I may have experienced old/bad gas

showcrop · Jul 17, 2016

Being the old fuddy duddy that I am, (much older than Old), I tend to like to display my oldness by rejecting most theories that are supposed to be a cause or cure for most problems. Things like vapor lock, Calcium chloride eating through rims in a half hour, Select-O-Speeds that make an otherwise beautiful old Ford worthless. Well, I have probably a half dozen little containers of fuel stabilizer around because I believe in the general principal, but rarely am interested enough in it to actually use some. I rebuilt my '61 901. a few years ago, and it runs pretty nice but I was usually having trouble starting it, and usually boosted it to get it going. Friday I got it out to use, after boosting it, did a little carburetor adjusting, then shut it off. I checked the gas and it was very low so I added a gal. or so. On the way to my destination, I stopped and filled it, got to where I was going and shut it off. Two hours later when I went to start it and it fired right up. Next morning it started up with just a half turn of the starter. I think that it may have been bad gas.

notjustair · Jul 17, 2016

I've got a chain saw that's sensitive to it. It's kind of
fascinating - it's like flipping a light switch when you
dump the old out and replace it. I have a five gallon
jug of high test that I use to mix for small engines. It
can sometimes sit for a while.

When I have gas delivered I usually use it up in
about four months. I haven't seen that being a
problem. I always put a gallon jug of *gasp*
Seafoam in there before they deliver.

JD Seller · Jul 17, 2016

Some motors are more sensitive to stale gas than others. It seem like the smaller motors are the most sensitive. I only mix 2-cycle gas in 1/2 gallon can for the weed eater and chainsaws anymore. I have dumped more stale gas out than I used when I mixed it gallon at a time.

Aaron Ford · Jul 17, 2016

Y'all need a 14 year old kid with a
dirt bike. Gas never goes bad! You
don't have to use additives, Heck, you
don't even have to seal the can. Side
effects are not being able to find your
tools, gas cans, sanity, etc. And when
you do find you cans they will be empty
anyway. Neighbors even go out if their
way not to talk to you (til their
really irked, anyway).

I did have to drain 10 gallons of the
worst smelling stuff ever out of my
newest project. Nasty stuff. It has
been in there about three years.

I use Stabil because its easy to find
around here. I hear that there is
better stuff in the market.

Glad you tractor is running good.

Aaron

Steve@Advance · Jul 17, 2016

Being the level was low, and had probably been in there a while, it could have had some water settled to the bottom and in the carb bowl. The addition of fresh gas with the ethanol, blended with the water and dispersed it.

37chief · Jul 17, 2016

Your tractor probably had some old gas. Bad gas can really cause problems. I was scrapping a old dodge pickup. The tank had some old gas. I dumped it in one of my gas tractors. I immediately had a bad case of sticking valves. A real problem. If it doesn't pass the smell test it is dumped. Stan

BarnyardEngineering · Jul 18, 2016

Funny because I have an old H with gas that's at least 5 years old in it. Still smells like gas to me. Never used any preservative until last winter. Always fires right up and runs fine for the few minutes it gets run.

I may have experienced old/bad gas

showcrop

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notjustair

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JD Seller

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Aaron Ford

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Steve@Advance

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37chief

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BarnyardEngineering

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