Use It or Dump It?

So we are all on here discussing using fuel thats 2 or 6 or 12 months old. I would say 97% of the members here run high quality oil, most of which has stabilizers in it to begin with. When i was 14 ( circa 1984) i had a couple dirt bikes a 77 yamaha yz250 and a 71 hodaka super rat 100cc. We lived in the country and i rode the hell out of both of them. I was 14 and bought these bikes working for farmers in summertime. I didnt have alot of extra money for the good 2cycle oil so i ran whatever. This included marine 2cycle oil, 30 weight motor oil, powerpunch 2cycle oil, you get my point no consistency. Well they never blew up, seized, dropped a crank. Did they smoke oh ya the 30 weight motor oil mixed at 20:1 was a mosquito killer for sure. My point is i think alot of us on fhc worry over silly things. I think alot of the saws that we own mite still run after we are deaddue to the fact we only cut 4 to 20 cords a year. Im i saying its ok to run bunk gas thats been sitting outside for 2 winters, hell no. Kinda my opinion is that sometimes engines will take more abuse than you think, and probably the worst thing is for something to sit and never get used. Sorry for the long post im kinda bored tonite.

 

Fuel quality was better back then, likely you were running pure gasoline. The real problem these days is the ethanol content. It can absorb moisture (water) and then it likes to separate from the gasoline too. E10 fuel didn't start to be widely used until the late 80s/early 90s IIRC.
I do agree with you though that the exact fuel and oil that is used (and the ratio) is often fretted over needlessly...good enough is good enough. Now, with that said, some is better than others...

 

If it passes the smell test, use it. Sour fuel has a distinctive odor.

 

I'd run it. I do it all the time. At worst id dump it in my mower or old pick up. I wouldn't pour it out or not run it as gas that's for sure.

 

And I forgot like others said all quality oils which you used has fuel stabilizer in it. If you don't think pure gas can last 8 weeks then at least it should with stabilizer in it!!??

 

This.

 

Problem is you can't smell separation or excess moisture in the case if it was e10. BUT this is only 2 month old fuel . It it was 2 years old I would say put it in the old wood hauler and buy new and not worry.

 

Guess I'll use it. I've read in a couple of different places that one shouldn't use fuel thst is over 30 days old. That just seems like overkill. No no offense Scotty!

 

Most folks say that for e10 fuel. But remember even if it was e10 you have fuel stabilizer in it.

 

Ralphie told us it was not corngas. Other than the slow degradation of octane rating, non-oxygenated gasoline will stay "good" for a long time. It will start to smell funny/sour when it is starting to turn to varnish.

A quick visual lesson on gasoline

 

Yea thats why i said "if it was e10". So that folks who may not know realize there is a handeling difference in the 2.