White gas shelf life?

[Peakbagr]

Does anyone know the shelf life of white gas stove or lantern fuel?
Does it go bad as regular automotive gasoline does after a number of months?

My MSR XGK multifuel burns just about anything. Don't want to cause harm to the stove or to a lantern with old Coleman fuel.

Thanks

 

[DougPaul]

Does anyone know the shelf life of white gas stove or lantern fuel?
Does it go bad as regular automotive gasoline does after a number of months?

Stove fuel* is much more highly refined than motor fuel.

I've used stove fuel that is over 5-10 years old in stoves without problem. I store it in the original can or fuel bottles (not in the stove) in a cool place. (I drain and dry a stove if I expect that it will not be used for a while--easy to do with stoves that have removable fuel tanks, a bit harder with stoves that have built-in tanks.)

* choose your favorite name for camping stove fuel... http://fuel.papo-art.com

My MSR XGK multifuel burns just about anything. Don't want to cause harm to the stove or to a lantern with old Coleman fuel.

My MSR model G from the late 1970s (first of the line that produced the XGK, gasoline only) has never clogged...

Doug

 

[bikehikeskifish]

I fired up my Coleman (Coleman Fuel) lantern last weekend on a fuel can I bought, and used part of, over the last 10 years...

Tim

 

[Chip]

Does anyone know the shelf life of white gas stove or lantern fuel?

"Forever and ever and ever..."

Seriously. As been said, I've used some that was at least 10 years old.

 

[rhihn]

I know we've used a can of Coleman that was close to 10 years old with no problems.

 

[Maddy]

Just light a match and see if it ignites
Sorry...I couldn't resist

 

[Snowflea]

Also see this thread... http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=14381&referrerid=0

BTW, I did use the old Coleman to ignite the brush pile - woo hoo!

 

[TomD]

I doubt you are going to do anything to an XGK with old Coleman fuel. I've even burned methylated spirits (Brit and Kiwi speak for alcohol) in mine with no harm to it. Meths may eat up the O-rings or the lining on the fuel bottle, but I'm not sure about that.

 

[Rick]

My wife's 84 year old aunt finally kicked it and in cleaning the basement 2 years ago I found half a dozen gallon cans of coleman WG from a local hardware store that closed in the late 70's.
The cans were all rusty and still sealed, Curious, I tried it in both my lantern, my Coleman dual fuel burner this summer and finally just recently in a whisperlite (power went out) but the white gas fired right up with no issues.
So 20 some plus years and still good.......

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

Just light a match and see if it ignites
Sorry...I couldn't resist

I DO THAT TOO! I use my white gas/Coleman fuel until it's gone, no matter how old it is, and have never had a problem in either my big Coleman stove or my Whisperlight. In fact, I'll light a match right now and look to see if there's any gas lef.......

 

[DougPaul]

My wife's 84 year old aunt finally kicked it and in cleaning the basement 2 years ago I found half a dozen gallon cans of coleman WG from a local hardware store that closed in the late 70's.
The cans were all rusty and still sealed,

You might want to filter it to remove any rust particles.

Was there a varnish-like coating on the inside of the cans?

As I understand it, a gummy coating can form during extended storage. The clear gas that you pour off is ok (unless, of course, you leave it in a stove/lantern too long).

Doug

 

[AlexTal]

Yeah, to add another post - probably beating a dead horse - my friend lit up an old camping stove with fuel left in it from the early 70s. The thing went up beautifully.

 

[evilhanz]

Another vote for 10+ years.

 

[rhihn]

FWIW, Coleman says the following on its site:

An un-opened container of Coleman® Fuel stored in a dry area with no rapid extreme changes in temperature will remain viable for five to seven years. An opened container stored in the same area will remain viable for up to two years though will be at its best if used within a year.

Coleman® Propane Cylinders can be stored indefinitely in a dry area. The propane fuel inside the cylinder will not break down.

 

[Paradox]

The nice thing about white gas from the 1970's was you only paid 49.9/gallon for it

But seriously folks there is not much that can go bad with the gas other than getting a little rusty water in the bottom of the container. Just decant the white gas off the top and do not try to use the last little bit at the bottom.

 

[Stan]

Has anyone heard from AlGonquin Bob lately???

10 years, 20 years ... do I hear 30? Guess there's no reason to suggest anyone use a gas preservative like I do for my lawnmower ... it preserves that gas while I procrastinate about whether to hike or cut the grass.

... so there's no reason for this post other than I'm worried about AlGonquin Bob ...

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

Thank you

I'm glad that SOMEBODY noticed! I'm OK now, they say my eyebrows will eventually grow back . Of course, Coleman's official recommendation is very conservative, and there is probably some minor degradation of the fuel over time, but it definitely still works even if it's decades old, as many of us have learned.

(PS: Bald is beautiful )

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Plus the standard-issue funnel has a nice filter that comes with it (for any rust / particles), and so does the screw on red fuel filler.

Tim
p.s. Unlike most of the readers/writers, I don't actually use it for camping. I used it for smelt fishing at night from various piers and docks from Scituate to Gloucester back when I lived closer to Boston or when I was single and living in Nashua... Grass shrimp are attracted to the light, smelt are attracted to grass shrimp. Plus it adds some warmth on those late fall/early winter evenings when the smelt are running.

 

[Rick]

....p.s. Unlike most of the readers/writers, I don't actually use it for camping. I used it for smelt fishing at night from various piers and docks from Scituate to Gloucester back when I lived closer to Boston or when I was single and living in Nashua... Grass shrimp are attracted to the light, smelt are attracted to grass shrimp. Plus it adds some warmth on those late fall/early winter evenings when the smelt are running.

Smelting?? Wow. Used to do that while growing up in the 70's early spring at the mouth of the Niagara River in Lewiston, NY.

Cut the tail off, scoope out the entrails with your finger and deep fry them....

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Smelting?? Wow. Used to do that while growing up in the 70's early spring at the mouth of the Niagara River in Lewiston, NY.

Cut the tail off, scoope out the entrails with your finger and deep fry them....

I rather enjoy eating the tails myself.

Tim