Will 2 cycle oil and gas separate over time?
- Thread starter ZZman
- Start date
A long time? I dont think it will separate exactly but if a long time is over the winter months then the gas will go bad before the weeds need whacking again.
What if you used stabilizer in the fuel? I wondered because I tuned the snowblower and it was smoking a lot. I wondered if maybe it was burning some separated oil in the gas.
No it won’t. Both are hydrocarbons and are miscible.
If the stabilizer is also miscible then it will not separate either. You can’t separate true solutions using gravity, even in a centrifuge.
A 2-cycle engine will smoke more when the gas gets old because gas loses volatility as it ages and you are getting an incomplete burn.
No
Some components of the oil (certain additives) can separate over time depending on conditions. This is especially true if the mix is exposed to very low temperatures for a long time (sub-zero). Shaking the gas prior to filling the tank should generally mitigate any issues that might arise, if this were to happen.
However, what you're experiencing is more likely due to old gas than separated oil though. Even stabilizers have their limits on what they can prevent.
However, what you're experiencing is more likely due to old gas than separated oil though. Even stabilizers have their limits on what they can prevent.
Kestas
Staff member
I make my premix and store it in a clear liquor bottle. It sits for extended times. Never have I seen the solution show any signs of separating.
Add additional oil residue in spring time inside the carburetor wich sits over winter (when gasoline evaporate away)
It is my understanding that Sta-Bil does not keep the gas from going bad but only keeps varnish/gunk from forming inside the fuel system surfaces. If you keep the fuel in a leak proof container it will stay fresh longer and light volotiles will not escape the container. When i'm gonna store a blowe or whacker i always drain the fuel and run it dry the last time of the season.
