cars do adjust their timing to the feed coming in.

[Maydup]

lol - is that what happened to you howard? (avatar!)

[DTCwordfan]

it does deteriorate, Howard, esp the add packages and some of the lighter octane fractions......

[arfurdaley]

if its off it will smell mouldy try not too sniff the fumes too hard!! depends what car you drive on wether you wish too risk injection/engine damage for the sake of 7 quid

[vinginge]

The instructions that I still have for my trusty petrol driven lawnmower do recommend that petrol should not be kept for months on end. Certainly, last's year's petrol is a virtual no-no BUT, I've decanted it into my wife's car when she's run low on fuel and it's never been a problem.

[Maydup]

I'm not certainly wanting to risk damage to the engine for a few quid which is why I ask. Just thought it would be a shame to waste it considerung the price.

How should I best dispose of it? take it to the local tip and ask them I guess?

[Maydup]

I'll give it a sniff first though!

[hc4361]

You it little by little and it will do no harm at all, if you are worried.
Put a quarter in when you fill up.

[DTCwordfan]

vinginge and my way - just add a bit and dilute - no need to waste it if you haven't got any garden bonfires or pyres to cremate a body or three, a la Hindu style.....

[DTCwordfan]

(also for the record, small lawn mower containers can pickup quite a bit of condensation aka H2O and again another reason to dilute out as you feed it through the engine..........)

[Messi_Ten]

There should be a use by date on top of the can.

[Maydup]

We filled the can up at the pump messi. The petrol is about 18mths old.

[ladybird49]

Taken off the internet



Unleaded petrol can become stale after two to four weeks (especially in the summer). As it becomes stale, it turns into a varnish that coats the parts of the fuel system, especially inside the carburettor and the jets in particular. This varnish is difficult to remove and normally requires the carburettor to be disassembled and cleaned with a solvent in an ultrasonic cleaner. Even if fuel is drained before storage, enough petrol can remain in the carburettor to cause problems. It also loses it’s combustion values and will make the machine very difficult to start.

This varnish like substance can also coat the spark plug, making it difficult to create a spark. To help avoid this problem, it is advisable to use a fuel stabiliser in your petrol, this can keep your unleaded petrol fresh for up to 2 years. It also helps clean the fuel system and eliminates the need for end-of-season fuel draining. You can either add this stabiliser to the fuel as you place it in the fuel tank, or you can add it in the petrol can and mix the correct ratio petrol and fuel stabiliser in the container.

[Maydup]

Awww thanks Ladybird, that's really useful info