Bad gas in 4 wheeler


  #1  
Old 11-16-18, 04:30 PM
E
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 2
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Bad gas in 4 wheeler

I have bad fuel (we dont know what the heck it is in that gas can!) In my 4 wheeler and I am an old grandmother but I believe I could follow directions. Is there a video out there for novices who dont know the proper names for the parts?
I know I'm asking alot but any advice (other than Lady, just take it to the shop) would be a wonderful thing!
 
  #2  
Old 11-16-18, 05:00 PM
N
Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: NoVA
Posts: 212
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
How long has the gas been in the 4 wheeler? Does it run? Assuming you want to get the old gas out of it, look for the fuel tank, at the bottom you should see a fuel line (black rubber tubing) likely coming from a small valve.

You might need to use some pliers to slide a coupling along the tubing, then remove it from the valve, have a container ready, with the tube removed you should be able to drain the old gas out of it.

If it's not running, then post some more details on what it's doing, does it start at all? Does it crank but not start? What's the make and model of it? Without that information it will be tough to really help
 
  #3  
Old 11-19-18, 02:52 AM
E
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 2
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Thank you so much for the advice! Its running now. I love this forum!
 
  #4  
Old 11-19-18, 03:37 AM
Norm201's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: United States
Posts: 10,956
Received 721 Upvotes on 640 Posts
Draining the tank is best. However, if the tank is nearly empty, you can just run it till it runs out of fuel. Then add new gas with a bit of carb cleaner.
 
  #5  
Old 08-09-19, 07:47 PM
W
Member
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Ohio
Posts: 2,375
Received 42 Upvotes on 38 Posts
Try to empty fuel tanks for engines that are not going to be used for a long time period as much as possible before storing them. I can tell you from experience that old gasoline left for a 2 year period will require a lot of chemical flushing to get it clean again.
 
  #6  
Old 08-10-19, 02:15 AM
M
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: USA - N.E.Tn
Posts: 45,659
Received 835 Upvotes on 732 Posts
old thread but I'll add my 2¢ anyway
I rarely drain tanks at the end of a season although I will run it dry when feasible. I always add StaBil to the last tank of fuel. That keeps the fuel usable until you are ready for it again.
 
  #7  
Old 08-31-19, 03:17 PM
W
Member
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Ohio
Posts: 2,375
Received 42 Upvotes on 38 Posts
I have become a believer in Stabil after talking to several neighbors who I usually had to help them get machines started every spring, (or winter if snow machine) They bought it at mower shops and are swearing by it, and I can believe it due to the lack of dead machines headed my way after the first snow storm, or first warm day in the spring.
 
  #8  
Old 08-31-19, 06:04 PM
Norm201's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: United States
Posts: 10,956
Received 721 Upvotes on 640 Posts
Funny this post was resurrected. My son's Cub Cadet 46" rider that was not started (nor stored or properly taken care of) for over two years and not used since his stroke. Of course the battery was dead. This past week we replaced battery pulled the carb and air hosed cleaned it and reinstalled it. Only fuel we had handy at the time was 5 gal of two year old gas. Might have been treated but it was the color of pee. The guy next door (who rebuilds boat engines) said use it. If the carb is OK the damn thing will start. And sure enough it did and runs very smooth.

So that said, are we wasting our time running the carbs dry and treating the gas? I'll continue to drain the tanks and run the carb dry, but you got to wonder.
 
  #9  
Old 09-01-19, 01:29 AM
Marq1's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: USA MI
Posts: 9,745
Received 1,210 Upvotes on 1,098 Posts
are we wasting our time running the carbs dry and treating the gas?
Lets not go there!

2 year old gas will always be, well 2 year old gas and will still burn, but it's not going to be the highly refine product it was when new!

Old gas contains gum and varnish, impurities that do not play nice with the carbs and injection systems.

Don't need to run tanks dry, just use a little stabilizer and your good till next season!
 
  #10  
Old 09-01-19, 02:43 AM
M
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: USA - N.E.Tn
Posts: 45,659
Received 835 Upvotes on 732 Posts
Old habits die hard. I've always run my small engines dry at the end of the season but about 10 yrs ago I started adding Stabil at the end of the season. If for some reason I don't run that tank dry it's still protected. Unless I've got a lot of cutting ahead of me I usually add it to my chainsaw gas [I use them yr around but sometimes go months without using one] I figure it's cheap insurance.

While I wouldn't think twice about using old gas in my truck I'd be leery of using it in a small engine.
 
  #11  
Old 09-01-19, 05:43 AM
Norm201's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: United States
Posts: 10,956
Received 721 Upvotes on 640 Posts
While I wouldn't think twice about using old gas in my truck I'd be leery of using it in a small engine.
On this I have to disagree. With todays newer vehicles I'd be very leery of putting old gas into the tank. Certainly not more than a gal to a full tank at any given time. I'd much rather take a chance with old gas in a small engine than risk fouling up a car engine. At least a small engine can be fixed at a much smaller cost than a car engine that requires a degree in astro physics, computer science and a tenure at NASA.
 
