2-3 year old gas safe to use in Ariens Tecumseh engined snow blower?

[HoosierJeeper]

Completely forgot to take my gas can to the hazmat dump - we have snow coming today/tomorrow and I'll need to use the snow blower. The gas in the can is 2 or 3 years old (can't remember), but it is top tier, ethanol free 91 octane. I put Stabil in it right away when I filled it. Is it still okay to use? Or at least good enough to use for a storm until I can dump the old gas and get new? Should I use HEET or anything? It's in a 5 gal plastic gas can, about 1/3-1/2 full.

Thanks!

 

[Lubener]

If it still smells like gas and not varnish, I would use it. It's ethanol free and you treated it right away, I would be surprised if it were bad.

 

[TomYoung]

If it's in the can, I would say not to fill the snowblower with it. Three years is a while and would suggest not risking it.

 

[jeepman3071]

I wouldn't. Even ethanol free fuel can go stale over time.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

Pour that into the tank of your vehicle which is normally a lot less picky and go refill the can. Treat the same as you did before.

I usually do that every 6 months > 1 year. I have about 20 gallons in cans for generator. I always have at least 5 but will use through the year on other OPE. Before any forecasted storm, all the cans get filled/treated and all vehicles get filled up.

A little harder to get out these days from cars probably but if needed between the fleet in front of house that's at least 75 gallons more to keep generator, heat, hot water going.

 

[ccs368]

Pour that into the tank of your vehicle which is normally a lot less picky and go refill the can. Treat the same as you did before.

I usually do that every 6 months > 1 year. I have about 20 gallons in cans for generator. I always have at least 5 but will use through the year on other OPE. Before any forecasted storm, all the cans get filled/treated and all vehicles get filled up.

A little harder to get out these days from cars probably but if needed between the fleet in front of house that's at least 75 gallons more to keep generator, heat, hot water going.

Yep. That’s what I did recently siphoning 4.5 gal of 7+ year old gas from a stored motorcycle in a garage and burned in my Sienna. Not recommending this but that’s what I did being mindful of 1 gal of old fuel to at least 15 gal of fresh fuel. No short term issues that I’m aware of.

 

[c502cid]

Completely forgot to take my gas can to the hazmat dump - we have snow coming today/tomorrow and I'll need to use the snow blower. The gas in the can is 2 or 3 years old (can't remember), but it is top tier, ethanol free 91 octane. I put Stabil in it right away when I filled it. Is it still okay to use? Or at least good enough to use for a storm until I can dump the old gas and get new? Should I use HEET or anything? It's in a 5 gal plastic gas can, about 1/3-1/2 full.

Thanks!

I'd run that all day long.

 

[John105]

I'd run that all day long.

I think it's fine too. I used 3 y.o. gas in a brand new Honda lawnmower. 3 years later, the mower is fine. The fuel had Stabil and I added some more into the mower. It did cross my mind to get fresh gasoline on a new mower, but where am I going to dump 5 gal of unleaded? I said just use it, stop wasting stuff.

My snowblower is from 2004. I've never drained the tank, for all I know there's some % of 2004 gasoline in there. Sometimes I think the web is TMI, how'd we survive without the internet lol

 

[Sequoiasoon]

but where am I going to dump 5 gal of unleaded? I said just use it, stop wasting stuff.

 

[fantastic]

Completely forgot to take my gas can to the hazmat dump - we have snow coming today/tomorrow and I'll need to use the snow blower. The gas in the can is 2 or 3 years old (can't remember), but it is top tier, ethanol free 91 octane. I put Stabil in it right away when I filled it. Is it still okay to use? Or at least good enough to use for a storm until I can dump the old gas and get new? Should I use HEET or anything? It's in a 5 gal plastic gas can, about 1/3-1/2 full.

Thanks!

Can you mix 50% with new fuel at least?

 

[Hall]

but where am I going to dump 5 gal of unleaded?

Just dumped 3-4 gallons of gas into my car that I would have used in my mower but it will be months before I need it now. My mower hasn't been picky about fuel and what's left in the mower has Sta-bil added to it and will get mixed with fresh fuel come next spring.

 

[incognito_2u]

I have four, 5 gallon gas cans filled with 87 octane (w/ethanol) fuel. When it’s first filled, I treat it with both Stabil and a small amount of Regane. After 3 years, I rotate out the “old” gas with new gas by putting the 5 gallon can into one of my cars that has over a half tank of fresh gas in it already. Then I top up the tank and run as usual. Never had a problem.

 

[Kestas]

Don't waste it. Burn it bit by bit in your car. I used to dispose of spent solvents (alcohol, pentane, mineral spirits) from the lab this way.

 

[Cherrybomb]

Don't chance it,pour it in your car,a big percentage of small engine problems are fuel related

 

[bobdoo]

I always recycle my old, or year-end gas, into the snowblower.

It's super easy to drain the tank of bad stuff, and the prime button will force fresh gas into the cylinder, if I ever have gas that bad, that it won't fire.

 

[bobdoo]

Don't chance it,pour it in your car,a big percentage of small engine problems are fuel related

Cheaper to fix a small engine, than an auto...

 

[Astro_Guy]

Cheaper to fix a small engine, than an auto...

Yes - but if you mix it in at a very small ratio your car will never notice. I've been doing this with old 2-cycle gas for decades. I've replaced one catalytic converter in my lifetime and that vehicle was never exposed to stale or 2-cycle gas. A little bit of common sense goes a long way.

 

[c502cid]

Mighty Chief Tecumseh in my snowblower honestly doesn't care if I put dirty dish water in it. It runs and runs and runs.

 

[BigCahuna]

My wifes new to her car cost $26,000. I don't think I would dump 2-3 year old gas into a perfectly running vehicle. Beside going sour, it more than likely has condensation in it. I'd rather rebuild and clean out a lawnmower carb, than a cars fuel injection system. At this point, why not mix new gas in with the old gas and use it as it was intended?.

 

[bobdoo]

. A little bit of common sense goes a long way.

And a little bit of foolishness hurts even further.