# Rotate your fuel to your car often



## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

Old gas Old gas Old gas

As I put the empty fuel container in the back/trunk of my vehicle, I put a small amount of Stabil and Lucas fuel cleaner treatment in.

Then whatever is left in the container after 4 weeks goes in the car the day I go for gas. I want fresh gas all the time because I don't know how long the gas is going to sit in the equipment.

A good way to get rid of "aging" gas is in your car. It has more cylinders and a hotter spark than a mower blower, plus the equipment gas is diluted with a full tank of gas so any impact is non-existent.

When I drain gas from equipment, it goes in a 1 liter clear bottle. Before I put it in my vehicle, I want to see the clarity, color, and if there is any water in the gas. Any water will sink to the bottom of the bottle. I don't mind putting older gas in my car but not with water in it!

Any unusable gas is either put in a Approved 5 gallon gas container to be recycled on environmental day or in a 1 liter bottle to be used to clean parts.


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## trellis (Mar 14, 2018)

thanks, especially for the clear bottle tip!


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Just this morning I used year old 2cycle mix in my Toro CCR 3650. Started right up and finished the job without any problems. Treated non -E gas. Worth its weight in gold. Before non -E became available in my area I would rotate.my fuel.too.


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## rslifkin (Mar 5, 2018)

Based on my experience with stabilized fuel (even with ethanol) lasting for a year with no issues in boats, etc. I don't worry too much about it. Any fuel I buy gets stabilizer added immediately. I try to buy E0 for lawn equipment but I'm not strict about it. I never have more than 2 - 3 months worth of fuel on hand anyway, so age isn't too much of a concern. I put the mower away for winter last week with a freshly topped off tank of gas. I fully expect it'll fire right up in the spring with what'll be 6+ month old (stabilized) gas by that point.


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## Town (Jan 31, 2015)

micah68kj said:


> Just this morning I used year old 2cycle mix in my Toro CCR 3650. Started right up and finished the job without any problems. Treated non -E gas. Worth its weight in gold. Before non -E became available in my area I would rotate.my fuel.too.


+1 for non-ethanol gas, it lasts and lasts without spending any money on additives. At season end the gas taken out of the tank goes into the tank of the following season's equipment.


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## trellis (Mar 14, 2018)

what's your opinion on dropping in a small amount of gas/oil mix into a car tank? Ok in small doses?


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## rslifkin (Mar 5, 2018)

trellis said:


> what's your opinion on dropping in a small amount of gas/oil mix into a car tank? Ok in small doses?


In very small amounts it's probably fine, but I'd tend to avoid it out of concern for what burning 2 stroke oil might do to O2 sensors and catalysts over time.


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## broo (Dec 23, 2017)

If only 4 weeks, you can skip Sta-Bil.


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## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

broo said:


> If only 4 weeks, you can skip Sta-Bil.


No, maybe 4 weeks in the container, but longer in some of the equipment.


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## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

rslifkin said:


> In very small amounts it's probably fine, but I'd tend to avoid it out of concern for what burning 2 stroke oil might do to O2 sensors and catalysts over time.


Agree completely. Maybe in small amounts, maybe, but I don't like that maybe. The oil in the gas may give a false reading to the sensors then to the computer brain, I feel almost sure about that. I would use the mix for cleaning parts.


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## 99698 (Dec 27, 2016)

I drain my tank on blower at end of year run it till it dies to burn fuel out of carb to prevent cleaning following year, usually dump what comes out into car along with whatever’s left in Gerry can, water remover helps ocassionly throughout season, or stabilize in can to prevent bad gas if it’s gonna be sitting. Just what I do anyways


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## Mountain Man (Oct 14, 2018)

trellis said:


> what's your opinion on dropping in a small amount of gas/oil mix into a car tank? Ok in small doses?



Ive don this for years. Think of this, in 50-1, there is 1.25 ounces oil in a half gallon of gas. Dump it into my truck with lets say 20 gallons in tank , and you are at 
2048-1. I know some modern cars actually consume more oil than than daily due to rings and such ( subarus, bmw are notoriouse for consuming oil)


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## GeekOnTheHill (Oct 11, 2018)

rslifkin said:


> Based on my experience with stabilized fuel (even with ethanol) lasting for a year with no issues in boats, etc. I don't worry too much about it. Any fuel I buy gets stabilizer added immediately. I try to buy E0 for lawn equipment but I'm not strict about it. I never have more than 2 - 3 months worth of fuel on hand anyway, so age isn't too much of a concern. I put the mower away for winter last week with a freshly topped off tank of gas. I fully expect it'll fire right up in the spring with what'll be 6+ month old (stabilized) gas by that point.


