Storing/life expectancy of diesel fuel

[earthman]

My diesel van doesn't get much use and the fuel that I am currently using is over two years old. It is still going fine and without hiccups. In the past I've used fuel that is around five years old in the car. I have spare cans and in the past I've frequently forgotten to cycle them properly. Nowadays I try and cycle the cans every six months or so.

Like with food expiration dates, it seems that we are being lied to somewhat hey?

The other year I were clearing out my garage, the multi fuel stove that I have taken with me on many a camping trips still had petrol in it, I gave it a few pumps, it fired up OK and boiled a kettle of water no problem. I was amazed really, the last camping trip I used this stove on were 20 plus years ago! I thought that there's no way that petrol is going to ignite period, how wrong I were.

I really don't know if or how much ethanol content may have been in that petrol bought that long ago but I doubt that the E10 that's sold today will last that long.