Fuel storage tip

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When you fill up your gas cans for your small engines, I recommend putting some blue painters tape on the can. Then use a sharpie marker so that you know what type of gas you have in the can (ethanol, non-ethanol, 87 octane, 90 octane, 93 octane etc). I also make a notation that I used Stabil fuel stabilizer, so I'll know for sure whether I added fuel stabilizer or forgot to. I also put the date on it, so that if it gets 4 or 5 months old, I'll dump it in my truck and fill the can up with fresh fuel.

I started doing this because of all the ethanol fuel problems and bad gas problems I was seeing in my small engine shop.

Just a good idea that I thought I would pass along.

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good idea. I have about 3 gallons I bought back when hurricanes were in the news. I'll test it on the snow blower. The stuff in it now has lost its oomph.
 
Accurately labeling / dating a containers contents helps avoid accidents, lower operation and maintenance costs, is SAFER, limits liabilities somewhere along the line....

Stupid idea...don't do it.
 
If its going to be stored in an attached garage it should be in a metal safety gas can. I have done a similar concept marking. But typically I bring Stabil to the gas station and only buy E0 which is 92 or 93 octane.
 
+1 for the steel safety can. Take the hit now for the safety can and it will last longer than you.

Years ago a house burned down including the garage, total loss. The safety can got singed but protected the gasoline from joining the fire. Amazing.
 
Finally used up 93 octane I bought 4 years ago and stored without any stabilizer. My mower with Briggs & Stratton engine has always started on then first pull. There must be some kind of a confluence of magnetic fields in my garage that prevents gas from going bad. I think a lot of you folks are overthinking this.
 
Justrite with a flex spout. I got a 2 1/2 gallon. Many will go for a 5 gallon.

Believe it or not, my safety gas can is super easy to pour into lawn mower with flex spout. Amazon has them. Be sure to store with spout pointed down so less dust will get in it. If you are anal, then put some aluminum foil over the end of the spout to prevent spiders.
 
I just fill up all my cans with E0 93 + Stabil and I don't have to label them. I've never have had gas go bad in the can. I have one 5 gallon Eagle Safety Can, one 5 gallon plastic, and one 2 gallon plastic.
 
Nothing wrong with being organized. I started marking my bottles of sta-bil with a purchase date a few years back so I don't let it get over 2 years old.
 
Originally Posted By: andyd
good idea. I have about 3 gallons I bought back when hurricanes were in the news. I'll test it on the snow blower. The stuff in it now has lost its oomph.


The vapor pressure on that summer gas might not be the best, either. Might be better to dump it in your injected car.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Originally Posted By: andyd
good idea. I have about 3 gallons I bought back when hurricanes were in the news. I'll test it on the snow blower. The stuff in it now has lost its oomph.


The vapor pressure on that summer gas might not be the best, either. Might be better to dump it in your injected car.


Good point.
Think the summer has will run poorly in my generator in the winter?
 
Originally Posted By: davison0976
Finally used up 93 octane I bought 4 years ago and stored without any stabilizer....There must be some kind of a confluence of magnetic fields in my garage that prevents gas from going bad. I think a lot of you folks are overthinking this.


I could do the same thing in North Dakota, it's a completely different climate.

"Storing gas in Texas" should be a continuing education class at the community college.
The Heat and Humidity makes you rethink the entire process.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino

The vapor pressure on that summer gas might not be the best, either. Might be better to dump it in your injected car.


Summer gas works "OK" in the winter, you just have to warm the engine up a lot longer before putting it under load.
 
My tip is: getting rid of it before it gets to old. My lawnmower gas doesn't get treated because I use it about every week. But at the end of the season the gas can gets emptied into my truck. Then come winter I don't buy gas for the snowblower until the first storm hits and I dont buy much.
 
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