Old Petrol

Hello

I read all these tails about old fuel, are they just tales made up to give a reason to a engine not starting or is there some fact to the matter?
I never experienced it myself, I ran the Sattley last year on fuel that had been in the tank for over 5 years, ran fine just stank a little (a lot) .

Didnt know if there is any fact to the matter?

Cheers Steve

Never had a problem, as long as the spark is good it will burn, in my experiences.

Steve,

Aye old petrol does wiff a little bit.

I had problems with my Briggs and Stratton this year, id left petrol in from last year and i had problems with it starting. When it did start it didnt run all that well at all. Ifilled the tank with more new petrol to mix the old and it went a lot better.

If you left petrol in the tank for much longer than that then you may start having problems, It seams to put a layer of Varnish type stuff over everything and is a sod to remove.

thats my experiance of old petrol.

Paul

Never had problems myself and used petrol up to 2 years old, although if what paul says is true it could answer a lot of carbs gumming up problems.
You do read stories about engines getting pulled out of barns after 20 years and they have fired up with the old pertol in, I think the longest I've had an engine stand and then run on old fuel is about 5 years.

Stu.

I wonder if its anything to do with the Physical size of the engine?

My B+S is a small engine were as if you pull a Lister or Petter out it may be better with the bigger pistons and flywheels.

Just a thought.

Paul

You could be right Paul, smaller engine and higher reving.

Stu.

stationary stu wrote:
You do read stories about engines getting pulled out of barns after 20 years and they have fired up with the old pertol in.

Stu.

Bloody good petrol tank if it hasn't all evaporated away in 20 years!

Maybe my Norman SC ran ok with petrol that had been out side for 3 years or so just gave it a good shake in the can.

I think the Sattley would run on anything explosive one upside of open cranks, not alot to go wrong.



Cheers Steve

Engines will run on stale petrol...........you just dont want to be downwind of one as the smell lingers for hours!

Pete.