I once used 2-year-old 2-cycle mix that had been stabilized with STA-BIL in a chainsaw to clear a fallen tree. Started right up and ran fine. The stuff is amazing.

I use the Marine flavor at 1 oz / five gallons for gas that I expect will be sitting around for a while. I use it at 1 oz / ten gallons in the car.

Richard


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## GeekOnTheHill (Oct 11, 2018)

broo said:


> If only 4 weeks, you can skip Sta-Bil.


My only caveat on that would be that in the boonies, at low-volume stations, the gas is often less-than-wonderful when you pump it. 

I've pumped stale gas around here. It usually happens between the end of big game season in the late fall and the beginning of trout season the following spring, when the tourists are gone and only the locals are left. I can tell almost immediately when I hit the first hill: The car runs like crap, and I usually get some MILs (usually knock sensor and misfire codes). I burn off the tank of gas, clear the codes, and refill at a high-volume station. The codes stay gone and the car runs fine.

That being said, STA-BIL won't freshen stale gas. But it will extend the life of borderline gas.

Richard


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## tlshawks (Feb 9, 2018)

I've dumped 2 cycle fuel into my SUV tank before. It's usually on the order of maybe tops a half gallon 50:1 with a full 24 gallon tank. Never had an issue. I know it's risky, so I simply make sure I don't have a lot of mixed gas on hand at all times and make sure I use it all up prior to winter.

Straight gas, I use 91 octane no booze and after two months, into the SUV tank it goes. I find my snowblowers and outboard motor run fine on older gas. But my weed trimmer, pressure washer, chain saw and lawn mower engines simply will not start, even if I used Sea Foam.

So, I tend to only buy a gallon at a time and keep the receipt in my shed (has the date on it). For 2 strokes, I mix small amounts, usually no more than a half gallon at a time. My outboard motor is mixed fuel (1980 Mercury 50 horse tiller...thing refuses to die), so I'll usually only have 3-6 gallons in the tank at most unless I know I'm going to be doing a lot of fishing and boat rides. If the gas is getting older...time for a lock to lock run on the Mississippi.


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## guilateen02 (Nov 23, 2014)

I'm too scary to dump it in my vehicle. 04 Town and Country 158,000 never even had a service engine light go on. I do small engine repair and always empty out what the customer has in there. I had a hard time tuning an engine once and thought the fuel was good after smelling and looking at it. Nope it wasn't. I give all old fuel to my oil collection guy, I think he might mix it with the used oil for a better burn?


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

heck i have been adding 2 stoke oil to the gas in my 1 vehicle in hopes of saving the fuel pump lol. with how little a 2 stroke smokes with 40:1 or 50:1 i really wouldn't worry about putting 2 stroke gas in new vehicle. there is so little oil the car would likely never notice. heck if anything a tiny bit of 2 stroke oil here and there might even be good for a cars fuel system to help lubricate things. 

i always just get good ethanol free gas so i never rotate my fuel. i just use it when i use it. i always use up all the gas eventually in 1 engine or another.


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## Buffalokid (Mar 5, 2018)

Great tip!


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## broo (Dec 23, 2017)

GeekOnTheHill said:


> My only caveat on that would be that in the boonies, at low-volume stations, the gas is often less-than-wonderful when you pump it.
> 
> I've pumped stale gas around here. It usually happens between the end of big game season in the late fall and the beginning of trout season the following spring, when the tourists are gone and only the locals are left. I can tell almost immediately when I hit the first hill: The car runs like crap, and I usually get some MILs (usually knock sensor and misfire codes). I burn off the tank of gas, clear the codes, and refill at a high-volume station. The codes stay gone and the car runs fine.
> 
> ...



I did not consider this in my statement since the only station where I can get E0 is quite busy therefore fuel is usually fresh. Thanks for clearing that up.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

Never had a problem ( knock on wood ) using regular gas with Stabil..........but am changing now with either premium gas with Stabil and or Seafoam or just found a E Free gas station 40 miles away in Reno and am gonna fill up jugs there for my blowers and generators . 

I don't mind helping other people with carb cleanouts etc. but don't like working on my own stuff.

go figure?


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## Ariens hydro pro (Jan 24, 2014)

I purchase 91 octane for all the small engines here. I treat it with marine grade stabal. I keep 40 gallons of fuel in 5 gallon cans in my garage for the generator. The oldest of this fuel is poured into all my equipment. The 2 cycle fuel is from this old gas that is treated with 2 cycle oil.

If I don't burn it in 6 months it goes into my trucks tank. Even if the gas is over 1 year old l don't have issues with the fuel.

2 cycle in my truck is fine. My truck loves fuel. 1/2 gallon of mixed fuel in 20+ gallons of 87 never hurt my truck.

