Just as our bodies need food to convert it into energy, engines need gasoline to convert it into energy. Similarly, just as we fall ill when we eat bad food, engines fall sick when they consume lousy gasoline. Gasoline that is not used for a long time gets worse and damages the engine. This article will highlight how to dispose of old gasoline that cannot be used in your car’s engine anymore.
The article will also explain the qualities of good gasoline and the damage that bad or old gasoline may cause to your car.
Gasoline is a form of fuel that is generally used in cars with spark-ignition engines.
Gasoline has specific attributes that make it the perfect fuel for spark-ignition engines.
If gasoline is not used for quite a while, it gets stale and cannot be used in the car.
Stale gasoline appears darker and muddier. Moreover, it has a sour odor.
Using stale gasoline can damage the engine.
When you use stale gasoline, your car suffers from operational problems.
If you have gasoline in large quantities, you can prevent its staleness by mixing stabilizers.
If gasoline has become stale and you want to get rid of it, there are specific ways.
Characteristics of spark-ignition engine gasoline
Gasoline engines are called spark ignition engines, which use a spark plug to ignite the gasoline. To ensure their longevity and provide a better performance, these engines require gasoline to possess specific characteristics. Gasoline not used for a while or sitting in your car’s fuel tank for an extended period loses these characteristics. Let’s look at some of the attributes of standard gasoline.
Volatility
Volatility refers to the capacity of gasoline, diesel, or gas to give off vapor. A product is more combustible and explosive when it is more evaporative. Gasoline is the lightest and most volatile liquid fuel. It is a mixture of hydrocarbons. When it sits for too long, either in your car’s fuel tank or in the fuel storage, it loses its volatility due to the evaporation of lighter components of these hydrocarbons. You can check the volatility of gasoline by testing its vapor pressure or flashpoint.
Low-temperature ignition
Standard gasoline has enough volatility to start an engine and warm it up no matter what temperature is outside. It is an essential attribute of traditional gasoline as bad gasoline loses this characteristic and gains its volatility when it is hot outside or the engine is warmed up.
Ensures engine safety
Standard gasoline has more evaporation, quick enough to let it not remain in the engine cylinders and burn immediately. Moreover, many components of an engine rub against each other, and friction are created. Therefore, lubricants are used to reduce this friction. However, when gasoline has slow evaporation, it dilutes the lubricants and damages efficacy. Thus, the engine gets damaged effectively when lubricants fail to reduce friction.
Antiknock quality
Standard gasoline has antiknock quality. The antiknock quality of gasoline is determined by its octane rating. The higher the octane rating (91-94), the better the antiknock quality of the gasoline. Gasoline with higher octane ratings is also more resistant to pre-ignition, which can cause engine knocking. The highest octane fuel contains more stable hydrocarbons and can last up to 2-3 times longer than the regular octane number (87). Gasoline that sits in the fuel tank or storage for too long loses its octane number and causes engine knocking.
Standards
Range
Octane Number
Super Premium
Highest
91-94
Mid Grade
Middle
89-90
Regular
Lowest
87
It does not form gum content
Gasoline is a mixture of hydrocarbons. When standard gasoline is burnt in the engine, nothing is left behind; however, on the other hand, when stale gasoline is burnt in the engine, it leaves a gummy substance on the valves, pistons, and manifold. Gasoline that sits in the tank for an extended period evaporates lighter hydrocarbons. The remaining gasoline contains hydrocarbons that tend to form gum deposits.
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Don’t use gasoline sitting in your fuel tank for 3 to 6 months, as it may damage internal engine components.
Symptoms of Stale Gasoline
Gasoline can become “stale” over time due to oxidation, causing it to become less effective as a fuel. The amount of time it takes for gasoline to become stale depends on various factors, such as the composition of the gas, temperature, and air exposure.
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The shelf life of gasoline is 3 to 6 months.
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Generally, gasoline can become stale and less effective after one month of sitting in a gas tank. Following are some of the symptoms that will help you recognize that gasoline has gone bad:
Gas will look like a darker or muddier liquid;
It will have a sour odor;
The check engine light will turn on while using old gasoline in the vehicle;
Car suffers from operational problems like the engine won’t start, sputtering, or experiencing a loss of power;
Dark exhaust smoke;
Poor fuel economy.
Effects of using old gasoline
Old gas loses a significant portion of its combustibility and undergoes a 3-4 point drop in its octane value. Moreover, a gummy residue is left behind after the evaporation of important hydrocarbons. Therefore, such gasoline does not evaporate and gets diluted in the lubricant, leaving it ineffective in reducing the friction of engine components.
