Old fuel, split it or chuck it?
12-26-2005 | 07:21 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From: Hubbardston,
MA
Old fuel, split it or chuck it?
O.k.
I'm getting into R/C again, after 10 years....I have some 5 year old redmax 12% syn-cas blend.....It's more yellow than red now and some evaperation has accured from a hole in the cap. Is there something I can split this with or should I chuck it?
I'll be running 40 size engines that are going get the once over before they hit the air.
I'm sure I'll get lots of dead stick time in, I just want to do it less than more.
I'm getting into R/C again, after 10 years....I have some 5 year old redmax 12% syn-cas blend.....It's more yellow than red now and some evaperation has accured from a hole in the cap. Is there something I can split this with or should I chuck it?
I'll be running 40 size engines that are going get the once over before they hit the air.
I'm sure I'll get lots of dead stick time in, I just want to do it less than more.
12-26-2005 | 08:31 PM
#5
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From: Hubbardston,
MA
RE: Old fuel, split it or chuck it?
O.k. I think the answer is do it right the first time and chuck it.
Thanx
I just dusted off the credit card for some new toys from (Tower) it will slingshot me back into the grove. It also might get my butt in a sling when the wifey sees the new sig on the door step......."but it's going to become two planes for the price of one honey." oh well.
Thank you guys for the input. I'll put the old stuff in my kids plane...she can practice taxiing with that stuff.
Thanx
I just dusted off the credit card for some new toys from (Tower) it will slingshot me back into the grove. It also might get my butt in a sling when the wifey sees the new sig on the door step......."but it's going to become two planes for the price of one honey." oh well.
Thank you guys for the input. I'll put the old stuff in my kids plane...she can practice taxiing with that stuff.
12-26-2005 | 09:35 PM
#7
Senior Member
RE: Old fuel, split it or chuck it?
Hello; Those guys must be fuel retailers, I'd try it first, then dicide. How do you get rid of un-wanted fuel nowadays? You can't toss it down a drain. If you find that it doesn't work for you, I would take what I had left to the local flying field and offer it around, there's always some cheapskate who will use it somehow.
12-26-2005 | 09:49 PM
#8
My Feedback: (21)
RE: Old fuel, split it or chuck it?
I fried a K&B .61 this season using some old fuel fuel, it was pink....it had
turned brown. I used it by mistake. You can believe it or not....your choice.
I had two buddies there watching my Ultra Stick fly. I noticed there wasn't
a smoke trail from the engine....I said it outloud. Before I throttled back to
land and richen up the mixture (I thought) the engine died. When I retrieved
the plane it was devoid of compression.
I haven't taken the engine apart, been busy....I just put another engine in
the plane.
My recommendation....dump the fuel.
Been there....done that.
BTW....I'm not a "fuel retailer".
FBD.
turned brown. I used it by mistake. You can believe it or not....your choice.
I had two buddies there watching my Ultra Stick fly. I noticed there wasn't
a smoke trail from the engine....I said it outloud. Before I throttled back to
land and richen up the mixture (I thought) the engine died. When I retrieved
the plane it was devoid of compression.
I haven't taken the engine apart, been busy....I just put another engine in
the plane.
My recommendation....dump the fuel.
Been there....done that.BTW....I'm not a "fuel retailer".
FBD.
12-26-2005 | 10:06 PM
#9
My Feedback: (12)
RE: Old fuel, split it or chuck it?
ORIGINAL: Flyboy Dave
I fried a K&B .61 this season using some old fuel fuel, it was pink....it had
turned brown. I used it by mistake. You can believe it or not....your choice.
I had two buddies there watching my Ultra Stick fly. I noticed there wasn't
a smoke trail from the engine....I said it outloud. Before I throttled back to
land and richen up the mixture (I thought) the engine died. When I retrieved
the plane it was devoid of compression.
I haven't taken the engine apart, been busy....I just put another engine in
the plane.
My recommendation....dump the fuel. Been there....done that.
BTW....I'm not a "fuel retailer".
I fried a K&B .61 this season using some old fuel fuel, it was pink....it had
turned brown. I used it by mistake. You can believe it or not....your choice.
I had two buddies there watching my Ultra Stick fly. I noticed there wasn't
a smoke trail from the engine....I said it outloud. Before I throttled back to
land and richen up the mixture (I thought) the engine died. When I retrieved
the plane it was devoid of compression.
I haven't taken the engine apart, been busy....I just put another engine in
the plane.
My recommendation....dump the fuel.
Been there....done that.BTW....I'm not a "fuel retailer".
12-27-2005 | 09:47 AM
#11
Senior Member
RE: Old fuel, split it or chuck it?
The stuff that evaporates out is the nitro, the nitro igniters, and the alcohol. If all that evaporated away, you'd be left with lube, right.
