Mark Stringer Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Hi All Having been electric for many moons after a bit of a show career I have some glow fuel stacked up and wondered if it would be any good or what I could do with it. I have several plastic 5 litre cans of straight, 5% and 10% glow fuel .. all about 15 years since they were used. Will they be any good? Can I revitalise them? If not where can I dispose of them? Thanks .. have a couple of I/C planes I was thinking of digging out and wondered if I could use any of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 I once asked the owner of Southern Modelcraft Fuels about extended shelf life of glow fuel and his opinion was that provided its been kept in a cool and preferably dark environment, with the container tightly sealed against moisture, then its life should be indefinite. Have had fuel that's six years old, stored as above and it ran perfectly well. Edited By Cuban8 on 15/05/2015 14:10:52 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Wright Stuff Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 It depends largely on the type and how it has been stored, but my own experience is that old fuel goes off after 3 or 4 years. That's not to say it all does, but I found mine unusable even after keeping it in the dark and tightly sealed in its original container. Having said that, you've nothing to lose by trying it. Worst case is that it doesn't run. Good luck... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Berriman Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 How about buying a small amount of new fuel, set the engines up and then refill to test your old fuel ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Stringer Posted May 15, 2015 Author Share Posted May 15, 2015 Thanks both .. will try some then .. it has been kept sealed darkish and cool I think so maybe it will be OK. ..let me dig one of those noisy smelly engines out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Fry Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 I have a stash of Southern model craft 5 and 10 percent, bought in 1994, and re found recently. Stored in a cool, dark, but damp place. Not ideal, but unused gallon tubs. Engines run fine on it. The best answer is as above, get some fresh fuel, tune the motor on it, and then try it on the old. Certainly unused old tubs will probably be OK. Re disposal, you can try the council but the easiest way is to burn it in a metal tub, but be very careful. It is quite wooshy if warm, and burns hot, and with very little colour so you can't see if it still burning or not. Recipe for bad burns. Do not ever put more fuel on a started fire. After it goes out the residue is waste oil. It gets rid of old fuel, but I say again, be careful, it's not as bad as petrol, but in the same ballpark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanN Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Don't do what I did and surreptitiously pour it on the garden, when I had about a third of a gallon of contaminated fuel It killed some plants, didn't touch the weeds, and my protestations of innocence cut no ice at all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Stringer Posted May 15, 2015 Author Share Posted May 15, 2015 Great .. thanks .. I will try some and report back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Bowker Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Cuban8's initial reply is spot on. I asked the same question to ModelTechnics some years ago before using 11 year old fuel. Their reply was exactly the same and I had no issues with that container of DuraGlo 5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 I suspect the issue is the plastic of the container. Whilst absolutely water proof some plastics can be slightly porous to some hydro carbons which over a long period may alter the fuel/nitro/oil ratios slightly. In this respect metal cans are better as long as any rolled seams are perfect but of course they do eventually rust! Its contents (half full?) had completely disappeared over the course of 35 years leaving just an oil stain! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Wright Stuff Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 There is a past discussion here. Donald may well have identified an important factor when he says that "unused tubs will probably be ok". A big airspace in a part used container may accelerate degradation, I don't know. Let us know the result, anyway!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Stringer Posted May 15, 2015 Author Share Posted May 15, 2015 Nitrex 15 .. ah the memories of my phantom mite with an os 15 up front .. my brothers with the dc spitfire was always a better runner though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Fry Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 You were a hooligan with that motor stuck up the front of that poor little thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Didn't Brian Winch state in RCME ages ago that glow fuel should still remain useable for many years? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Fry Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Re my post of 15:30:10, I see I have uses the same term tub for a fuel container, as for an open container like a dish to burn fuel off in. Just in case anyone is confused, for gods sake don't try to burn fuel in anything other than a dish. Put a flame to a fuel container and you have a bomb. Sorry about the useless choice of English. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Anyone who watched IndyCar racing will have seen the awful invisible flames from Methanol. Just spilling methanol onto a hot exhaust caused an invisble fire. The procedure was for any person on fire to flap their arms around to get attention as nobody could see the flames, then buckets of water were immediately poured over the driver or mechanic - usually took 3 or 4 buckets to douse a person. Because of the instant reaction from pit crew and water buckets on hand everywhere I dont think there were any serious injuries in recent years. But it's horrible to watch. Deliberatly setting fire to glow fuel (methanol) seems crazy to me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Without reading all the posts. I had to sort out a buggy for someone. they had some 20% nitro buggy fuel that was at least 7 years old. Worked perfectly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wiltshire Flyer Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 I'm with kc, deliberately setting light to it is crazy. If you want rid of it just take it to your local tip, they will have a section you can leave it at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Stringer Posted May 15, 2015 Author Share Posted May 15, 2015 Posted by Donald Fry on 15/05/2015 17:23:05: You were a hooligan with that motor stuck up the front of that poor little thing. Very true .. first time i got it run in and on song it just did a wing-over from launch ... scared the hell out of me .. the one with the spitfire was a dream. .. got on on the side waiting .. BNIB as they say Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaunie Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 I had a 3/4 can of Glow fuel (think it was Southern Modelcraft 5 %, but not sure) that was about 15 years old when I tried to use it and my OS 40 FS ran awful on it. I was probably getting half power, two thirds at best. Still got a bit of it, starts bonfires a treat though (usual safety caveats apply!) Perhaps sometimes it will keep in perfect storage conditions. Shaunie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 When I've had to dispose of it, I put it all in an old oil can and pour it down the sink take it to the local recycling centre, and pour it wil the old car oil. Not sure if that's OK but it gets rid of it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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