The last of us HBO’s “Please Hold to My Hand” episode 4 sees Joel diverting gas from cars, as you might in a post-apocalyptic world. But he points out that the gas breaks down over time, and the fuel it’s collecting is mostly water. But is he really right? It’s HBO The last of us series right in episode 4 about gas decomposition and that gasoline can go bad?
Yes, the gas breaks, but it can be a little worse than Joel describes it in episode 4
Joel is basically right. It probably doesn’t mean that gasoline is literally water, but gas loses its effectiveness over time to the point where it’s so useless. As oil giant BP’s fuel handling guidelines confirm, petrol can ‘last’ for a year when stored in a sealed container. In other words, you can go back to it a year later and it should still be just as effective.
But when you put it in the tank of a car or some other piece of equipment like a generator, it will start to break down and rust. You can find a more detailed scientific explanation here, but after three to six months outside, it will have lost much of its combustibility. Diesel lasts longer than petrol and can last up to 12 months in a car’s engine before it starts to go bad. However, there are bigger problems associated with old fuel.
As gas or diesel breaks down, it becomes “gummy,” which in turn can clog a car’s engine. So, even if Bill had serviced his truck regularly, by using old gas, Joel is damaging the vehicle. But then again, it’s not like I have much choice.
So is there anything that can be done to keep the gas from running low? After all, oil has been in the ground for millions of years, but its refined products are far less resilient. What you can do is add fuel stabilizer, which, although opinions vary, could keep the fuel “good” for up to three years.
Survivalist Bill seems like the kind of guy who would do that, but the gas Joel is diverting from regular cars won’t add up. There is also no way to reverse the fuel breakdown, and since virtually all oil refineries will have shut down, there will be no new gasoline on the way.
Twenty years later, after the day of the outbreak, Joel is right to expect very little from the gas he finds. So yes, HBO episode 4 The last of us The series is generally correct that gasoline goes bad as gas breaks.
