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Thread: Shelf Life of Gasoline

  1. #1
    Risky Business
    Just curious if anyone has any hard facts on how long fuel can sit in your boat before it loses it's octane, lubrication effectiveness, etc. I run a 50/50 mix of AV and 91. I've got all sorts of different answers so far, but nobody can say for sure.
    Thanks

  2. #2
    Hotcrusader76
    It has to do with the brand of fuel and whether it has oxidation inhibitors within it's chemical content. Now because the fuel is organic it tends to rapidly change its chemical composition overtime creating a variable of different bonds. Without these life extensions, for a lack of better words the gas would be crap in days.
    Depending on which brand you are using and what fuel it was mixed with and whether it has a high content of oxidation inhibitors will obviously help as well. These inhibitors add shelf life to your fuel and when stored properly, meaning no UV light your fuel can be spared with a greater length of time. These inhibitors are often non-existent in race fuel.
    A fresh, unopened steel can of Sunoco-112 or VP-C12 may be safely stored (at cool temperatures) for up to 12 months and is recommended that it be used within 3 weeks after opening. Sort of scary to think the ambient air can inflict such pain upon expensive fuel.
    I personally talked to a rep at Sunoco Racing Fuels 3 weeks ago over lunch on the issues of storing race gas, and something he mentioned was to never purchase more than you can utilize in a 2 week period otherwise it goes to waste. This just goes to show again that it doesn't last long when exposed to the air and UV light.
    Now back to the specifics of your question. If it were my sound investment I would consider running the tanks dry when she sat for more than a month. Granted I've run my boat with old gas before but who knows what sort of havoc I was playing on my carbs and induction system, let alone fuel pump and filter.
    The major reason why you've gotten so many different responses is entirely because every gasoline or fuel is blended differently. 76 110-Gas have alot of additives to meet street legal gasoline specs and might last longer than say Trick or VPs-C12.
    Wow...I think I'll step away from the coffee cup right now

  3. #3
    Risky Business
    Ty:
    Thanks for the help.
    Looks like I might drain the tanks. Went up for New Years, filled up, and never ran the boat beacause of the low water in Havasu.
    As an FYI: I am running Union76 AV and 91 at a 50/50 mix. Probably have longer than a few weeks of shelf life, I would imagine. But why chance it.

  4. #4
    gnarley
    Originally posted by Hotcrusader76
    If it were my sound investment I would consider running the tanks dry when she sat for more than a month. Granted I've run my boat with old gas before but who knows what sort of havoc I was playing on my carbs and induction system, let alone fuel pump and filter.
    Ty good info but I do have a problem with it. Since we don't really know the shelf life of pump gas and most of us know it will go bad at sometime what is worse, an empty tank that will collect the condensation at the bottom of the tank and mix with what ever is in there that you need to suck through your fuel system or a full tank of fuel that may be going bad and less likely to collect condensation. This is of course over several months. In my case I prefer to store with the tank full and mixed with a good dose of Stabil and water remover, I have not had any problems with this yet and I am easy on the engine at the beginning of each season with that first tank full.

  5. #5
    Hotcrusader76
    Originally posted by gnarley
    Ty good info but I do have a problem with it. Since we don't really know the shelf life of pump gas and most of us know it will go bad at sometime what is worse, an empty tank that will collect the condensation at the bottom of the tank and mix with what ever is in there that you need to suck through your fuel system or a full tank of fuel that may be going bad and less likely to collect condensation. This is of course over several months. In my case I prefer to store with the tank full and mixed with a good dose of Stabil and water remover, I have not had any problems with this yet and I am easy on the engine at the beginning of each season with that first tank full.
    Yes I agree with you 100% Gnarley! Matter of fact I thought about mentioning that as well...drain the tanks only prior to filling up a new one to prevent water condensation within the system. With some stabilizer it will prevent any harsh deposits. But then again some say Stabil works great even under boost
    Yes condensation will reak havoc on a fuel system. Hell add some Diesel and a anti-gel forumula and you should be safe...right?
    ~Ty

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