I just finished flogging an old truck that hasn't been run for a while.
I've been trying to run it once or twice a year, but the last time I
tried it wouldn't start. I just disconnected the fuel line to the carb
and ran it into a jar, in an attempt to verify that yes, indeed, the
thing was pumping gasoline into the carb.

Well, it's pumping _something_, but I don't know if I could honestly call
it "gasoline". It's highly colored, has big particles in it, and smells
more like kerosene than gasoline.

The coloration and particles are most likely from rust -- I think I can
deal with that by putting a big-ass inline filter in. But that still
leaves me with the "gasoline".

I've read in here that the new gasolines don't stay fresh. Is that
true? Does anyone sell juice that you can put in to freshen it up, or do
I have to drain it and put in new gas? If I could just put a quart of
something in there that'll make the engine run without reducing it to the
ore from whence it came I'd be glad. If I definitely _can't_, then where
can I get rid of the fuel that's in there?

Any suggestions appreciated.

--
www.wescottdesign.com

Tim Wescott wrote:

I just finished flogging an old truck that hasn't been run for a while.
I've been trying to run it once or twice a year, but the last time I
tried it wouldn't start. I just disconnected the fuel line to the carb
and ran it into a jar, in an attempt to verify that yes, indeed, the
thing was pumping gasoline into the carb.

Well, it's pumping _something_, but I don't know if I could honestly call
it "gasoline". It's highly colored, has big particles in it, and smells
more like kerosene than gasoline.

The coloration and particles are most likely from rust -- I think I can
deal with that by putting a big-ass inline filter in. But that still
leaves me with the "gasoline".

I've read in here that the new gasolines don't stay fresh. Is that
true? Does anyone sell juice that you can put in to freshen it up, or do
I have to drain it and put in new gas? If I could just put a quart of
something in there that'll make the engine run without reducing it to the
ore from whence it came I'd be glad. If I definitely _can't_, then where
can I get rid of the fuel that's in there?

Any suggestions appreciated.

--
www.wescottdesign.com

Sta-Bil seems to work fine with the new alcoholic fuel, at least I
haven't had any problems with my gas supply I use for my mower,
generator, etc. that I always put Sta-Bil in and store for a fairly long
time.

I would think the best course of action would be to:

- Siphon most of the contents out of the tank into a "crap fuel" can,
leaving a gallon or two.
- Pour a half gallon of the Sea Foam cleaner into the tank.
- Pump the fuel through the lines and out into the "crap fuel" can,
letting the Sea Foam clean a lot of the crud from the lines and pump.
- Fill the tank with a few gallons of fresh fuel with the remaining half
gallon of Sea Foam added and run the engine for a good while to clear
residual crud out.
- After running most of the strong Sea Foam fuel through the engine, add
an appropriate amount of Sta-Bil and fill the tank with fresh gas.

As for the "crap fuel" can contents, either bring it to one of the
household hazardous waste collection days, or just use it to start
campfires or brush burns.

Two Pauls agree. It's not gas anymore, get it out of there. Getting rid of
it depends on where you live. Here, we have to let it evaporate or burn it,
can't find anyone to reponsibly recycle it, and it's dangerous to keep
around until toxic day at the dump.

Gas preservative is little more than one tablespoon of BTH food preservative
(health food stores) mixed into ten gallons of gas. It will slow the escape
of the volatiles in gas, but one they are gone, its crap.
--
Stupendous Man,
Defender of Freedom, Advocate of Liberty

Tim Wescott wrote:

I just finished flogging an old truck that hasn't been run for a while.
I've been trying to run it once or twice a year, but the last time I
tried it wouldn't start. I just disconnected the fuel line to the carb
and ran it into a jar, in an attempt to verify that yes, indeed, the
thing was pumping gasoline into the carb.

Well, it's pumping _something_, but I don't know if I could honestly call
it "gasoline". It's highly colored, has big particles in it, and smells
more like kerosene than gasoline.

The coloration and particles are most likely from rust -- I think I can
deal with that by putting a big-ass inline filter in. But that still
leaves me with the "gasoline".