A fuel stabilizer can increase the lifespan of old gasoline for up to years.
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Solution for Staleness
Gasoline can maintain its combustibility for up to 6 months. However, to some extent, it can be elongated. If you want to save the gasoline from getting stale, follow these steps:
Top off your tank when you fill it. This way, there would be less room for oxygen to oxidize and evaporate the gas.
Use stabilizers to save the gas from getting stale. By using stabilizers, you can prevent the process of staling for up to 1-2 years.
If you are keeping the gasoline in a container, it should be airtight, at most 4 gallons in size.
It must be kept in a cold, less humid, and low-oxygen environment.
8 Ways to Dispose of Old Gasoline
There are many ways to dispose of old gasoline.
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Never dispose of gasoline in the trash, down a drain, or on the ground, as these are illegal ways.
Disposing of gasoline in the garbage can be dangerous for those who handle the trash. Moreover, disposing of it by pouring it on the ground can contaminate the water table and leave the ground infertile for grass and plants. Besides, many animals that drink drain water can die due to the contamination with gasoline.
Let’s have a look at some ways to dispose of gasoline:
1. Dilute old gas with the new one
A solution to pollution is dilution. First, evaluate the condition of the old gas. If it has been sitting in your fuel tank for less than one year and is not in bad condition, you can dilute it in fresh gasoline. For example, dump 5 gallons of old fuel into 15 gallons of new fuel and use it in your car. Such a percentage of gasoline does not damage your engine. However, if it has been sitting in your car’s fuel tank for more than 2-3 years and appears darker and muddy, don’t use it.
2. Use it on any other machine
If gas appears muddy, you shall never use it in your car; however, you can filter it with filter paper and use it on other machines. One perfect example is the lawn mower. The engines of these machines do not require gasoline higher in octane to work correctly. However, using such gasoline without filtration can damage these machines as well. Old gasoline contains gum deposits. These deposits clog the fuel line and injectors of these machines.
3. Give it to an auto repair shop
If you want to avoid using old gasoline in your car or lawn mower, you can give it to an auto repair shop. Auto repair shops use old gasoline for many purposes. For example, mechanics use it for cleaning engines and other mechanical parts of vehicles. Some of the repair shops even purchase it from you.
4. Let it evaporate
If you are at such a place that neither you can use it in your car nor can give it to an auto repair shop, you can leave it to get evaporated. Put it in a container and place it somewhere in an open space. Make sure that it shall be out of the reach of birds, animals, or human beings, as it is hazardous.
5. Facility centres
You can dispose of old gasoline by taking it to a hazardous waste collection facility usually operated by the state. These facilities convert the gasoline into a form that can be safely discarded. You can also hand it over to your local fire department, recycling center, or disposal specialists.
6. Take it to a gas station
Some gas stations can accept the gasoline and dispose of it. You can call them to confirm it. You can also check the location of these gas stations on the internet. If you have found the sites, funnel the old gasoline into an airtight container and place the container in a plastic bin to transport to that location.
7. Dilute it with kitty litter
Mix the old gas with an absorbent material such as kitty litter and spread it over a large dirt or gravel area. This will help to neutralize the gasoline and reduce its flammability.
8. Burn it in a burn barrel
If it is permitted to do so in your area, burning the gas in a burn barrel is a safe way to dispose of it. However, take all necessary precautions, such as wearing protective clothing and keeping a fire extinguisher handy.
Conclusion
Gasoline is a hazardous substance. Even if it is sitting in your car for an extended period, it still has the attributes of being dangerous. It cannot be disposed of by throwing it on the ground or pouring it down the drain, as doing this may kill other living beings and contaminate the water table. However, you can recycle old gasoline by recycling it, giving it to a waste facilitation center, or using it in your car or lawnmower by diluting it with fresh gasoline.
One can rejuvenate old or stale gas by diluting it with new gas. It is recommended to use four parts of new gasoline and one part of old gasoline to form a mixture and then add an octane booster.
Yes, you can. In fact, the more you add sea form to fuel, the cleaner it will be. First, add sea foam to the fuel tank to clean and lubricate the fuel system. It takes an average of 5-15 minutes to soak into the deposit buildup.
If the gas sits in your fuel tank for less than three months, it is good enough to be used in the lawn mower. However, gasoline that is older than three months or appears to be very muddy is not recommended.
Although the mixture of old and new gas is usable for most vehicles, there are more realistic approaches to mixing old gas with fresh one. The reason is that the gas sitting in your fuel tank for over three months has already lost its octane number and combustibility. But if the lifespan of old gasoline is less than three months, mix it with fresh gasoline at a proper ratio.
