armylifer
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
BX1860, FEL, RCK54P MMM, BB1548 Box Scraper, Quick Hitch, Piranha Bar, BX6315
I bought some gasoline in 1994 from the Circle K station near my home at the time, and stored it for 19 years before I used it. I did not add anything to the barrel and when I finally used that gasoline it did not have any contamination or deterioration at all. In 1994, almost all gasoline sold in my area was non-ethanol. I used it in my Harley and it ran without any problems at all.Havent tested it. I buy from the truck stop most of the time. They have a separate nozzle for the non ethanol. I don't trust it from the ones that have low test, mid, then high test non ethanol on the same nozzle. Seems to me there would be some cross contamination from what's in the hose. I do know, the stuff in the mower lasted over 6 months with no stabilizer and no issues. The stuff labeled to have ethanol would give me fits after 3 months in my small engines.
Non-ethanol gasoline will not deteriorate at all during storage. You do not have to add a stabilizer to it at all. The only thing that you have to concern yourself with is condensation if it is stored in a barrel that breathes. Water will accumulate at the bottom of the barrel if the barrel is allowed to breathe.
There is another possible issue if you store gasoline in a metal barrel. That is, heat and cooling expansion of the barrel. If the barrel is stored in a temperature controlled area that stays nearly constant, you will have no problems storing it for long periods of time. I stored my gasoline in a barn that did not vary by more than 10 degrees or so all year long. That is the only reason that I was able to store it for almost 20 years.
The fact is that ethanol stored in the same way that I stored that barrel of non-ethanol will not deteriorate ether. The only difference is that if air did somehow get into the barrel water will form and the alcohol will absorb it and the ethanol gasoline will be spoiled. With non-ethanol, any water will settle to the bottom of the barrel and the gasoline above the water will still be good as new.
There is a lot more to this story than what I have told but suffice it to say that after more than 20 years of working with POL that Ihave told you the very basics of gasoline storage. As a disclaimer, I have not mentioned anything about safety, that is another subject area that I will not address. So, take what I have written for whatever it is worth to you and do whatever you think is right. Please do not make any disparaging comments on my choices or the information that I have presented. I know that there will be strong opinions about this subject but I ask that you present differing opinions in a respectful manner. Thanks!