I've read in here that the new gasolines don't stay fresh. Is that
true? Does anyone sell juice that you can put in to freshen it up, or do
I have to drain it and put in new gas? If I could just put a quart of
something in there that'll make the engine run without reducing it to the
ore from whence it came I'd be glad. If I definitely _can't_, then where
can I get rid of the fuel that's in there?

Any suggestions appreciated.

Think about the hygroscopic properties of the ethanol present in modern
gasoline. All that moisture it attracts and resulting rust it either
causes or dissolves out of an old tank.

I wouldn't run that gas through anything. Drain the tank. Rinse it and
the fuel lines with a few gallons of fresh gas. Put the old gas and the
results of the rinsing into a suitable container and dispose of it at
the nearest hazardous waste site.

Install a good filter and keep your fingers crossed.

--
www.wescottdesign.com

--
Paul Hovnanian
------------------------------------------------------------------
If God is perfect then why did He create discontinuous functions?

"Stupendous Man" wrote in message
...
Two Pauls agree. It's not gas anymore, get it out of there. Getting rid of
it depends on where you live. Here, we have to let it evaporate or burn
it, can't find anyone to reponsibly recycle it, and it's dangerous to keep
around until toxic day at the dump.

Gas preservative is little more than one tablespoon of BTH food
preservative (health food stores) mixed into ten gallons of gas. It will
slow the escape of the volatiles in gas, but one they are gone, its crap.
--
Stupendous Man,
Defender of Freedom, Advocate of Liberty

I tried to burn old gas in a brush pile, the stuff wouldn't even burn until
it got hot.

Richard W.

"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...
I just finished flogging an old truck that hasn't been run for a while.
I've been trying to run it once or twice a year, but the last time I
tried it wouldn't start. I just disconnected the fuel line to the carb
and ran it into a jar, in an attempt to verify that yes, indeed, the
thing was pumping gasoline into the carb.

Well, it's pumping _something_, but I don't know if I could honestly call
it "gasoline". It's highly colored, has big particles in it, and smells
more like kerosene than gasoline.

The coloration and particles are most likely from rust -- I think I can
deal with that by putting a big-ass inline filter in. But that still
leaves me with the "gasoline".

I've read in here that the new gasolines don't stay fresh. Is that
true? Does anyone sell juice that you can put in to freshen it up, or do
I have to drain it and put in new gas? If I could just put a quart of
something in there that'll make the engine run without reducing it to the
ore from whence it came I'd be glad. If I definitely _can't_, then where
can I get rid of the fuel that's in there?

Any suggestions appreciated.

--
www.wescottdesign.com

I've had gas congeal and turn into a noxious jell once - ruined the inside
of a pristing gas tank too..... the fuel separated into a water layer and a
layer of this stuff that was probably some primitive form of napalm.

Hey Bill, look what i dragged home yesterday!
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/d.../easter031.jpg

27 Willys, all mechanicals in place and turns freely, body from dash back
missing. If we can get it to run it will become a speedster.
--
Stupendous Man,
Defender of Freedom, Advocate of Liberty

On May 30, 11:09*pm, "Paul Hovnanian P.E." wrote:
Tim Wescott wrote:
[stale gas]

Think about the hygroscopic properties of the ethanol present in modern
gasoline. All that moisture it attracts and resulting rust it either
causes or dissolves out of an old tank.

I wouldn't run that gas through anything. Drain the tank. Rinse it and
the fuel lines with a few gallons of fresh gas. Put the old gas and the
results of the rinsing into a suitable container and dispose of it at
the nearest hazardous waste site.

Install a good filter and keep your fingers crossed.
--
Paul Hovnanian * *

An article I recently read on plug-in hybrids said that they expect
gas to keep well for at least 6 months in the sealed tank the EPA
requires on modern vehicles. The gas isn't exposed to moisture and
unlimited oxygen the way it is in a lawnmower. Actually it keeps well
over the winter in my lawnmower which has a cardboard gas cap gasket
with only a tiny pinhole vent.

BHT is an anti-oxidant that (in plain English) helps keep the gas from
turning rancid.
http://chemistry.about.com/library/weekly/aa082101a.htm

jsw

On May 31, 2:51*am, "Stupendous Man" wrote:
Hey Bill, look what i dragged home yesterday!http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/d.../easter031.jpg

27 Willys, all mechanicals in place and turns freely, body from dash back
missing. If we can get it to run it will become a speedster.
--
Stupendous Man,
Defender of Freedom, Advocate of Liberty

Awesome looking car. I am jealous. It looks solid enough. Jesse

Stupendous Man wrote:
....
27 Willys, ...

