Is it Kerosene or Gasoline?

**clovis** · #1 07/18/12, 01:37 PM

I went to an estate sale over the weekend, and bought 4 five gallon gas cans out of the barn.

I was shocked when I picked up the cans...they were full!!!!

One of the cans is a navy blue steel can for Kerosene. It is nearly full.

When I got home, I unscrewed the cap. It smells like gasoline to me. I asked the neighbor, and he said "Yep. That is gas."

So, I took the Kerosene can out to my dad, who burns K-1 sometimes. "Dad, what's in this can?"

"That is K-1!!! Am I ever excited to get this!!!!" he replied.

We decanted some into a clear jar, and the fuel has a yellowish tint, whereas the K-1 dad had leftover from the winter is almost crystal clear.

Is there a way to determine if it is gas or K-1?

What happens if I dump K-1 into my S-10 with a 4.3 engine?

Ross · #2 07/18/12, 01:45 PM

wipe some on your hands. if it evaporates, its gas. If it leaves an oily film, its kerosene.

**Cabin Fever** · #3 07/18/12, 01:55 PM

Sure there's a way to tell the difference. Pour some on some rags and throw a match at it. If it violently explodes into flames, it's gasoline. If it starts a spot on fire and the fire slowly grows, it's kerosene. Be careful.

Danaus29 · #4 07/18/12, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cabin Fever

Sure there's a way to tell the difference. Pour some on some rags and throw a match at it. If it violently explodes into flames, it's gasoline. If it starts a spot on fire and the fire slowly grows, it's kerosene. Be careful.

That sounds like the voice of experience. Are you willing to share the story behind it?

uncle Will in In. · #5 07/18/12, 02:29 PM

Pour a little in your truck. It won't hurt it. If it runs smooth, pour a little more in. When there isn't any left you've soloved your problem.

avrugu · #6 07/18/12, 08:16 PM

does it smell like turpentine? like a paint type product?

old gas turns like that with the additives they put in there now. even if your truck does run on it it's damaging to use it

**Ross** · #7 07/18/12, 08:24 PM

Gas evaporates Kero won't as already said. Cabin's idea sounds exciting though, be frugal in your experimenting!!

Alice In TX/MO · #8 07/18/12, 08:47 PM

How old is it? I wouldn't put it in a vehicle of mine if it's very old.

Calhoon · #9 07/19/12, 01:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clovis

I went to an estate sale over the weekend, and bought 4 five gallon gas cans out of the barn.

I was shocked when I picked up the cans...they were full!!!!

One of the cans is a navy blue steel can for Kerosene. It is nearly full.

When I got home, I unscrewed the cap. It smells like gasoline to me. I asked the neighbor, and he said "Yep. That is gas."

So, I took the Kerosene can out to my dad, who burns K-1 sometimes. "Dad, what's in this can?"

"That is K-1!!! Am I ever excited to get this!!!!" he replied.

We decanted some into a clear jar, and the fuel has a yellowish tint, whereas the K-1 dad had leftover from the winter is almost crystal clear.

Is there a way to determine if it is gas or K-1?

What happens if I dump K-1 into my S-10 with a 4.3 engine?

well , Clovis , I know your happy with the bonus find of the fuel , I sure would be , wow , that's like finding a $50.00 dollar bill . . .

since it was an estate sale , it'd prolly be ok to use for both gas & k-1. .

I'd take a small sample from each can and test them first . .

put a small dallop 1/2 teaspoon in a small empty beanie-weenie can . toss in a match. if it's gas , it'll light , might even woosh a bit , be careful , a small dallop is a 1/2 a teaspoon .

If it's Kersosine , the match will go out , especially if it has water in it or is old .

Just be careful and use some extra precautions , as dry as it is , a few fire extenguishers be a great thing to have on stand-by alert . . sort of depends on how windy it is . .

But , either way , I'd strain all 4 cans real well first , since they may have been mixed or old or be full of old rust & other junk . . don't want that in the carb jets . . .maybe mix it a gallon or so with some fresh stuff from the weekly fill-ups , and you ought to make it just fine.

Be real careful and good luck . .

**clovis** · #10 07/19/12, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by avrugu

does it smell like turpentine? like a paint type product?

old gas turns like that with the additives they put in there now. even if your truck does run on it it's damaging to use it

It smells like gasoline to me. In fact, I was ready to dump it into the truck, but I thought I'd ask dad before I did. He is a bit wiser than I am. His reply that it was K-1 is what threw me...

Personally, I don't think the fuel is that old.

**clovis** · #11 07/19/12, 07:01 AM

Calhoon,

I am thrilled to have found those cans full of fuel. If they all turn out to be gasoline, I'll be happy. It is like finding free money!

The cans are super clean, inside and out. I still might screen them, but I don't think that I'll need to.

Thanks!!!!! I appreciate your reply!

**clovis** · #12 07/19/12, 07:05 AM

Thank you for the replies!!!! I appreciate them!!!!

**clovis** · #13 07/19/12, 10:03 AM

Well, I poured some of the fuel on my hand.

It did not evaporate, and left an oily, greasy film on my skin. I waited a good while to see if it would evaporate, since it the air is very heavy with humidity, and I had to eventually wipe my hand off.

We'll try the match test too, but seeing that dad has really good health insurance, and his home owner's policy is better than mine, I'll let him try it...LOL.

Looks like someone I know will have a warm garage this winter, rather than me pouring gas in the tank of my old truck.

wwubben · #14 07/19/12, 10:17 AM

It may be a mixture of gasoline and kerosine.I would not use it in my truck.I would use it to start brush fires and such.

farminghandyman · #15 07/19/12, 10:36 AM

Adding some kero or diesel to your gasoline will not hurt anything if it is clean,

we had a old 69 ford and when it was new it would get about 20 to 22 mpg, and as it got older it dropped down to about 16 mpg, I added some diesel fuel about a gallon per fill up and up the mileage to about 18 mpg,

the fuel (gasoline) to day is not that good of a product, I have added diesel in most of our cars and trucks from time to time,

If the quantities/percentages are not that great you will see no ill effects,

if concerned test it out in the lawn mower at no more than a 10% ratio

HermitJohn · #16 07/19/12, 11:03 AM

I would not use it in any fuel injected vehicle unless its a beater you simply dont care about. I bought a 55 gallon drum of old gasoline one time. Once you filtered out rust flakes, it did ok in the old 1960 Apache pu I had at the time. Even filtering it, think I still had to replace fuel filter couple times on the pickup and maybe remove carb and dump it couple times. Easy on something old and simple like that. Not so easy on something modern.

**clovis** · #17 07/19/12, 12:14 PM

Thanks for the continued replies.

The steel can is in superb condition. Inside the can looks super bright and shiny.

There was a kerosene heater for sale at the estate, along with a siphon hand pump and a spare wick.

**clovis** · #18 07/19/12, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wwubben

It may be a mixture of gasoline and kerosine.I would not use it in my truck.I would use it to start brush fires and such.

I wish we could have fires here. The drought has been so bad that there is a statewide ban on fires.

Nomad · #19 07/19/12, 12:24 PM

Could it be a gas and oil mixture for a 2 cycle engine?

Nomad

NorthCountryWd · #20 07/19/12, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clovis

Thanks for the continued replies.

The steel can is in superb condition. Inside the can looks super bright and shiny

If it's not CARB compliant its worth even more than the fuel.

New gas cans are horrible.