I got back into the hobby after 15-20 years. I had a shipping box of 4 gallons of RedMax. One of the bottles had leaked completely away. One was about halfway down. The other two were full to the top. After I'd used up the two good gallons (excellent fuel, that RedMax), I discovered that the closest LHS didn't have any fuel for sale with castor in it. So I bought a gallon of what they sold and did a little math. Blended in some of the old stuff with the new until I got down to the other LHS to buy some "fresh" fuel that had castor in it.
No way I'm throwing away perfectly good castor oil.
I got back into the hobby after 15-20 years. I had a shipping box of 4 gallons of RedMax. One of the bottles had leaked completely away. One was about halfway down. The other two were full to the top. After I'd used up the two good gallons (excellent fuel, that RedMax), I discovered that the closest LHS didn't have any fuel for sale with castor in it. So I bought a gallon of what they sold and did a little math. Blended in some of the old stuff with the new until I got down to the other LHS to buy some "fresh" fuel that had castor in it.
No way I'm throwing away perfectly good castor oil.
12-27-2005 | 10:44 AM
#12
RE: Old fuel, split it or chuck it?
Actually, unless the storage is above 97 degrees, the nitro stays behind. You will have nitro and oil remaining. If you knew you had a full gallon to begin with, you could replinish the missing methanol, and the fuel should be good. The oil should be good, the color ususally turns because sun or light exposure will eventually cause the dye to darken. You could try it on an engine on the bench to be sure.
12-27-2005 | 10:55 AM
#13
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 852
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From: Sydney, AUSTRALIA
RE: Old fuel, split it or chuck it?
if its been sitting around with a hole in the cap the menthanol is probably saturated with water as humidity is menthanols worst enemy!!!..good advice here, buy fresh fuel !!!
12-27-2005 | 11:16 AM
#14
RE: Old fuel, split it or chuck it?
if its been sitting around with a hole in the cap the menthanol is probably saturated with water
12-27-2005 | 11:29 AM
#15
My Feedback: (12)
RE: Old fuel, split it or chuck it?
ORIGINAL: Sport_Pilot
Only if stored under its flast point of 51 degrees F. The fuel will not asorb water when it is evaporating. It will be at a very slight positive pressure with vapors slowly pourning out the hole. Besides your engine will tolerate a lot of water, and you will be adding fresh methanol to the mix.
if its been sitting around with a hole in the cap the menthanol is probably saturated with water
12-27-2005 | 01:37 PM
#17
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 297
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From: Franklin,, NC
RE: Old fuel, split it or chuck it?
I don't know how many of you read the article in one of the rags, (can't remember which) but someone did a test to see if there was any truth to the old wives tale about water being bad for glow fuel. After much testing, using different quantities of water being put into the fuel, the tester could find no difference in engine operation until he got way up to 25% water in the fuel. I think the story appeared in one of the rags last year but not sure.
The result was that the quanties of water that might be in our fuel had to effect.
But, what about the rest of the stuff? What happens to the nitro or the oil?
Obviously, if there is the same quantity of fuel in the can as there was several years ago, then it tells me there was no evaporation and especially with the new plugs and caps that we have no days.
3dbob
The result was that the quanties of water that might be in our fuel had to effect.
But, what about the rest of the stuff? What happens to the nitro or the oil?
Obviously, if there is the same quantity of fuel in the can as there was several years ago, then it tells me there was no evaporation and especially with the new plugs and caps that we have no days.
3dbob
12-27-2005 | 01:39 PM
#18
My Feedback: (26)
RE: Old fuel, split it or chuck it?
I agree with the advise to dump the fuel in quesion, simply because it was exposed to the air for an extended period. I have used fuel that is years old (more than 3 years) with no problems, as long as it is sealed tight. I save the little red plastic stopper that comes in new containers to keep a good seal when storing over the winter months.
12-27-2005 | 01:45 PM
#19
My Feedback: (16)
RE: Old fuel, split it or chuck it?
In addition to age, sunlight has a lot to do with fuel spoilage. If you are going to store fuel make sure it is kept in the dark. At the field, don't leave your jug setting out in the sun.
I've used spoiled fuel to break in engines but there's all kinds of funny business sometimes happens with it. Won't idle, will not run unless battery is kept on the glow plug, engine quits for no reason, apparent mixture keep changing, cannot adjust needle to ever find the peak point, engine runs rough, etc.
Enjoy,
Jim
I've used spoiled fuel to break in engines but there's all kinds of funny business sometimes happens with it. Won't idle, will not run unless battery is kept on the glow plug, engine quits for no reason, apparent mixture keep changing, cannot adjust needle to ever find the peak point, engine runs rough, etc.
Enjoy,
Jim
12-27-2005 | 01:52 PM
#20
RE: Old fuel, split it or chuck it?
You can get good pure castor oil at the motorcycle shop.
12-27-2005 | 01:53 PM
#21
My Feedback: (1)
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 363
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From: East Coast
RE: Old fuel, split it or chuck it?
