Old stored petrol.. can I still use it in my car?

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Oopsadaisy1

Ha! just noticed it’s only a gallon!

Mix it with an almost full tank and you won’t notice it.

Exactomundo!

Ha! just noticed it’s only a gallon!

Mix it with an almost full tank and you won’t notice it.

No you can’t store Petrol, but you can store Diesel.

No unfortunately no other gadgets I can use it in..

Thanks for the Info everyone you've been very helpful

Could you use it in a petrol mower?

Just had another look Ailsa and it says: If the container isn’t tightly sealed, you’ll be able to keep it for even less time and there’s increased fire risk due to flammable vapours escaping. Within six months, it’s likely that both petrol and diesel will be fine to use although exercise some caution if it’s been left longer than that. But you are more likely to encounter problems if you have less than half a tank.

If your tank is full of old fuel (especially old diesel) have it drained by a garage or a professional mobile service.

If you suspect your petrol or diesel is stale the best advice is to try topping up with fresh fuel from a filling station.

Why not nip into a proper mechanics garage (not just a filling station) and have a word with them? If they advise against using it, at least you'll know it's the safest thing to do. You never know, it might be ok but best to check.

it does sound like I need to dispose of it...

..and what happens when it ''goes off''.. I mean , can it damage anything ?

This is what the RAC advises:

Generally speaking, petrol has a shelf-life of six months if stored in a sealed container at 20 degrees – or just three months if kept at 30 degrees. The more it's exposed to heat, the more quickly it will go off.

I would be tempted to approach a mechanic and ask them, why waste the petrol f it can be safely mixed with new stuff; it will also probably help to avoid having to dispose of it somehow.

i would not use it, it will have deteriorated with some evaporation and maybe moisture ingress.
it may be unstable. and won't do your vehicle any good.
check with local authority where to take.

Good idea chewbacca... I've got to go to the recycle centre tomorrow anyway so I'll ask... still not sure if it's safe to use tho'.. don't want to throw it away unnecessarily

Our local recycling centre has a special tank that you can take old engine oil and diesel to. Maybe worth seeing if your local council have anything similar.

If I do decide not to use it , what is the best way to dispose of it ?

It's only a gallon for heaven's sake! Shove it in when the car is three quarters full and you'll never know the difference.

I’ve just checked on Google and apparently fuel deteriorates after 6 months - loses its combustability and can cause engine problems, so the advice is not to use

I don't store petrol at home, it's a one gallon container in the barn long way from the house :-)

I wouldn’t.
I would also counsel never storing petrol at home!