Fuel Longevity

I'm curious, I KNOW that fresh fuel is best, but how long can you
store fuel? For example, if you bought a case of Sig Champion fuel
and stored it in your basement ( low humidity, temp about 65 degrees F, dark 90% of the time ). Also, let's say this for the AVERAGE sport flier who isn't a NATS or contest person, just loves to fly any chance he gets, therefore if the fuel runs the engines okay, how long will it last? Does the nitro gas off ? through the plastic bottle ? ... 6 months ? 12 months ? 24 months ? ....and oh yeah,
HAPPY 4th of July !

Geno ( aka Gene O'Keefe)

>I'm curious, I KNOW that fresh fuel is best, but how long can
>you
>store fuel? For example, if you bought a case of Sig Champion
>fuel
>and stored it in your basement ( low humidity, temp about 65
>degrees F, dark 90% of the time ). Also, let's say this for
>the AVERAGE sport flier who isn't a NATS or contest person,
>just loves to fly any chance he gets, therefore if the fuel
>runs the engines okay, how long will it last? Does the nitro
>gas off ? through the plastic bottle ? ... 6 months ? 12
>months ? 24 months ? ....and oh yeah,
>HAPPY 4th of July !

I would say almost indefinitely. The fuel I used at the 2006 NATs actually was left over from open cans I used in 2004. And I have used 20-30 year old fuel with no problems.

I don't know if cans or plastic bottles are preferred for storage. Generally I would rather have a can just because its opaque and less prone to cracking and leaking, but cans sometimes rust.

Brett

Ditto, but I've only used fuel as old as about 10 years or a little more.

Tools

Old fuel generally works....

Fuel stored in plastic bottles will generally have more water in it, because plastic is actually porous and water molecules are smaller that the alcohol or oil molecules and migrate at a slow (very) rate.

See Ya

Peabody

www.gscb.us / www.richpeabody.com

I just used 20+ year old Cox Racing fuel to fly 1/2 A gas (TD .049)at a contest and it worked perfectly. Crystal clear, no particles. Stored in the basement in the original Cox metal can.

Andy

Just one caution, some years ago AMA reported an incident where someone opened an old rusty can of fuel and it ignited.

Just be careful if the can is rusty.

Anyone remember all the particulars?

George

I've used very old fuel also. About the only fuel that you have to use some caution with is cans of diesel fuel. Check for swelling before you open and also if there is any crystalization around the cap. If so then immerse the can in cold water till the swelling is gone and wash the lid carefully. Open carefully.It will still work well though.
Dennis

I am currently using fuel that is a mixture of new and 2 to 3 years old and works fine. Actually, this batch seems to work better for me now than when it was fresh. Mine is stored in the garage but kept in the boxes so no light gets to it.

>I am currently using fuel that is a mixture of new and 2 to 3
>years old and works fine. Actually, this batch seems to work
>better for me now than when it was fresh. Mine is stored in
>the garage but kept in the boxes so no light gets to it.

Yup, it's pretty much like a fine wine. Gains character with age as long as the cork doesn't leak and you store it in your mushroom garden.

Ted

Rich Lopez won the Bladder Grabber with fuel he left at my house a decade earlier.

Howard Rush
Bellevue, WA

>Rich Lopez won the Bladder Grabber with fuel he left at my
>house a decade earlier.
>
>Howard Rush
>Bellevue, WA

Well, yeah. But that was combat.

Ted