What's the longest you've had gas store for?

[Ace123]

I posted a thread a couple days ago about gas cans. I'm thinking about keeping a couple 5 gallon cans on hand for the generator. Used to stock propane for my propane generator, but I gifted it to a family member after a hurricane a while back. Ian has kicked me in the butt to get on getting another. I want a gas generator for commonality with my vehicle. I'm curious how long you guys have stored regular e10 87 octane gasoline for. I'll be cycling it out in my vehicle, but I'm still interested in how long I can make it last.

I'd be leaving them filled to the brim, as I've found that helps with lessening the effects of expansion. Never had a problem with leaking when doing that. Should help keep the evaporation of lighter volatile compounds to a minimum, as well.

Internet says anywhere from a month to a year is the expected shelf life. I don't put much value in these figures as I've had a car run without issue after sitting exposed to the elements for four years with just a gallon or two in the tank. With all the temperature cycles and air space for evaporation to take place I'd say that the gas was exposed to pretty rough conditions. Even so, it still fired up and ran great.

 

[fla kid]

I keep my 10 cans through storm season. than burn it in my truck =,I do use stabill

 

[ccc]

We fill all cans at the start of hurricane season then burn it in our vehicles, no issues, been doing it for years

 

[Daezee]

A year then dump it in my car or truck with no problems.

 

[FLT]

Interesting, I’ve never keep it that long. Good information to have. Thanks to all who contributed.

 

[stage20]

You can buy stabil. It works pretty well. The problem with plastic is even if they don't leak liquid, vapors escape the pours over time. You lose the ingredients that make it volatile. Using old ethanol gas in carbureted engines can wreck havoc, even fresh gas is terrible.
I recommend getting non ethanol-marine type gas. It's all I will ever use in my small engines. It will "last" longer than ethanol.....ethanol also attracts water which is part of it's issue.
I'd dump it in a car every 4 to 6 months and rotate it out.

 

[Duckyou]

One time I ate Taco Bell and Krystal in the same day. I had gas for weeks after the runs stopped…

 

[fv22]

I'm really lax about rotating out my gas for the generator and have gone over 2 years a few times. I always use ethanol free with stabil in it and shut the fuel valve with it running to get all fuel out of carb. But even when I left it that long once I open the fuel valve, wait a few minutes for the float bowl to fill and it starts on first or second pull.

Now that I'm thinking about it I'm not sure if the fuel in it is from last year or the year before. Guess it's time to start it and run the fuel through...

 

[Just Lookin]

Im going to use what i have stored and refill while the price is down in Fla

 

[Welldoya]

If it looks like a hurricane could head this way I fill up anywhere from 3 to 15 five gallon jugs, depending on how bad the storm is and the probability that it will hit here.
I always buy non-ethanol and always use Stabil.
Our power was only out 3 days after Sally so I had a lot of gas left over. I used the last of it just two weeks ago so about 2 years. I used it all in my lawnmower, pressure washer and yard tools over those 2 years.

 

[Bay Ranger]

Im going to use what i have stored and refill while the price is down in Fla

Saudi's cutting production. Some estimates have the price going up $.15-$.35 a gal. Saw yesterday at a local G.B. station Shell gas went up $.26. Better get it quick!

 

[Ace123]

You can buy stabil. It works pretty well. The problem with plastic is even if they don't leak liquid, vapors escape the pours over time. You lose the ingredients that make it volatile. Using old ethanol gas in carbureted engines can wreck havoc, even fresh gas is terrible.
I recommend getting non ethanol-marine type gas. It's all I will ever use in my small engines. It will "last" longer than ethanol.....ethanol also attracts water which is part of it's issue.
I'd dump it in a car every 4 to 6 months and rotate it out.

I have no interest in using Stabil. I think it's a scam, personally. I've looked at various tests and it doesn't seem to make a discernable difference on storage life. PRI-G, on the other hand, has quite a bit of data backing up it's effectiveness on extending storage life. Cheaper than Stabil on a per use basis, as well. Regardless, I don't want to use stabilizers, I'd rather rotate it out.

On the ethanol attracting water, yes, it's true that ethanol does attract water. However if the container is sealed then the amount of moisture that is in the can is a set, unchanging amount. If it's topped off then there is almost no air to hold water that could be absorbed by the ethanol.

 

[IronBeard]

I keep my 10 cans through storm season. than burn it in my truck =,I do use stabill

Same here. I buy about 50 gallons each spring. I store it in 5 gallon cans, add Stabil, use some in mowers and chain saws, and dump what's left in the cars each fall. Never had a problem I could link to the gas I stored.

 

[fl57caveman]

i use stabil and seafoam. if combined with non ethanol gas, you can keep over a year

 

[5lima30ret]

I use only non ethanol marine gas in my generator. I also treat it with Stabil & Marvel Mystery Oil and have stored it for up to a year and half. Then it goes in my truck. Never had any problems. Good luck!

 

[Daezee]

For normal use in my Mule and generator, I use non ethanol gas with stabil. Will use ethanol gas for emergency if the non ethanol is used up.

 

[skippyt]

I purchased a 2200 inverter, dual fuel genny after Sally, put about half gallon of 87 regular on it test run, didn't want to start on propane initially, that was 2 yrs ago, went out there last week and it started 1st pull on that old gas, then went propane easily. Stored in the garage with no heating or ac

 

[Duckyou]

I put marvel mystery oil in all of my stored gas.

 

[lil'skeet]

Small engines = no ethanol.
I have nonethanol in air compressors generators, chain saws, demo saws, motorcycles, and a few other things that will fire right up after 2 years of sitting. That ethanol is hell on anything rubber or plastic. I used to keep new spare carburetors on hand for 5hp Honda engines when using ethanol. That was for equipment being used daily. The corrosion in carburetors, collapsed fuel lines, and rust in steel tanks is common even on equipment run daily with ethanol.
No ethanol...... No problems

 

[IronBeard]

i use stabil and seafoam. if combined with non ethanol gas, you can keep over a year

Yep. I keep a can of seafoam in the shed and will add a splash every tank fill, or so. I may not be technically "right" but it has worked for 20+ years, or, at least I beleive that. I also make a habit of starting/running things I don't use regularly each month. I buy "canned," non-ethanol fuel for my chainsaw, but mostly because I like the covenience of the cans. Everything else gets whatever comes out of the pump, and the only fuel-related problem I've had in all this time is because (IMO) I let a log splitter sit without running for what I knew full well was way too long. Took off carb and cleaned it. Good to go until sold because I just didn't want to haul it when I moved. Far as I know, she's still splitting logs. YMMV.