Coleman Camp Fuel "White Gas" shelf life

[BobsArmory]

So I have a Coleman Duel Fuel Lantern and Guide series Duel Fuel Compact Stove. Both take Coleman fuel and/or unleaded gas. I'd like to stay away from unleaded if possible because of carbonization in the burner pipe issues.

1 gallon metal cans are currently a little hard to find in my area but I found a place that has 5 available 30 miles away. I was thinking of making a road trip and grabbing a few cans. How long do you think they will last unopened & sealed in the original containers?

 

[ripcord]

If the metal cans are unopened, shelf life is pretty much indefinite.

 

[y_p_w]

That's essentially just really specific gasoline fractions. I mean - probably not suitable for ICE use (extremely poor octane rating - I hear about maybe 50 AKI), but perfectly fine when burned in a stove. All it needs is to be flammable, but it's not expected to explode in a combustion chamber. I think it's really clean with almost nothing that would degrade for a long, long time. I've been reading about people who had those cans stored for a couple of decades and they worked just fine.

Like Ripcord noted, nothing to worry about.

 

[#18FAN]

Forever

 

[Opelman]

Some on the Coleman Collector Forum have successfully fired lanterns with fuel that was known to be 30 years old.

 

[mzugg]

I'll second forever. It doesn't even seem to matter if the can has been opened. I have some cans that are at least 40 years old. I also use it to flush anything that contained regular gas for long term storage (like gerotor fuel pumps).

 

[Leo99]

I use that stuff when I change the grips on my golf clubs. It's so old, it has a little sticker with the price on it. Remember when they had that little gun that shot out the price stickers?

 

[eljefino]

Off topic, I have run the stuff in my lawnmower. It runs great, smells funny, and is insanely vaporous. If I put too much in, what's left in the tank will flash off in the week between mowing jobs.

Why? People sell half full cans at yard sales for less than the price of regular unleaded.

 

[BobsArmory]

Nice. I think I'll go grab 2 or 3 cans tomorrow.

 

[Dinoburner]

Have a gallon can that was my dads from the mid fifties it`s more than half full. Used it in a Colman lantern when Horn Pout fishing. Still smells the same.

 

[Rmay635703]

Naphtha and white gas doesn’t have octane or additives to degrade, it’s already in its lowest state.

 

[Opelman]

Off topic, I have run the stuff in my lawnmower. It runs great, smells funny, and is insanely vaporous. If I put too much in, what's left in the tank will flash off in the week between mowing jobs.

Why? People sell half full cans at yard sales for less than the price of regular unleaded.

I found that a flathead Briggs will run fine on CF, the Tecumseh equivalent was not happy. It was detonating and would stay running even with the spark plug wire removed. It did smell nice and Colemany though.