Summer or winter blend for storage?

[another Todd]

I store 20-25 gallons of fuel in case of need for vehicles or generators. In Southern CA, summer and winter fuels differ, but I am not exactly sure how they differ...so which blend, summer or winter would be better for long term storage?

Fuel is stored in nearly air tight containers and is stabilized fairly heavily. I use it and refill storage containers usually about every 12-18 months, but have gone as long as 24 months before dumping it into one of the vehicles then refilling the cans. Never had any type of fuel problem such as "stale fuel".

 

[compratio10_5]

Since summer gasoline has lower volatility, it should be the most stable during storage.

 

[dave123]

Summer non ethanol and in steel can or drum lined drum preferred not always easy to come by for some people.

 

[eljefino]

Winter blend because you lose volatile compounds first, so what's left will be a better compromise between summer and winter. After all you don't know when you'll use it.

Use a newer EPA can; they're more airtight and will hold more volatiles inside that will "recondense" into the gas.

My generator has a gravity feed and I haven't had any vapor-lock issues.

 

[Linctex]

ABSOLUTELEY use summer gas. Reid Vapor pressure is why - it's FAR safer than winter gas on a hot day.

There are actually some very "lights" in winter gas, like dissolved propane and butane. These boil out of winter gas on a warm day and could cause your storage vessel to expand too far and rupture.

I have hand-crank started a 1947 Farmall "M" filled with summer gas on a cold December day ( -30*F) when my brother got hung up on a big snow drift. I told him if I can't get that old M started, he's out of luck. It started right up.

 

[another Todd]

Summer gas for storage it is then, thank you all for the replies.

 

[another Todd]

Originally Posted By: dave123
Summer non ethanol and in steel can or drum lined drum preferred not always easy to come by for some people.


The only way to get non-ethanol fuel around here is in 5 gallon steel cans for $70+. No thanks, I do search for it while traveling though for use in my generator.

 

[SubLGT]

Originally Posted By: Linctex
I have hand-crank started a 1947 Farmall "M" filled with summer gas on a cold December day ( -30*F)..


My 3 year old snowblower will start on E0 summer gas at 50F, but not at 30F.

 

[UG_Passat]

Back in between ethanol days, there was a difference between summer and winter gas, where winter gas had a oxygenator additive, MTBE, which was found to be carcinogenic.

MTBE for winter was discontinued and ethanol became the oxygen additive, which became a year-round additive.

for long term storage, best to buy a fuel stabilizer. The most common brand found is Sta-bil.