[EMD_Driver]

I made a batch of 275 gallons of W85 on 6/25-26 and stored it in an outside tank. I filled the truck with fuel on Friday (7/15) and it really started smoking. Could enough of the gas have evaporated off and the mixture be wrong now?


How long is the longest you've stored it?

 

[Grapeape]

I'm by no means an expert, but I would say that has long as your container was sealed the gas would have nowhere to evaporate off to. Make it would vaporize and condense on the top of your container and the separate out that way. Maybe if you could rig a stirring device, like say a paint or drywall paddle and mix it up. Of course I could be totally wrong, just my $.02

 

[whitejohn]

if the container is sealed nothing can get out but possibly the wmo seperated so try stirring it up with a paddle or a stick or even an air bubbler

 

[Blind DrIver]

if the container is sealed nothing can get out but possibly the wmo seperated so try stirring it up with a paddle or a stick or even an air bubbler

Has anyone ever experimented as to how long it all starts to separate?

 

[Jeffrey S Brooks]

Has anyone ever experimented as to how long it all starts to separate?

There is no reason for petroleum distillates to separate, so if you left your blend in a sealed container for a few million years you should end up with the same blend.

Also, there is no reason to agitate a blend of petroleum disitillates, because they readily go into solution within mintutes and will remain that way until they are fractionated.

However, a 275 gallon tote is not pressurized, so the light fractions could be evaporating off slowly; however, a few weeks should not make a difference, as long as you are not storing your tank in the sun.

I regularly make a batch of fuel that sits in a black tank on the back of my van for as much as a month before I filter it into the fuel tank, and have had no problems; however, I do have a pressurized fuel tank cap on my processing tank, so it keeps the contents under pressure, and thereby reducing evaporation.

 

[EMD_Driver]

I would say that has long as your container was sealed the gas would have nowhere to evaporate off to.

if the container is sealed nothing can get out

However, a 275 gallon tote is not pressurized, so the light fractions could be evaporating off slowly; however, a few weeks should not make a difference, as long as you are not storing your tank in the sun.

Mr. Brooks hit the nail on the head... I stored it in a steel tank and in the sun. The tank is vented. I'll start making smaller batches and only as needed. If I make it in 55 gallon drums, I can seal them and keep them out of the sun.