60 year old gas

ICEMAN6166 · Post by **ICEMAN6166** » June 10, 2009, 3:46 pm

the miltary stockpiled lots of fuel during ww2, friend of mine got a hold of some said its as good as the day it was put in the barrels.
its just what the vintage engines need for the valves. wish i could get hold of a bunch.

if you store gas of today will be useless long before that. lately it seems like only a couple months and it begins to go bad.

Lowell · Post by **Lowell** » June 10, 2009, 5:09 pm

Just got done working on a briggs and stratton tiller motor that sat for a couple of years with gas in the tank. Still trying to wash the smell off my hands.

BarnieTrk · Post by **BarnieTrk** » June 10, 2009, 9:42 pm

Part of the secret is exposure to oxygen (air) and venting.

If the storage drums are kept cool, they can be kept sealed. If they can be kept sealed, the fuel will keep and be good for years.

Most of today's storage devices are outfitted with devices which allow for product expansion and allow pressure venting which is necessary if the storage vessel is exposed to changes in temperature. Not only does this venting allow the "lighter hydrocarbons" to escape, but it ultimately messes with the composition recipe of the fuel mixture; eventually resulting in the fuel becoming varnish-like. Because venting occurs, air is allowed back into the storage vessel. The incoming air contains oxygen and some moisture which also messes with the fuel mixture. This change in the fuel composition is the reason why its odor changes and is different from "fresh gas".

If your friend tries to store the fuel without keeping it cool and without allowing it to vent, the drums will spit / develop leaks due to the fuel expansion. If he installs spring-loaded vented bung plugs in his barrels, it will start to go bad by the end of the Summer for the reasons mentioned above. If he can keep the drums in a controlled atmosphere (like a cave), then the fuel should keep and he shouldn't have any worries about it going bad. Otherwise, I'd suggest he try to use it up or barter / sell it off soon.......

Good Luck!
BarnieTrk

ICEMAN6166 · Post by **ICEMAN6166** » June 10, 2009, 10:26 pm

he did not get a huge quantity, and you are correct they were stored in a cool dry environment.
never thought about the new cans most of which i hate because they pour like crap. i do have several of the old steel 5 gal. "jerry cans" with spouts that do not vent probably should clean them up and start using them again.

modeleh · Post by **modeleh** » June 10, 2009, 10:43 pm

I know a guy who used to work at a refinery, he said that when they started the "ethanol blended" lines of gasoline, that's what really killed the shelf life. He said that today's gas is "going bad" less than a month after you buy it. Worse if you add oil to the fuel like in a two-stroke. My snowmobile will hardly run in the fall if it still has gas from the previous winter/spring season. But it makes sense that the storage containers and "breathing" to atmosphere will diminish shelf life.

charliemccraney · Post by **charliemccraney** » June 11, 2009, 9:27 am

If oxygen is a large player in the degradation of gasoline, then it is clear why ethanol blends don't last as long - C2H5OH - oxygen is added to the blend.

Lowell · Post by **Lowell** » June 11, 2009, 12:11 pm

I keep Stabil in my generator,its supposed to keep gas fresh for a year or so. Its been in there since February , will probably drain and refill with fresh gas before winter comes again.

Gnant · Post by **Gnant** » June 15, 2009, 4:04 pm

Spent the weekend reviving an old Chrysler "K" car in that has been sitting in my dad's back yard for about the last 15 years. We could get it to run by dumping gas down the carb, but we could not get gas out of the tank to the carb. We put in 5 gallons and the fuel level still reads empty.

Here's my question: If gas completely evaporates, does it leave any film or residue? I'm thinking everything in the tank is completely "lacquered"

Sean

Lowell · Post by **Lowell** » June 15, 2009, 5:05 pm

Evaporated gas leaves quite a mess in the tank and carb. If you can get it to run be prepared to change the fuel filter often. You may have to drop the tank and clean it and the filter on the fuel pump.