Octane experience
Mach 1 Member
Joined: August 15, 2012
Posts: 937
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From: Boob City, Indiana
Anyone have any knowledge in regard to a gasoline's age (time expired since its refinement) and degradation occurring up until the time it is burned? In particular, I am curious about the rate at which gas breaks down while in storage, either in holding tanks or in the car. Other than using Sta-Bil, is there any way to minimize this degradation?
Cobra Member
Joined: April 21, 2014
Posts: 1,099
Likes: 2
From: Canada, Ontario
Anyone have any knowledge in regard to a gasoline's age (time expired since its refinement) and degradation occurring up until the time it is burned? In particular, I am curious about the rate at which gas breaks down while in storage, either in holding tanks or in the car. Other than using Sta-Bil, is there any way to minimize this degradation?
From word of mouth, gas should be used within 30 days.
Mach 1 Member
Joined: July 27, 2010
Posts: 670
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From: Jacksonville, FL
There are many variables that affect the shelf life of gasoline... temperature, moisture, air, ethanol content, additives, etc. Generally, pure gas will last about a year when stored in an airtight container in a cool dry location. Ethanol blends like E10 will only last about three months under the same conditions. Both may still work after those times but their octane rating may have suffered and there would likely be some phase separation which is not good for an expensive motor. If you have gas older than those limits it would be best to use it in lawnmowers or maybe a generator rather than your car.
Fuel stabilizers can be very effective at reducing the degradation but proper storage is still the essential thing. Ethanol is hygroscopic (it absorbs moisture readily) so it will degrade very quickly if exposed to moisture. It is best to use the E10 that most of us get at local gas stations within a matter of a few weeks to ensure best performance. Also, buying from a busy station will ensure the fuel is fresher. We have some stores that will turn over their entire 15,000 gallon in-ground tank every day while others might take two weeks to sell 15,000 gallons.
Fuel stabilizers can be very effective at reducing the degradation but proper storage is still the essential thing. Ethanol is hygroscopic (it absorbs moisture readily) so it will degrade very quickly if exposed to moisture. It is best to use the E10 that most of us get at local gas stations within a matter of a few weeks to ensure best performance. Also, buying from a busy station will ensure the fuel is fresher. We have some stores that will turn over their entire 15,000 gallon in-ground tank every day while others might take two weeks to sell 15,000 gallons.
Last edited by WhiteBird00; Jun 3, 2015 at 06:30 AM.
legacy Tms Member MEMORIAL Rest In Peace 10/06/2021
Joined: September 16, 2009
Posts: 3,381
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From: Clinton Tennessee
I had a tank of gas in an old Audi Coupe GT. It sat for 4 years with nothing added to the gas. Once i got the car running, the gas in it ran fine with no problems 
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Joined: August 29, 2012
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WhiteBird, Your Dead on. My Family use to be in the Gasoline business for Many years. Places like Costco and the local marks that sell gas are Tier 3. No two loads of fuel are the same and they only have the min required detergents necessary. Gasoline it pretty complicated. it is like Oil and the Additives. Some are good and some are Crap. For most non performance cars its not to big a deal. it burns and makes the car go.
Tier one for me and all my cars. I have a Suburban with Close to 300K on it. I had the seals replaced and Was told the inside of the engine and fuel injectors are like brand new. Pay now or Pay later.
Tier one for me and all my cars. I have a Suburban with Close to 300K on it. I had the seals replaced and Was told the inside of the engine and fuel injectors are like brand new. Pay now or Pay later.
I really hate to bring this up since it would appear that you work for Costco or own their stock or have a special lifetime membership or something (judging by how many times you've mentioned them in this thread alone). But Costco is unbranded gasoline. Not only are they not "top tier", they're not even name brand. They get their gas from the lowest bidder so you don't know what you're getting. It could be Shell or BP one week and Joe's Petroleum the next. It's good that you're happy with what you buy but that's more luck than consistent product.
http://www.costco.ca/kirkland-signature-gasoline.html
http://www.costco.ca/gasoline-q-and-a.html
http://www.toptiergas.com/retailers.html
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