How long is gasoline good?

[Neil Mylar LakewoodCA]

Just repurchased a 1929 Ford Briggs body truck.
It has not run for a while.
The gasoline that's in it is 3 or 4 years old.
Should the gas be drained and replaced?

[1930-Pickup]

Dump the gas. It could make your valves stick.

[WHN]

Drain tank. Add a couple of gallons of new gas with MMO. Than drain that in three or four days. Clean your fuel lines. Add new gas again with MMO.

Change all fluids and grease before you take it out. Don’t forget the steering box and u joint. Enjoy.

[burner31]

I fond gasoline is good for about 15/16 miles.
Give or take

[Gary WA]

Mine is good till its gone.!

[JDupuis]

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My 37 Ford fired right up on 7 year old gas. Ran good. Could smell the old fuel through the exhaust tho. If concerned add a gallon or two of high octane, that'll freshen up the old fuel. Jeff

[JDupuis]

Forgot to add, CONGRATS on the new truck! Looks GREAT. Jeff

[Big hammer]

Pretty cheap why take a chance? But what to do with old gas, clean parts, kill weeds?

[Crankster]

Oldtimers have told me not to have anything to do with old, soured or varnished fuel. It will burn or can be made to burn mixed with fresh fuel but it leaves a gluelike residue, intake valves especially. Bent pushrods is a typical result. I don't have any experience with that, but it sure seems to come up whenever the subject is brought up.

[1930-Pickup]

Originally Posted by Crankster

Oldtimers have told me not to have anything to do with old, soured or varnished fuel. It will burn or can be made to burn mixed with fresh fuel but it leaves a gluelike residue, intake valves especially. Bent pushrods is a typical result. I don't have any experience with that, but it sure seems to come up whenever the subject is brought up.

Crankster is exactly right!

It HAS happened to me, or should I say, to a previous owner of a 1936 Chevy pickup that I rescued.

That's why in post #2 I recommended to dump the old fuel. It's not much work or money...it's a no-brainer, isn't it?

...and yes, add MMO...

[Charlie Stephens]

I assume when they say "dump" the old gas they mean find an environmentally friendly way of disposing of it. In Los Angeles County you call (888) CLEANLA, (888) 253-2652.

Charlie Stephens

[J Franklin]

Burn it, but at that age it probably won't ignight!

[1930-Pickup]

Originally Posted by Charlie Stephens

I assume when they say "dump" the old gas they mean find an environmentally friendly way of disposing of it. In Los Angeles County you call (888) CLEANLA, (888) 253-2652.

Charlie Stephens

When speaking with a group of friends and enjoying a good discussion about old car stuff, I would have no hesitation saying 'dump'. After all, I approach people as if they are reasonable and intelligent individuals, fully capable of clear thought that comprehends the notion of 'dump' to mean 'get rid of, in a responsible way, of coarse, it goes without saying'.

[Dollar Bill]

How long is gasoline good?

In a low humidity environment and when stored in an air tight container, the gas will be viable for up to a year.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Gas hasn't been good since the 80's when it was polluted with corn. I had some old gas that stuck the valve in my old motorbike in one day. I drove the bike about 10 miles one day without know just how bad the gas was. The next day the valve was stuck so tight that I had to remove the head and hammer it back down several times while spraying Kroil on the stem. I finally got it freed up, and then flushed the carb, tank, and line.

[wrndln]

I have a friend that had an airplane. He told me about the gasoline airplanes use. Airplanes use aviation gasoline (AV gas). It is typically low lead 100 octane. He said the gasoline will last indefinitely in the tank, as it is refine to a very high level, as you don't want any problems when flying. I don't drive my model A's much, so I buy AV gasoline at the local airport. It costs more, but if you leave gasoline in your model A for a long time, AV gasoline will not degrade like pure regular gasoline and is much, much better than alcohol infested crap gasoline.
Rusty Nelson

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

NOTHING is FOREVER, except for DEATH & TAXES!!!
Bill Alive

[Jacksonlll]

When you get it clean, don't let the gas sit in there. Drive that car and you will never have that problem again. You cant drive it too much. They love to be on the go.

[Scottio57]

The gas we get in California doesn’t last very long. I’m a motorcycle mechanic and we have seen gas plug up a carburetor in only six weeks. Now these jets are a lot smaller than what is in our cars but it just demonstrates how quickly the gas degrades.

[Licensed to kill]

I know it won't last 6 years. I just pulled a snowmobile out of the shed last week that had 6 year old fuel in it. We filled the carbs with fresh gas, primed the fuel pump and fired it up. It would run until the gas we put in it was gone then quit. Wouldn't even fire on the old stuff. Syphoned it out, looked like piss, and put in fresh and away she went. Put some seafoam in it and let it sit afterwards. Conversely, a friend bought a '49 chevy truck from a neighbour several years ago that was parked in 1970 with a full tank of gas. He bought the truck in about 2005. they put a battery in it, primed the carb and it fired right up. he drove it on that gas until it got down to about 1/4 tank then started to run rough so he filled it with fresh gas and it has run perfect ever since. How times, and gas, has changed.