I have some 30% Heli fuel from last season, will it still be ok to use this up comming season again? After the season, I threw the cap on it tight and stored it in a dark area. Now the temp may have fluctuated from hot to cold but it was tight. Will this fuel still be ok? Also, I have a fueling cap on the bottle I am currently using when I go fly and just put the metal tip into the hole when I am done, is this a no-no? Should I remove the fueling cap and replace it with a normal cap until the next time I fly? I also have some 10% Tower Hobbies fuel that I don't use anymore that is probably at least 4 years old that has been sealed pretty well but I have no need for, are there any constructive uses for fuel other than for engines or killing weeds? Thanks in advance...
12-27-2005 | 02:03 PM
#22
RE: Old fuel, split it or chuck it?
Fluctuion from hot to cold will not make any differance unless the temp drops below 51 degrees. If the bottle is tight there is no problem. If the fuel level has not dropped (or increased) you can be 98% sure there is no proplem.
The main problem with old fuel is that the methanol evaporates if not tight, or if you have a very small hole. It causes problems with idling, power etc. But wouldn't you expect the same if you adde oil till it was say over 40% ?
The main problem with old fuel is that the methanol evaporates if not tight, or if you have a very small hole. It causes problems with idling, power etc. But wouldn't you expect the same if you adde oil till it was say over 40% ?
12-27-2005 | 02:26 PM
#23
Senior Member
My Feedback: (14)
RE: Old fuel, split it or chuck it?
ORIGINAL: Flyboy Dave
I fried a K&B .61 this season using some old fuel fuel, it was pink....it had
turned brown. I used it by mistake. You can believe it or not....your choice.
I had two buddies there watching my Ultra Stick fly. I noticed there wasn't
a smoke trail from the engine....I said it outloud. Before I throttled back to
land and richen up the mixture (I thought) the engine died. When I retrieved
the plane it was devoid of compression.
I haven't taken the engine apart, been busy....I just put another engine in
the plane.
My recommendation....dump the fuel. Been there....done that.
BTW....I'm not a "fuel retailer".
FBD.
------------------
You're not one of those guys that sets the needle valve once and then never touches it again, are you, Dave? <Just kidding, Amigo>
I use old fuel from time to time, but not if it changes color. I've used seven year old fuel with success, but the fuel had been stored in the cardboard box it was shipped in, in my basement where the temperature was a constant 65 degrees. If my fuel has ever been opened, it is tossed after a year.
Yes, I've heard of folks using older, partial bottles of fuel without a problem, but I hate sticking piston rings. Lots of folks aren't aware of the fact that castor oil can go rancid over time. How can you tell if it is rancid? Frankly, I don't know. I suspect that it turns dark brown, but I'm not sure. Maybe there's a chemist or a lab tech in the crowd that can enlighten us. I hope so.
Sorry your engine fried. I love my K&B .61's like they are my own children. Fortunately, the fix is simple enough. But you know that, I'm sure.
I fried a K&B .61 this season using some old fuel fuel, it was pink....it had
turned brown. I used it by mistake. You can believe it or not....your choice.
I had two buddies there watching my Ultra Stick fly. I noticed there wasn't
a smoke trail from the engine....I said it outloud. Before I throttled back to
land and richen up the mixture (I thought) the engine died. When I retrieved
the plane it was devoid of compression.
I haven't taken the engine apart, been busy....I just put another engine in
the plane.
My recommendation....dump the fuel.
Been there....done that.BTW....I'm not a "fuel retailer".
FBD.
------------------
You're not one of those guys that sets the needle valve once and then never touches it again, are you, Dave? <Just kidding, Amigo>
I use old fuel from time to time, but not if it changes color. I've used seven year old fuel with success, but the fuel had been stored in the cardboard box it was shipped in, in my basement where the temperature was a constant 65 degrees. If my fuel has ever been opened, it is tossed after a year.
Yes, I've heard of folks using older, partial bottles of fuel without a problem, but I hate sticking piston rings. Lots of folks aren't aware of the fact that castor oil can go rancid over time. How can you tell if it is rancid? Frankly, I don't know. I suspect that it turns dark brown, but I'm not sure. Maybe there's a chemist or a lab tech in the crowd that can enlighten us. I hope so.
Sorry your engine fried. I love my K&B .61's like they are my own children. Fortunately, the fix is simple enough. But you know that, I'm sure.
12-27-2005 | 03:37 PM
#24
My Feedback: (12)
RE: Old fuel, split it or chuck it?
ORIGINAL: Ed Cregger
I use old fuel from time to time, but not if it changes color. I've used seven year old fuel with success, but the fuel had been stored in the cardboard box it was shipped in, in my basement where the temperature was a constant 65 degrees...
I use old fuel from time to time, but not if it changes color. I've used seven year old fuel with success, but the fuel had been stored in the cardboard box it was shipped in, in my basement where the temperature was a constant 65 degrees...