Oh, that is cool! What's the story behind it?

Bob

Suggestion: start right now with photo documentation of it & your work.
You'll regret it otherwise.

27 Willys, ...

Oh, that is cool! What's the story behind it?

A guy who i used to work with at a restoration shop called. We exclusively
restored Stearns-Knight sleeve valve engined cars. He said he dragged this
out of a barn last fall and it went thru one winter with 4 feet of snow. The
guys he got it from couldnt get it to run and it sat in the barn for 40
years or so and spent all of it's life in a remote mountain area east of
Oroville, CA.
He has aqquirred an early 70s Ranchero with a 428 Cobra jet engine and that
project moved the Willys to the "probably never" category. He called me, and
after telling him I had too many already, he called a month later and told
me to just come and get it, pay him a few bucks if i could do anything with
it.
It is all there, but compression feels low. It may come back with some
fiddleing.
It will either become yard art, a running car, or be sold, once I have time
to devote to it in July .

On May 30, 9:09 pm, "Paul Hovnanian P.E." wrote:

Install a good filter and keep your fingers crossed.

I had a really rusty tank on my '51 International. I took the tank
out, drained the ancient gas, put soapy water and rocks in it and
tumbled it around for a long time and drained it. Did this several
times. Dried it thoroughly and reinstalled it. Within a month's
driving the inline filter plugged up with rust flakes; it seems that
you'll never get all the stuff out. My solution was to buy another
inline filter, the clear plastic type, and tape a small supermagnet to
the outside. Thee magnet draws the rust to the side of the filter and
keeps it from plugging up so soon. Lasts a year or more this way. The
smaller filter at the carb I blow out once in a while. A magnet won't
work on it because it has a steel case.

Dan

"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...
pumping gasoline into the carb.

Well, it's pumping _something_, but I don't know if I could honestly call
it "gasoline". It's highly colored, has big particles in it, and smells
more like kerosene than gasoline.
Any suggestions appreciated.


Dump it, flush it with some fresh gas, use Sta-Bil when you fill it again.
Had this problem with year old gas in christmas tree processing
equipment. Stuff looked like lumpy orange juice. NOT rust---the
machines used plastic boat tanks for fuel. Seems to help a bit
if you keep the tank full if it's going to set for a long time.

I had a really rusty tank on my '51 International. I took the tank
out, drained the ancient gas, put soapy water and rocks in it and
tumbled it around for a long time and drained it. Did this several
times. Dried it thoroughly and reinstalled it. Within a month's
driving the inline filter plugged up with rust flakes; it seems that
you'll never get all the stuff out. My solution was to buy another
inline filter, the clear plastic type, and tape a small supermagnet to
the outside.

Coat it with a polymer like Red Kote. I have been using it for many years.
Here's some on Ebay.
http://tinyurl.com/ktjjtx


--
Stupendous Man,
Defender of Freedom, Advocate of Liberty

On Sat, 30 May 2009 19:41:54 -0700, "Stupendous Man"
wrote:

Two Pauls agree. It's not gas anymore, get it out of there. Getting rid of
it depends on where you live. Here, we have to let it evaporate or burn it,
can't find anyone to reponsibly recycle it, and it's dangerous to keep
around until toxic day at the dump.

Gas preservative is little more than one tablespoon of BTH food preservative
(health food stores) mixed into ten gallons of gas. It will slow the escape
of the volatiles in gas, but one they are gone, its crap.
It has very little effect on the volatiles, actually - but it slows
down oxidation and rancidification of the "oils" that make up the
fuel.

SeaFoam in itself is also a stabilizer, so no need to buy 2 products.

Cushman identified a bacteria that can grow in old gasoline, in the
tanks of their Cushman Trackster, (www.trackster.com) anyway. Pretty
hard to get rid of apparently. Clogs the filters in the tank and
generally makes a mess of everything. I don't think it is killed by
alcohol.

Pete Stanaitis
-----------------