[Mgs] Old Gas

[Bob Howard]

 Ron,
    Gas seems to vary so much that it's difficult to say with any
certainty when it should be discarded.  But you can't discard the stuff
anyway, so you have to make the best of it. 
    I would put a pint of alcohol into the tank, then fill near the top
with fresh 93 octane.  Leave space for whatever sloshing and mixing
occurs when driving in hopes that the new and the old will blend.   I
don't think the octane is necessarily important, but the gas companies
claim to have better injection-cleaning chemistry in the more-expensive
products, and that chemistry might be beneficial at freshening the old
fuel.  
    It would be easy to stick an additional plastic fuel filter in line
near the carbs, and that might be worth doing as they have some ability
to separate water.  
   The fuel pump might be stuck. A light tap with plastic screwdriver
handle may be called for if you don't hear it click when you switch on
ignition.
    Having the assistance of a friend to catch a pint or so of fuel at
the carb end of the system could be worthwhile. Sludge that's in the fuel
line between pump and carbs may come out into the can instead of into
filter or carbs. 
    And it would be easy to stick an additional plastic fuel filter in
line near the carbs, which could be worth doing as they have some ability
to separate water from the fuel.  Inspection of the contents of the can
would give you an indication of the amount of water condensed in the old
fuel.  
   This reply is now all out of sequence.  Try doing things this way:
        1) test the pump and discharge into can.
        2) look at the stuff you captured in the can. Pump until you get
what appears to be gas only.
        3) install a plastic filter in the line
        4) use a pint of alcohol and add a few gallons to bring level
near full.
        5) pump up the tires and go driving. 
Bob

On Tue, 13 Nov 2007 07:51:08 -0800 "Ron Fine" <RonFineEsq at earthlink.net>
writes:
> When is gas too old to use?  I have about half a tank of gas in my 
> MGB that
> has been sitting for about 1 year.  I am finishing the rebuild of