I recently came across approx. 20 gallons of old gas. 5 gallons came to me in an old gas can someone was throwing away. I saw it at the curb and stopped. The can had gas in it but the spout was broken. I fixed this problem by removing the gas cap from an old mower that was also being trashed and went on my way with the can full of gas. I don’t know how old it is but it doesn’t smell super fresh. It also doesn’t have the completely broken down smell of really old nasty gas. I don’t know how to describe that smell but it in no way resembles the smell of gasoline. It is a nasty dead smell.
The second 15 gallons are so came out of a vehicle I am getting ready to part out. It has been sitting a little over a year so I siphoned it into cans. The tank was full and the gas is darker than normal but still smells pretty much like normal gas much like the gas in the can. The smell isn’t like that of fresh gas but it doesn’t have that dead smell either.
I have been mixing this gas with that for my lawn mowers and using it up slowly that way. I have also put up to 20% in a truck that I plan to change the fuel filter on soon. I figure the rest of the fresh gas will dilute this and keep anything from getting gummed up.
Also, I sometimes come across totally dead gas that is completely broken down and has that horrid stench. I wouldn’t put this in anything no matter how diluted it might be so I usually just put it in a pan and burn it off or use it to help burn off brush.
Does anyone have a better way to get rid of old gas or am I doing the best thing?
In my County we have a Household Hazardous Waste Program and they will accept gasoline. Check with your county. If there is nothing like that where you live, call your local garbage pick up company and ask them.
You’re doing the best thing by diluting it and burning it in your mowers and truck. Most times this will not cause a problem.
The worst stuff can be sent to your local hazardous waste disposal program if you have one. But if you live out in the country I wouldn’t have an objection to burning brush with it if it’s only a small quantity.
Our city landfill has a tank for old gas and diesel, as well as used oil and one for old antifreeeze. Deisposal is free. Twice a year the local fire stations accept gasoline, paint, antifreeze and other hazardous chemicals.
Take it to a waste oil facility. It may seem OK but cars and trucks ( and mowers) are not waste disposal facilities. You don’t know what was really in that 5 gallon can do you ? You took a really big chance assuming it was all gas. Dumping stuff like this that is really old or you really don’t know what it is, into your car or machinery is something everyone I know never ever does .
Why ?
Yeah, I live in the country so the really broken down stuff gets put it its own container for brush burner. I only usually need a cup or two to start the fires and rarely have that much of the really bad stuff on hand. I see there are two very different opinions on using it in small amount in a vehicle. I see what you are saying about the 5 gallon can. That could have been gas and paint thinner or something completely different and potentially way more harmful than old gas. I did smell it to see if there was an odor of anything else and it smelled like gas. Either way, that can has been used up and mowed my yard nicely.
I do plan to change the fuel filter on the truck after this gas is all burned through. I may drop some injector cleaner in the tank before this change too.
I have some of the really nasty stuff in an oil can to go to a waste oil collection place. They have this in our county for things besides just oil such as antifreeze and fluorescent light bulbs. It is kind of a pain in the butt as they require an appointment so far in advance to drop things off so I usually have a LOT of things to take in before it is worth my while. I was about to go in but will be changing the coolant in another car soon so will wait until after that.
Here’s a comment on the “bobistheoilguy.com” website who successfully recycles a lot of gasoline:
"I have encountered a similar situation at work, I have aproximatly 200 gasoline powered boats (not including the 400 deisel powered boats) that I store and maintain. One of the things I havet to do is de-fuel the tanks and fuel bowls and preserve the engines for long term storage.
Waste gasoline is classified by the EPA as a hazardous waste primarily due to flamibility. The “proper” way is to pay a whole lot of money for someone to pick it up and dispose of it, usually by incineratio. By law you have to have special endorsments to transport hazardous waste, (ironically the fresh gas in your gas tank requires no special endorsments). I work for the government and being a steward of the taxpayers dollar I can’t see wasting our money like that. We double filter the used gas and add it to our forklifts and small equipment like gensets, air compressors and chain saws. We have even used it in our work vechicles with no problems. We try to use a 3:1 or 4:1 mix of fresh gas with old and add a fuel stabilizer (it’s mostly ethanol). Every now and then something might run a little rough and in that case we drain it out and add a little more fresh gas.
So long story short, filter it, drain any water off the bottom and use it in your lawn mower just cut it down with some fresh gas first and add a little fuel stabilizer. DO NOT pour it on the ground!"
Here is a guy who is defueling boats at the end of the year. He isn’t just picking up cans on the side of the road or working with vehicles with long term storage problems but have fuel come directly from boats in use…totally different situation. I see no where he indicates he works with old gasoline.