Knowing how to recondition old gasoline is vital as gas does not last forever
One of the first things to know about survival, when it pertains to fuels, is that they do not last for a very long time.
Gasoline has about a 2-month shelf-life before it starts to turn into bad gas that needs to be reconditioned.
This is important information to know because as you stock up, you may stockpile more gas than you need.
This means you need to cycle your gas to keep it fresh and good.
But if you do not implement this strategy in your gas stockpile, do not worry.
There is a way to recondition old gas and make it like new again.
The following is information you need to know if you are going to run your gas-powered devices when a catastrophe has taken place.
How Does Gas Get Old?
This takes time but not a lot of time.
As your fuel sits on the shelf or in your garage over a short period of time, the components that make gas so effective start to deteriorate and lose their combustive nature.
This is done through oxidation.
This is an apple that has gone through this process.
The second way it can go bad is if the components separate.
This usually happens when you are buying an ethanol/gas mixture.
Once separated, the ethanol attracts moisture which ruins the gas supply completely.
When this happens you cannot recondition ethanol-based gas.
It is gone forever.
Only pure gas can be reconditioned.
That means you need to watch the type of gas you are buying for your vehicles and other gas-powered devices as well as for your stockpile.
Why You Need to Recondition Old Gas
You may not think this is an important process but it is.
Gas has a short shelf-life and you need to make sure that it stays good all the time.
There are some good reasons why you need to watch your gas stockpile and replace older good gas with newer good fuel.
#1. Old gas does not work that well- once the components inside the fuel start to break down, your motors will not run as efficiently as they did when they had new gas to feed on.
#2. Gas-powered devices may not run- these are finely tuned machines that require certain levels of gas to work well or work at all.
The older gas can get so bad that those machines will not run at all.
They may never run unless you recondition the fuel.
#3. Old fuel damages fuel systems- it can either ruin the components making up your fuel system or they will leave deposits that will hurt the motors in those gas-powered devices.
These are the main reasons why you need to keep cycling your fuel.
You do not want to get into a situation where you need to recondition your fuel supply unless you utterly have to.
One way to help you do this is to make sure to put a date of purchase on the gas canisters you are using.
This will help you know when to use the fuel if you have forgotten the date of purchase.
What to Look for Before You Start to
Recondition Your Gas Supply
There are some key factors you need to look for before you start this process.
These are not hard to remember but if you do have a bad memory, then you should write these items down.
#1. Make sure you have a large gas supply
While you can recondition small amounts, that is a waste of time, money, and effort.
Make sure to have a good supply on hand before you do this task.
#2. Check the age of the gas
The age has to be between 2 months and 24 months old to be able to recondition it.
Anything older and you may as well through it away.
#3. Watch the contaminants
If your gas supply has somehow been contaminated by antifreeze, brake fluid, carburetor fluid, or other heavy lubricates, then you won’t be able to recondition it.
#4. Understand what phase separation is
There is more than one phase when gas goes bad.
When it reaches the second phase, reconditioning becomes cost prohibitive.
Learn about the different phases of gas deterioration.
#5. You will need to add some additives
Check with your owner’s manuals to see which additives you can or cannot use with your gas-powered devices and vehicles.
You will need to use the approved additives to recondition the gas.
#6. This won’t work with fuel injection systems
Take reconditioning off your to-do list if all your gas-powered devices and vehicles have fuel injection.
Reconditioned gas is said not to work with that system.
How to Recondition Old Gasoline
The process is quite simple and there is an even simpler equation or formula to follow.
All you need to do is mix 3:1 and you got it.
The 3 is 3 parts new gas to 1 part old gas (according to one expert).
Other experts claim, you only need to mix on a 1:1 basis.
Then you are to shake the mixture well to make sure all the new components have mixed thoroughly with the old.
If the gas is really old, then you want to up the ratio to 4:1, new to old.
How to mix it is just as simple and you have a few ways to do this.
One way is to mix in a large open container and then siphon the newly mixed gas into a fuel can.
Another is to use closed containers and shake the two fuels together.
This may be harder to do if you are reconditioning larger amounts of fuel.
It is also harder to add the new gas without spilling any.
The third way is the easiest of all.
Check to see how much new fuel you have in your vehicle’s tank.
If the ratio is right add 1 or more gallons to the new fuel.
Driving will mix the old with the new gas and when it is time to add more at the pump, you will be able to recondition that old gas even more.
In all cases, do not forget to add the approved additives to make sure that the old gas is fully reconditioned.
What about those additives?
There are some good products on the market right now that will work for you.
They will be categorized as fuel boosters, detergents, or stabilizers and they all work to a certain degree.
The long-life stabilizers though may not be as effective even though they tend to extend the shelf-life of the gas you have stored.
You can get up to 12 more months of storage if you pick the right additive.
However, these products are not miracle workers and will not recondition contaminated or separated gas.
The best thing to do is talk to those auto parts clerks that have some knowledge of additives.
Then see which ones are the best to use for this situation.
Picking the right additives for the right task is the best way to make sure your gas supply lasts longer and stays in good shape till you need it.
Make sure to read the labels and follow all instructions to get the best results.
Then detergents will help get rid of any deposits your old gas may leave behind.
Keeping your engine clean is the best way to keep it efficient when you are burning reconditioned gas in the fuel system.
None of this applies to diesel fuel
The good news is that diesel fuel has a longer shelf-life than regular unleaded gas.
The bad news is that this fuel has different additives that may not let that fuel be stored for long periods of time.
What happens with diesel is that it attracts water, which in turn attracts bacteria and other microorganisms which produce an algae-like raft on the surface of the fuel.
This material then flows through your fuel system clogging everything in sight.
Those clogs can lead to engine failure if you do not keep your filters clean.
Diesel has always had a water problem which is why many diesel engines came, come with a water separator.
There is more good and bad news.
The good news is that you can recondition old diesel fuel.
However, the bad news is that there is a different process to do this.
It is not reconditioned like gasoline is reconditioned.
The processes are not interchangeable.
That is something that needs to be addressed in a different article.
Before You Go
Being prepared for any natural or man-made catastrophe is essential.
But when you are prepping for these upcoming events, you do need to learn how to store your stockpiles properly.
The shelf-life of gas may not have crossed your mind but it is important information to know about.
That is if you want to use your stored fuel.
Follow the above instructions to make sure your fuel is good and always ready to go when you need to use it.
Now you know how to recondition old gasoline.
Originally posted 2023-01-09 14:38:59.