If the fuel is over 1 year and found in my tiller or something it may smell. If it doesn't pass the smell test then my truck gets a drink.

Just tag the fuel and rotate it. Currently I run the 6 month cycle as I don't want to push my luck with Connecticut fuel. We only burn garbage in New England. That's what is given us.


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## 132619 (Nov 20, 2018)

besides what the OP posted, never leaving a gas can on the cement or dirt floor helps in keeping the condensation build up out of the can,


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## bearlindsay (Oct 31, 2017)

How much of a premium do the E-Free pumps cost? Here in Connecticut it's canned stuff only. $20/gallon at Home Depot, $75 for a 5 gallon can at the Stihl dealer, or $9.99/gal for 110 octane, leaded Cam2 race fuel (@Arienshydropro its at the Shell station on Route 6 in Bolton if that's convenient to you). 

I run 93 octane (our CT choices are 87/89/93 octane) and I put the Lucas ethanol treatment into it. When I realize that I have no clue when I got the fuel, it starts going into the cars. If it's the summer, the boat gets it. The boat's an 88 Four Winn's with a Chevy 350 and a carb. That thing drinks everything I throw at it and asks for more. 

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk


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## Grunt (Nov 11, 2013)

33 woodie said:


> besides what the OP posted, never leaving a gas can on the cement or dirt floor helps in keeping the condensation build up out of the can,


 
Sometimes no amount of stabilizer or precaution can help.


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

bearlindsay said:


> How much of a premium do the E-Free pumps cost?


it is about $3.47us($4.58cad)/gallon for ethanol free at shell in town were i live. a lot cheaper than buying it by the can.


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## 132619 (Nov 20, 2018)

$4.96 a gal for avgas here yesterday only gasoline fuel in NJ without 10% plus of grain in it ,yes they do pump more than listed on the pumps


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## CO Snow (Dec 8, 2011)

I can get E0 at the pump for $0.03 more per gallon compared to regular unleaded.


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## GeekOnTheHill (Oct 11, 2018)

bearlindsay said:


> How much of a premium do the E-Free pumps cost? Here in Connecticut it's canned stuff only. $20/gallon at Home Depot, $75 for a 5 gallon can at the Stihl dealer, or $9.99/gal for 110 octane, leaded Cam2 race fuel (@Arienshydropro its at the Shell station on Route 6 in Bolton if that's convenient to you).
> 
> I run 93 octane (our CT choices are 87/89/93 octane) and I put the Lucas ethanol treatment into it. When I realize that I have no clue when I got the fuel, it starts going into the cars. If it's the summer, the boat gets it. The boat's an 88 Four Winn's with a Chevy 350 and a carb. That thing drinks everything I throw at it and asks for more.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk


The price varies widely around here. I think I paid about $3.75 / gallon for it last time I bought it, compared to about $3.00 / gallon for 91-octane with corn. So in actual dollars it's not a huge difference in price unless you use scads of it.

The vendors also vary widely. I've found the two companies most likely to have e-free around here are Mirabito and Stewart's. But not all of their stations will have it nor have it in stock at any particular time. It pays to call ahead if it will be a long trip.

One caution is in order: If the pump pumps both corn-laced and e-free gas, the first gallon of gas is going to be whatever the last guy pumped. If I'm pumping gas for an engine that absolutely can't tolerate ethanol (like most ultralight or other aircraft engines, especially older ones, that can legally use e-free "MOGAS"), then I fill up the tank in my car before filling the gas cans just to clear the pump and hose. If using ethanol-free is just a preference thing for a particular machine, then I just take note of which can was filled first, and use that one first.

You can also purchase ethanol test kits if you like, just to be sure.

Another option if your equipment doesn't have a CAT is to buy 100LL AVGAS, which is slightly leaded. It's been hovering around the $5.00 / gallon neighborhood lately. The problem in that case is getting access to the pumps or the fuel truck.

Unless you have a ramp access pass for a particular airport (or know someone who does), you'll probably need an escort to drive to the pump for both safety and security reasons. Depending on how busy the FBO selling the gas is and how much of it you want to buy, they may not want to be bothered escorting you. But they may be willing to take your empty cans and bring them back to you full. Again, it mainly depends on how busy they are and how much you're buying.

If the FBO does have a fuel truck, they _might_ be willing to drive the truck to you just outside or just inside the secure area, again depending on how busy they are and how much you want to buy. For five gallons, probably they won't want to be bothered. For fifty gallons, your chances are much better. In between, it's a crap shoot.

Richard


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## Stresst (Nov 15, 2010)

The last few years I have been using premium with Sea Foam and Startron and NEVER have a problem.


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