  #12  
Old 09-01-19, 05:44 AM
M
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: USA - N.E.Tn
Posts: 45,659
Received 835 Upvotes on 732 Posts
I guess I forgot to add I drive an old truck - 1976 F100
 
  #13  
Old 09-01-19, 05:59 AM
Marq1's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: USA MI
Posts: 9,745
Received 1,210 Upvotes on 1,098 Posts
I'd be very leery of putting old gas into the tank
Its not so much the gas itself as the fact that it's sitting for extended time breaking down, a gallon of old gas in a tank of 20 gallons of new gas is fine.

Plus, what would you do to dispose!
 
  #14  
Old 09-01-19, 08:21 AM
H
Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: USA
Posts: 2,309
Received 296 Upvotes on 254 Posts
Should to mention that THIS DOES depend on WHERE you're getting gasoline.

IIRC, gasoline sold in -Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington- is E10, that means 2% ethanol.

Basically, used year round, that's enough ethanol passing through the fuel system to remove any residual water from the gas, AND enough C2-H5-OH by weight, to dissolve any gum and varnish.
 
Norm201 voted this post useful.
  #15  
Old 09-01-19, 08:27 AM
Norm201's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: United States
Posts: 10,956
Received 721 Upvotes on 640 Posts
Plus, what would you do to dispose!
Very good question. I believe it was brought up in this forum recently and the general consensus was to use small amounts in the car mixed with a full or nearly full tank.
 
  #16  
Old 09-01-19, 08:37 AM
Norm201's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: United States
Posts: 10,956
Received 721 Upvotes on 640 Posts
Basically, used year round, that's enough ethanol passing through the fuel system to remove any residual water from the gas, AND enough C2-H5-OH by weight, to dissolve any gum and varnish.
Good info. I'm always "chastising" (trying to educate) customers when they buy that dry gas by the 6 pack. I tell them it's not necessary and they may end up doing more harm than good. I try to explain to them that our gas is "seasoned" and already has the necessary components that change during the year to compensate for moisture and temperature . About the only thing that dry gas is good for is the snowblower and then only if you know snow or ice fell into the tank during fueling.
 
  #17  
Old 09-01-19, 08:51 AM
W
Member
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Ohio
Posts: 2,375
Received 42 Upvotes on 38 Posts
I hope that I previously mentioned that my BAD GOSOLINE experience involved a Generator left in a condo for emergency sump pump service got neglected (the gasoline was left in it for a few years) For Reasons I am sure not proud of, and since the Condo got sold. The gasoline basically dried up into an inpenetratable crust that I had to call you guys for help on to remove. (white vinegar, screen door chain, repeat and repeat until clean I think lol. So I don't know if Stabil will dry up too, but I can assure you that more than two years of storage, and you are asking for it. I never want to have to do that with a fuel tank again.
 
  #18  
Old 09-01-19, 08:57 AM
Norm201's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: United States
Posts: 10,956
Received 721 Upvotes on 640 Posts
My first and hopefully only problem with old gas was also in a generator that was left unused for a whole winter season. Not as bad as your situation, but I had to replace the carburetor. So now I run it dry after every startup. It's just a turn of the fuel valve.
 
  #19  
Old 09-01-19, 01:31 PM
H
Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: USA
Posts: 2,309
Received 296 Upvotes on 254 Posts
Originally Posted by Marq1

Plus, what would you do to dispose!
Eh, just saying, that's when you borrow your brother-in-law's pressure washer...

Originally Posted by Norm201

Originally Posted by Hal
Basically, used year round, that's enough ethanol passing through the fuel system to remove any residual water from the gas, AND enough C2-H5-OH by weight, to dissolve any gum and varnish.
our gas is "seasoned" and already has the necessary components that change during the year to compensate for moisture and temperature.
My experience is that 2 cycle engines from 20 years ago benefit from dry gas.
They're left outside in the elements on the trailer, or at best they're parked in an unheated garage where they cool down and condensation forms.

It soaks up the water AND seems to keep the E10 ethanol gasoline from eating the seals and gaskets. However, those 2 stroke engines from twenty years ago are generally cheap and have been replaced by new motors that do fine with E10.

The only people I know who Stihl use 20 year old 2 stroke engines are arborists and tree surgeons, guys who really, really know their tools and argue about the fine points of the steel housing versus the new cr#$!) with the plastic housing.
 
  #20  
Old 09-01-19, 02:55 PM
Marq1's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: USA MI
Posts: 9,745
Received 1,210 Upvotes on 1,098 Posts
Eh, just saying, that's when you borrow your brother-in-law's pressure washer..
.

To spray it or burn it? Just asking!!
 
  #21  
Old 09-02-19, 07:52 AM
W
Member
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Ohio
Posts: 2,375
Received 42 Upvotes on 38 Posts
i wondered about that too... i have a pressure washer, if burning is the answer, I want to see a video of that process!!!
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question