5 month old gas still good?

phamf · 03-20-2008, 10:17 PM

I'm about to fire up the outboard next week. Would it be safe to use the old gasoline? or just get fresh gas at the pump?

If it helps the engine is a 2007 Honda 4 stroke.

salmonfisher77 · 03-20-2008, 10:31 PM

Dont take a chance! We were broke down for an hour before sturgeon derby of three month old gas!!!!!

phamf · 03-21-2008, 01:05 AM

Thanks, I'll be sure to get fresh new fuel before the trip.

MattPark · 03-21-2008, 03:08 AM

If you had a failure after 3 months, it was something other than the gas. I'd bet on water in your fuel, and it probably wasn't from condensation.

I wouldn't worry about 5 month old gas. Topping the tank off wouldn't hurt (well, anything but your wallet).

SPRINGERMAN · 03-21-2008, 05:30 AM

Just use Stabil fuel additive, keeps that high dollar liquid gold in good shape. I always add this and the antifreeze stuff to help with water problems along with the water seperator filter. All year long. Then you never have to guess.

phamf · 03-21-2008, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SPRINGERMAN

Just use Stabil fuel additive, keeps that high dollar liquid gold in good shape. I always add this and the antifreeze stuff to help with water problems along with the water seperator filter. All year long. Then you never have to guess.

Are the kind of fuel stabilizer used for automobiles safe?

budnate · 03-21-2008, 11:24 AM

stabil is dog crap......run Seafoam, http://www.seafoamsales.com/

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...90865726229173

whatugetemon · 03-21-2008, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phamf

I'm about to fire up the outboard next week. Would it be safe to use the old gasoline? or just get fresh gas at the pump?

If it helps the engine is a 2007 Honda 4 stroke.

5 month old gas should be OK, but I'd smell it first. If it doesn't smell like fresh gas, I wouldn't use it. In the past, I've mixed questionable gas with good gas in the car without problems. I wouldn't top if off though, unless you will be using most of that gas relatively soon.

Highmark · 03-21-2008, 12:35 PM

I keep my boat full all winter long. I add sta bil for req amount of gas that is in the tank. and 2 jugs of heat to ball any water that be get in there. I have been doing this for years. One thing, I keep my boat in a heated shop. never had a problem and that's been 3 boats. so if you have had gas problems it's got to be water getting in to the tank some how.
Change your filler cap. My first boat had a 2 stroke. the other 2 are both 4 stroke.

HM

James in Idaho · 03-21-2008, 01:49 PM

If you use a gas dryer, make sure it is ok for two strokes. That is, if your engine is a two stroke. There are two different types. Take your reading glasses if you need them, the print on the bottles is small.

edit: Duh, I just saw that it was a 4 stroke!

SouthCoastStu · 03-21-2008, 04:53 PM

Here's a link that was posted in another thread: http://uscgboating.org/recalls/pdfs/BSC85_1.pdf#Gas
It's USCG Boating Safety Circular #85, scroll down to page 6 (Pain In The Gas). Everyone should read this article!

Long story short it sounds like it's VERY important to know what addative you have in your partially filled tank now (i.e. MTBE) and what you top it off with (i.e. E10). Could be a major problem mixing the two

Chrome Bumper · 03-22-2008, 08:59 AM

Depends on how the gas was stored. I have used 8 YO gas on occasion.

Quote:

E10’s ability to absorb water has yet another
drawback: it can absorb water directly from the
atmosphere through the vent while simply sitting in
the tank. In just 100 days at 70% humidity, E10 can
absorb enough water to phase separate. The shelf life
of E10 is only 60–90 days if left without treatment.

Blind Bobber · 03-22-2008, 07:57 PM

Lots of variables here. I use last years gas in my mower and buy fresh for my beloved Mercury. Sure my mower smells like my boat motor. But it works fine. Besides if the mower dies I go fishing. If my boat dies I cry. Best of luck.

BLIND BOBBER

HOGTIDE · 03-22-2008, 08:23 PM

Heck..they say it was in the earth for morethan 15 millions years.....I don't think a few months in your tank is going to neutralize it

Grizzly II · 03-22-2008, 09:20 PM

South Coast Stu has an excellent suggestion. Check out the Coast Guard Boating Safety pub. Ethano is in our future if it is not already here. Adding Stabil to Ethanol blended fuel could cause a severe problem. Don't take our word for it. visit; http://uscgboating.org/recalls/pdfs/BSC85_1.pdf#Gas

There is even more information on the Marine Board Website. I'll look that up and publish it in a day or two.

GFISH1 · 03-24-2008, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blind Bobber

Lots of variables here. I use last years gas in my mower and buy fresh for my beloved Mercury. Sure my mower smells like my boat motor. But it works fine. Besides if the mower dies I go fishing. If my boat dies I cry. Best of luck.

BLIND BOBBER

THAT"S THE TICKET!!!

I do the same thing, I don't want to take a chance with an $8K motor. I'd rather kill my lawnmower and maybe have to buy a new one at $300 (which I have to now anyway because the old mower doesn't have self propel anymore, unless you count my heavy pushing behind it as self propelled).