Storing fuel

[D._Frederick]

I am going to buy a few gallons of 92 octane  gasoline before they put alcohol in fuel for the winter. It will be April before I can get gasoline without the alcohol.

I plan on putting STA-BIL fuel stabilizer in gas. This fuel will be used in my 2 cycle equipment. Anybody see any problems using this product?

I am getting tired of having the carburetor diaphrams wrecked from the alcohol.

[Furby]

Just be aware that normaly gas has a shelf life of around a month.
Adding STA-BIL, will only save it a bit longer. Some products claim 3 months, some stretch it to 3-6 months. Read the bottle. ;)

[Rocky_J]

Many of the premium two cycle oils already have fuel stabilizers in them. I use the Stihl premium (black bottle, not the orange bottle) and mix 5 gallons at a time. Depending on the time of year this can last me from 3 weeks to 3 months. I've had two cycle fuel up to 4-5 months old. Just keep the can sealed tight and give it a whiff before using it. You know what old gas smells like. My last fuel related issue was probably over 10 years ago. I've used Stihl, Husky and Echo oils.

Using the Sta-Bil is fine I'm sure, just perhaps use a little less than called for since there is already some stabilizer agents in the two cycle oil.

[beenthere]

I think I have had very good shelf life with gas mixed with the Stihl oil (orange its been for me, but will look into the black), and could only presume that some addative must be in there to mimic the Sta-bil product. If I'd store gas for chainsaw use, I'd sure do it in the mixed form.

[Lewis Brander]

Here in NY we have this oxygenated stuff. I haven't had any bad luck storing gas. I use sealed metal containers with sealed screw on caps, I add fuel stabil and keep the gas in the coolest place I can during the summer ( I sit it on some plywood in the coolest place I can find, out of any direct sunlight). In the winter no porblem. I mix up gas and keep it in sealed metal containers also and mix only what I plan to use say for the day or week.  I use reg gas mixed 32/1 with Mobil MX2T (has been renamed) and have had no problems. If in doupt, the best thing to do is not keep gas stored for longer than 30 days, older than that dump it in your 4 cycle equipment (truck, log splitter, chipper, etc) to get rid of it and mix up fresh. I lable all my cans as to octane of the gas, if fuel stabli is used, mix ratio and date mixed. I will say that I've used gas that was stored in a sealed container for over 5 monts and had no problemss in my lawn and garden equipment. I just shook it up good, there was no stale gas smell and used it with no porblems. Do what feels right for you and your equipment. Don't store gas in plastic milk jugs or any unapproved plastic containers or you are asking for problems. Metal sealed containers are much better.