Many people wonder if is harmful to leave fuel in your small engine's tank until the following season. While gasoline can likely keep for months to years, environmental factors such as heat, oxygen and humidity influence and degrade the fuel's condition - and while leaving fuel in the tank for short periods (such as between uses during the the same season) should be just fine, much like uncorked wine, gas can go stale when exposed to air and eventually will gum up your fuel system and invite internal rust and corrosion.
The photographs to the left are not shots of some extra-strong sun tea. This is old fuel that sat too long in a tank and had turned bad.
While the color of fresh fuel can vary from clear to pale yellow to amber or even red or blue, it will always appear clean and clear when fresh. This fuel is dark and opaque, not even allowing direct sunlight to pass through it.
Once fuel begins to degrade it can separate and coagulate, and if left inside your equipment will deposit solids all around in the tank and lines - much like plaque in the arteries as seen with heart disease.
Here we see solids and rust buildup deposited on the gas cap of the equipment from which this fuel was drained.
A glance inside the fuel tank reveals significant particles that have separated and polluted the inside of the tank, and has more than likely worked its way into the fuel line and carburetor.
Unfortunately, this piece of equipment will now need to have its fuel tank and lines replaced.
Your lawn and garden equipment are investments. Proper yearly maintenance will help prevent this from happening to your equipment and help assure peak performance for many seasons to come.
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