Gasoline storage

So, there are endless articles about long term gasoline storage put there. I am interested in real life experiences with longer term gasoline storage. I dont need much, but want to keep maybe 25 gallons around.

Most of the articles out there say 3-6 months, or up to a year with stabilizer. I know better. I used my auger with 2 year old 2 cycle in it a few days ago. Initial start took a few pulls, but it runs fine. My truck sat for 3.5 years waiting on a motor, and the gas in it made it start. (I try to avoid the ethanol laden fuels when possible due to the deposits that can develop).

Few questions. Should I just go get the cheapest gas cans, or upgrade? Plastic stuff is cheap, but I have had great luck with my harbor freight metal can (except the shitty EPA nozzle). Can doesn't leak at all. Or... would classic jerry cans be worth it? (Probably going to get a non-shitty nozzle with whatever I get)

Stabilizer? Worth it? I heard Sta-Bil stains plastics.


Going to be storing ethanol free 87. Rotating every year or so. Any suggestions?

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Originally Posted by 00tec

So, there are endless articles about long term gasoline storage put there. I am interested in real life experiences with longer term gasoline storage. I dont need much, but want to keep maybe 25 gallons around.

Most of the articles out there say 3-6 months, or up to a year with stabilizer. I know better. I used my auger with 2 year old 2 cycle in it a few days ago. Initial start took a few pulls, but it runs fine. My truck sat for 3.5 years waiting on a motor, and the gas in it made it start. (I try to avoid the ethanol laden fuels when possible due to the deposits that can develop).

Few questions. Should I just go get the cheapest gas cans, or upgrade? Plastic stuff is cheap, but I have had great luck with my harbor freight metal can (except the shitty EPA nozzle). Can doesn't leak at all. Or... would classic jerry cans be worth it? (Probably going to get a non-shitty nozzle with whatever I get)

Stabilizer? Worth it? I heard Sta-Bil stains plastics.

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who cares what the inside of the gas can looks like.

It also depends how your ratio is for any discoloration of plastic. WE store in 2 gal cans (easier for the spouse to lift than 5 gal) for 4-6 mth spans with no discoloration of the plastic.

You want easy to store and use storage or just a storage unit? If just storage, why not 1 large fuel tank, like you see in the bed of pick em up trucks

I’ve used ethanol free 91 w/ stabilizer that was 1.5 years old in my tw200. I try to rotate it out every yearish, but no complaints from the bike or mower so far.

here's something local. Paint it white OR build up a mound of dirt around to avoid expansion from the heat.

https://denver.craigslist.org/bfs/d/...871921636.html

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Originally Posted by Great-Kazoo

here's something local. Paint it white OR build up a mound of dirt around to avoid expansion from the heat.

https://denver.craigslist.org/bfs/d/...871921636.html

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Jesus, that's a lot of fuel. Not certain I need that much.

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Originally Posted by 00tec

Jesus, that's a lot of fuel. Not certain I need that much.

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Well, for the price and location, why not? Clean it out, roll some rustoelum over it, then cover all of it but the top in dirt. At $40 a pop from HF for the 5 gal ones. You're over the cost of that 1k unit.

If you knew a qualified welder out there. I'd ask him to shorten it up by 1/2 the width. Bet ya there's a farmer or auction place selling a fuel transfer tank in your area

Plan B
https://denver.craigslist.org/ptd/d/...872038246.html

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Great-Kazoo

Well, for the price and location, why not? Clean it out, roll some rustoelum over it, then cover all of it but the top in dirt. At $40 a pop from HF for the 5 gal ones. You're over the cost of that 1k unit.

If you knew a qualified welder out there. I'd ask him to shorten it up by 1/2 the width. Bet ya there's a farmer or auction place selling a fuel transfer tank in your area

Plan B
https://denver.craigslist.org/ptd/d/...872038246.html

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That may be an idea, but the benefits of the smaller cans enable me to take the with me (for camping with ATVs and such.

A smaller tank may be feasible if I can keep it on my (soon to be) utility trailer, but I cant make much use of something that big.

I've stored pump gas with ethanol for 3 years on a double dose of sta bil. The heat expansion and venting caused a large loss in 5 gallon gas cans. Jerry cans, us style leaked fumes, NATO style deformed the Chinese copies the Authentic surplus ones did fine.

The next time I used liquid gasket on the seals of the blitz plastic cans, stored for 2 years, no noticeable difference.

These were all stored in a garden shed. And ran thru various motors, 350 w tbi, a isuzu 4 banger, lawn mower and a vortec 04 chevy. The 350 and the vortec were a little bitchy with the 3 year old stuff.

I've used L thanks, barrels, cans, and I still end up with a 5 gallon can and a cut transmission funnel.

There's square tanks from NPR trucks on craigslist that would work for a smaller bulk storage. Not much can be said about using an existing gas tank for a gas tank. I've gone thru that with hot rods and state troopers before.

All that being said I drive diesels mostly now. I buy ethanol free for my generators and power tools because I get tired of cleaning the carbs every time I put the thing up for 4 months. I even treat with stabil whenever I remember to before it gets stored.

What are you saving for? Just convenience or is this for long term prep? Convenience would be about a year with stabil. Long term... in that case do you care if the engine runs a little rough as long as it runs? You can go several years on gas storage with stabil, but starting is hard and it probably wont be smooth running. Keep a selection of cans of starting fluid. When you absolutely need it to start is not the time to find out your gas is a bit old for a finicky engine. BUT, if you are only holding 25gal, you probably aren't looking to try and start an engine after 3 years of hard survival (whatever the cause, but prevents you from acquiring fuel for 3 years). I doubt you wouldn't have already used it up.

