Got Spare Fuel in your car?? It's not what you think..

In these modern days of roller coaster fuel prices and grocery store discount perks at the pump, I constantly see people filling up additional plastic 5 gallon fuel containers and watch them stack them in their trunks or back seat. I often wonder how long these folks keep the gas in their cars or if they keep a can in the trunk as a spare fuel source just in case.

That of course leads us to the safety problems of storing conventional fuel inside your vehicle vs. strapping a jerry can to your bumper. Highly combustible fumes makes this practice of in vehicle storage a big no no. One cup of conventional gasoline can produce enough explosive vapors to match the might of 5 pounds of dynamite.

All safety concerns aside, the concept of carrying a spare gallon or two of gas in your car is very appealing especially in the winter months or if you travel on rural highways. So, what's the solution?

I was cruising through my usual array of preparedness sources and stumbled on this product that I have never heard of before. Guess what? It's called Spare Fuel. Interesting product and certainly one that I am willing to try out. Throw a bottle in the trunk or even in the BOB box.

What is SPARE FUEL®?

SPARE FUEL is the world’s first patented non-flammable gasoline
derivative. Although, it works like gasoline, it is not
gasoline. It contains no volatile butanes, pentane, hexanes or
heptanes, and is therefore safe to store in the trunk of your vehicle
and used as fuel additive in an emergency “out of gas” situation.

How does SPARE FUEL® work?

Even when your vehicle is “out of gas”, some residual gasoline remains
in the fuel line and at the bottom of your gas tank. SPARE FUEL
pushes this residual conventional gasoline into your vehicle’s
engine. The residual gasoline can then start your engine and SPARE
FUEL keeps the vehicle running.

Why is SPARE FUEL® safe to carry in my car?

SPARE FUEL is safe to carry in your car because it DOES NOT contain any
butane or any other highly flammable components. In fact, if
poured over a burning match, it will extinguish the flame.

Is SPARE FUEL® significantly safer than gasoline?

Yes! It has a minimum flash point (the minimum temperature at
which a liquid will catch fire if exposed to a spark or flame) of at
least 105°F, whereas, conventional gasoline has a flash point of –50°F
to –40°F. SPARE FUEL has been rated by the National Fire
Prevention Agency (NFPA) and a Department of Transportation (DOT) as
“Combustible” as opposed to gasoline which retains the significantly
more hazardous rating of “Flammable”.

Will SPARE FUEL®
work in vehicles other than cars?

YES! SPARE FUEL can be used in any gasoline powered engines (NOT
DIESEL), including boat, jet ski, motorcycle, snowmobiles and other
recreational vehicle engines.

Is it safe to store SPARE FUEL® in my trunk on the hottest
summer day?

SPARE FUEL develops less pressure than a container of orange juice when
exposed to high temperatures. The vapors are not explosive.
The only way it would catch fire, would be when raised to a temperature
above its flash point and if the fuel were exposed to a spark or a
flame. However, SPARE FUEL is packaged in a bottle where the mouth
of the container is heat sealed with foil seal, protected by a child
safety cap. That makes it difficult for a spark or flame to get
near the liquid. This product is not flammable.

Best of all this stuff has an unlimited shelf life. Learn something new everyday.

sparefuel.net...

10 Key items to keep in your trunk
sparefuel.net...

I think they are filling up the tanks for lawnmowers and such and not carrying around spare tanks for everyday travel. Ask the next person you see doing it and I'm sur ethey will confirm that is the case.

This is the future and by that I mean - $44 PER GALLON?!? I think I'll pass.

Originally posted by sligtlyskeptical
I think they are filling up the tanks for lawnmowers and such and not carrying around spare tanks for everyday travel. Ask the next person you see doing it and I'm sur ethey will confirm that is the case.

In my area people are filling multiple 5 gallon tanks to bring home and store in their garages to fuel additional vehicles. Our local grocery store offers fuel perks/discounts that accumulate when you buy groceries. People save up the perks then make a trip to the gas station that is owned and operated by the grocery store often saving $1 and up per gallon of gas. I understand why they do it and I also understand that many people in our land are simply clueless when it comes to safe storage and transport of gasoline. You know the same people that smoke while they are fueling up the spare gas cans or stuff a rag in the fuel port in the absence of a fuel cap.

I wouldn't be surprised if some of these folks keep a full gas can in their car either because they are determined to get every last ounce of fuel from their discounted purchase. They won't fill up again until they acquire another large discounted fuel purchase. I have a neighbor that does this. At any given moment he has 10 to 15 gallons of gas stored in his attached garage not smart. He can essentially get two fillups on one discounted purchase.

www.gianteagle.com... 0fuel%20perks&gmatchtype=b&gnetwork=g&gclid=CJyYseTV-aoCFUYEQAodBSmDGA

I don't know. It sounds like a gimmick even if it does work. I mean its not flammable so how is it really working. Almost sounds like it has an effect where it sinks to the bottom and the gas floats on top???

There's not much to be read on a quick google search. But i did find a discussion on a car talk forum. One user stated that if you use this product you must fill the tank before you shut the car down for the night or it may not start in the morning. So if in a bug out situation where you cannot get to a gas station that same day your risking being immobile the next day.
I base this off of what i read and i am not saying that it is true, but with so little info out there on this product besides from the source itself i am merely posting what i saw on another forum.

For that price you could get your car towed a decent distance. It would probably be safer, and even cheaper, just to join AAA or add some roadside insurance who will bring you gas if you run out in addition to numerous other features.

www.aaasouth.com...

Just my thoughts.

Take a small amount of fuel, quarter- of a gallon and stick it in a empty coffee can. smoke a cigarette and toss it in the fuel. see the reaction.

This is a gimmick and a sales pitch. People are filling those extra containers to save time mostly. I have chainsaws, 4wheelers, ranger, boat, lawn mowers, weed eaters. I can go through a few 5 gallon cans a week if it wasnt drought and hot.

reply to post by jibeho

In fact, if
poured over a burning match, it will extinguish the flame.

So will gasoline. Gasoline is actually not very flammable either, only the fumes are flammable.

I used to do an exercise to the folks in my shops where I dropped a lit match into a cup full of gasoline and watched it go out.

Still, the product seems like a neat item for those folks that do want to carry around something for a safety precaution. I hope nobody is carrying around plastic gas cans in their cars? Surely what you are seeing is just folks filling up cans for their homes?

I have considered filling up 55 gallon drums of gasoline and storing them at the house. It seems like it might be a decent investment these days, and I know folks that have their own storage tanks and pumps at their homes. It is much cheaper to buy from the "jobbers" than buying it retail.

nice find op

as for those who store gas shelf life will vary non treated pri g or stabil if people are going to store it for any length of time heat and cold and the amount of water in it.

pri d for deisel.

i dont see a problem with people stocking up with a less dangerous alternative.

if i remember right gas with pri g will last about 1 or 2 years diesel with pri d will last anywhere from 6 to 10 years