Now that my arsenal of widgits like pumps, generators etc are growing, I am wondering if anyone could tell me what is the best way to store gasoline and how long is its shelf life. I have been told that gas goes bad pretty quickly.

thanks ww

-- WAYNE WITCHER (WWITCHER@MVTEL.NET), November 20, 1998

Answers

I always had the impression that you could keep gas indefinitely without it going bad.

I mean, the oil was in the ground for millions of years, after all..

--Leo

-- Leo (leo_champion@hotmail.com), November 20, 1998.

LEO;

ROFLMAO

Have you any idea what they DO to the oil to get gas??

They strip the gas fraction out of the crude oil (on a cat cracking tower) then add a few odds and end chemicals which happen to oxidise very easily, and your gas becomes varnish if you don't stabilise it and keep it out of contact with air.

This is why Diesel is a much better choice for Post-X engines, etc.

Chuck

ps Robert Cook will now fill in the HUGE holes I have bearly defined.

Robert? Robert?

ROBERT!

TNX Sir.

cr

-- Chuck a Night Driver (rienzoo@en.com), November 21, 1998.

There are a couple of products that claim to stretch the life of gas to 12 months, but I wouldn't put 12 mo. old gas in any engine you care about. Very short shelf life.

-- Bill (bill@microsoft.com), November 21, 1998.

You can store gasoline up to two years if it is stored at a constant temp., and an additive like stabil is used. The gas should be stored undergroud in a poly-plastic type tank. It should have a vacuum pressure relief valve. Go to cheveron.com for details.

Jeff C.

-- Jeff C. (jcdc@rockisland.com), November 21, 1998.

Didn't get to ride the bike one summer. Gas was in for year and a half when I finally tried to fire it up. Nothing at all.... Finally woke up and changed the gas. The old gas got poured on the ground and lit. Burned smokey and slow like kerosene. Real lazy like.

-- Floyd Baker (fbaker@wzrd.com), November 21, 1998.

BTW; how long can you keep kerosene? Can we order it up now to be sure we have it for next fall? Me.

-- Floyd Baker (fbaker@wzrd.com), November 21, 1998.

Uhh, Jeff, that's Chevron

The URL is:

http://www.chevron.com/prodserv/bulletin/longterm/index.html

and if you're thinking about storing fuel, this is a must read.

-- rocky (rknolls@hotmail.com), November 21, 1998.

Thats another thing, lamp oil and bottled propane.

I just bought a whole bunch of lamp oil and disposable propane bottles. It has been my assumption that while the gas would go bad, this stuff would last a long, long time.

anyone know if Im right on this?

-- WAYNE WITCHER (WWITCHER@MVTEL.NET), November 21, 1998.