If you are dedicated to long term fuel storage, consider keeping simpler engines. Many of the brand new, high tech engines do not like old fuel and the control systems may prevent it from being allowed to start. I "dispose" of my old gas by running it in my 50's era tractor, because it couldn't care less what is in the tank and the carb is super simple to clean if I manage to varnish it up with mistreatment.

All my long term essential equipment is diesel for a reason.

Keeping the fuel for a generator. Will also have propane on hand if needed (dual fuel), but the gas gives higher output.
Will burn the gas through the RZR for rotation every once in a while.

This is what we use at the volunteer fire stations.
https://www.trufuel50.com/4-cycle-mix/

Much of the smaller equipment gets pulled out and tested every 6 months, but unless its a busy fire season, very little regular use. We also keep cans on the trucks of both the regular and premix, then you have no evap loss. Once a fire season starts up, we will switch to pump fuel and mix as necessary, but at the end of a season we tend to drain out and put this stuff in till the next year.

Its pricey, (about 20 bucks off the shelf) but if you find a hardware store that carries it, you can negotiate to buy in bulk. They have gallon cans of the regular stuff. I think our cost comes out to be about 9.50 to 10 a gallon. We may be getting a fire discount as well.

Picked up 4 of these a couple of years ago. They are great - no EPA nozzle to deal with, easy to fill and empty.
https://www.amazon.com/VP-Racing-Fue.../dp/B003TTV972

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....12JFFsqHAL.jpg

Add a hose nozzle, or make your own
https://www.walmart.com/ip/VP-Racing...c8&athena=true

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....SR160,160_.jpg

Not the cheapest option, but worth the price.

There's a couple of things that you need to address with fuel storage. The first is oxidation, which can be limited by making sure the storage containers are as full as possible, allowing for expansion, and using a stabilizer of some kind. The second is water absorption, which can be addressed by using non-ethanol fuel and ensuring the storage container is as impermeable as possible. Generally, larger volumes will degrade slower than smaller ones. Good fuel in 55 gallon drums, stabilized and stored 95% full in relatively stable temps, can be usable 10+ years down the road.

All my wheeling friends have moved away from steel Jerry cans and use exactly what Dave posted above.

I'm pretty intrigued by the NPR fuel tank idea.

The race cans with two handles molded into them are slightly better than the above but they're both much better than the rest of the market for pouring. They don't stack well though.

Also as tfog said the permeability of the plastic is worse than metal.

Maverik stations have an ethanol-free pump, usually runs 30-40 cents more than ordinary decaf.

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Originally Posted by XJ

Maverik stations have an ethanol-free pump, usually runs 30-40 cents more than ordinary decaf.

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I put that stuff in the bikes.

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Originally Posted by XJ

Maverik stations have an ethanol-free pump, usually runs 30-40 cents more than ordinary decaf.

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Murphy stations too, at least at Parker & Iliff......

https://www.pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=CO

Pure Gas Stations in Colorado

Littleton UNBRANDED 91 Chatfield Marina 303-791-5555 11500 North Roxborough Park Road 2018-12-07

Going to be tough to drive out on the dock to get your gas.
Also, the Marina doesn't re-open until June 1 and gas will not be available until June 15 according to their last update letter.

I store 20gal in steel jerry cans and rotate every 18 months. I rotate 10gal at a time to avoid having all 20gal bad if something doesn't store well. I try to time rotation for spring/fall when outside temperature is at a middle range. I've been doing this for ~8yrs without issues.

I started with Sta-bil but switched to PRI-G after some more research.

I've got six old school steel jerry cans that I think I'm going to get rid of if anyone is interested. I like them, but they all seep a little at the bottom seam and it makes my garage smell like gas. Five are very clean inside, and one is full of dust and rust and hasn't been filled in years. I investigated sweating the outsides or pouring a filler into the inside, but I think I'll just pass them along to someone that wants to do that and buy the plastic race fuel jugs that Dave posted.

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Originally Posted by Irving

I've got six old school steel jerry cans that I think I'm going to get rid of if anyone is interested. I like them, but they all seep a little at the bottom seam and it makes my garage smell like gas. Five are very clean inside, and one is full of dust and rust and hasn't been filled in years. I investigated sweating the outsides or pouring a filler into the inside, but I think I'll just pass them along to someone that wants to do that and buy the plastic race fuel jugs that Dave posted.

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Any competent radiator repair shop will fix them.

If anyone visits Oklahoma or Texas, these were the best price I found for the fuel jugs. Atwood's, $20 per. Grabbed a few while I was down there last week. Each includes a nozzle.

https://www.atwoods.com/sportsman-po...lon-white.html


Bucee's has similar ones for $30

These will be nice for the RZR and camping, but I think I will get some more steel for around the house.

I just sold all my steel ones so I could buy plastic ones. Are you not supposed to use them for gasoline because they aren't California bullshit, or because of the type of plastic?

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Originally Posted by Irving

I just sold all my steel ones so I could buy plastic ones. Are you not supposed to use them for gasoline because they aren't California bullshit, or because of the type of plastic?

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No, technically, they're fine for gas, they are labeled "not for fuel" because if they were labeled for fuel, they would have the bullshit spring loaded spill all over your shit nozzle. These plastic ones are great.
I prefer the steel for long term because the one I have is pretty darn air tight. It is the only one I can travel with in the cabin of a car. I just dont want the smell, never had a plastic jug not stink in an enclosed area.

I was looking hard at yours, but I wouldn't be able to resist fixing the leak, likely having an oopsie in the process.

I really liked them, but the seeping stunk up the garage. Other than that they were fine.