Gas from Gas Stations in a SHTF scenario?

reply to post by captaintyinknots


Fire Engines are desined for that kind of pressure.

Originally posted by captaintyinknots

Originally posted by Soloprotocol
Probably better off with a Horse.

Eventually, maybe. There is A LOT of gas in this country, and for a person that knows what they are doing, there will be plenty of abandoned cars to choose from.

Yeah...Really....All it takes is for a Oil refinery strike of one day here and the Q's are down the street and around the corner, not to mention Garage owners bumping up the price and 3 out of 5 Pumps dry as a bone...

Trust me on this....If TSHTF and you see an abandoned car...it's probably out of Gas...

Originally posted by ShadellacZumbrum
reply to post by captaintyinknots

 

Fire Engines are desined for that kind of pressure.

Yeah, but with water, not fuel, which constantly expands pressure. Combine that with a metal container (not to mention a mobile one, sloshing around, creating more pressure) and one little spark kisses you goodnight.

Originally posted by Soloprotocol

Originally posted by captaintyinknots

Originally posted by Soloprotocol
Probably better off with a Horse.

Eventually, maybe. There is A LOT of gas in this country, and for a person that knows what they are doing, there will be plenty of abandoned cars to choose from.

Yeah...Really....All it takes is for a Oil refinery strike of one day here and the Q's are down the street and around the corner, not to mention Garage owners bumping up the price and Pump dry as a bone...

Trust me on this....If TSHTF and you see an abandoned car...it's probably out of Gas...

Eventually, sure. But in the initial chaos, there will be plenty around. For those that are smart, anyway.

I think you'd be surprised how many gas stations are off the beaten path.

I got to travel 200 miles to our retreat. I ALWAYS keep my truck full and we can make it there with 3/4 of a tank of gas. But as back up, if we have to take a round a bout way, I have 30 gals of gas stored at home that i rotate yearly after adding fuel additive to it.

Once im at the retreat, we have 2,000 gal of Reg gas, 2,000 of Diesel, and 55 gal of Kerosene in underground storage tanks.

Wow, that is some (expensive) set up. I know, I've priced them. I'm impressed! What do you use to keep the gas good? I know there are different treatment options, but what do you use to keep that stockpile worth all the money you put into it?

Probably better off with a Horse

Well, we have those too. We have 3 ourselves, but can house up to 11 in stalls.

To get gas out of a underground tank add water to the tank pump line after putting a hose on the tank vent.

Diesel engines will run on motor oil. kerosene automatic transmission fluid cooking oil, jet fuels, or a mix of these

Centrifugal pumps can pull water from up to 15ft below surface. specific gravity of petrol is not that far off. pulling up to 12 easily. flooded suction of course.
watch the first episode of Survivors the remake series (BBC) for why NOT to use an electric pump.


rope is also a way, albeit messy. Any absorbant material that is earth fiber based. In an emergency, one can use a shirt and belt to retrieve fuel. Tie shirt to end of belt and lower, pull up wring out, repeat.

when i was a pump engineer, was on job in Imperial Valley Ca, and this fool was putting a 240v submersible into a refueler trailer to get the jp5 out. I RAN!! and called him from down the road and said ill be back when that pump is out of the tank. I ahd just shook hands with the guy and was walking across the lot with him to the trailer and was about 20ft away when he told me. I literally looked at him and bailed, the look on his face was EPIC confusion, the look on mine had to be end of life fear!!..lol

SIDENOTE:

when getting fuel from a vehicle that IS NOT yours, dont be STUPID and syphon. go underneath the vehicle and tap the tank to see how full, then use a punch and make a hole, or knife tip and 'drill' a hole. benefits:
1. you WILL get the fuel
2. better to hid when UNDER a vehicle than hunched on the side in plain view
3. added benefit of immobilizing a potential foe
4. no hose needed! NO CHOKING ON FUEL.
5. or disconnect/cut a fuel line

Bear in mind that gas will break down after about three months and become useless. Diesel lasts longer, but will get algae growing in it that will clog filters like mad.

However, I would bet that all the gas would be GONE in about three days in a true SHTF scenario. Not stolen, gone. Burned up. No more. And, with no refineries running or oil tankers running, there ain't gonna be any more.

Originally posted by CaptChaos
Bear in mind that gas will break down after about three months and become useless. Diesel lasts longer, but will get algae growing in it that will clog filters like mad.

However, I would bet that all the gas would be GONE in about three days in a true SHTF scenario. Not stolen, gone. Burned up. No more. And, with no refineries running or oil tankers running, there ain't gonna be any more.

algae floats, which is another reason the under vehicle hole in tank method is for survivors. syphoning will be for the those loking to lose their stuff

reply to post by CaptChaos

Bear in mind that gas will break down after about three months and become useless. Diesel lasts longer, but will get algae growing in it that will clog filters like mad.

However, I would bet that all the gas would be GONE in about three days in a true SHTF scenario. Not stolen, gone. Burned up. No more. And, with no refineries running or oil tankers running, there ain't gonna be any more.

There are fuel additives you can use to help "refresh" old gasoline. I was researching them when trying to price out fuel storage solutions.

reply to post by Gazrok


Would it not be much simplier, cheaper, and more reliable in the long run to not just forget about the gasoline and go for alcohol instead?
Alcohol can be produced from any number of carbon based items, so it will always be available.
The modest investment required for a small still will pay back big time when everything else goes down. Sure it may take more time to get 20 gallons from your still than from the tanks of abandoned cars, but that sourse will be gone in a few days, and the still will be there for years. also, with you no longer having to punch a time clock, you will have lots of thime to tend your still. You can use the alcohol for almost all you energy needs so it may turn out to be the best investment you can make. It may even bring in a little income from others with less foresite.

Oh yes, you can even make your own still from scrap parts and have even less invested in the long term security of yourselfe and family.

reply to post by teamcommander


I didn't say it was the ONLY solution. I personally would be trying to produce biodiesel to use in my truck and tractor (and for trade).

But, I made the post to point out that it won't be as simple to get gas from a station as people assume. They'll have to know how to identify WHAT they are getting, WHICH access point to use, etc.

I think most SHTF events will result in massive traffic snarls, where cars will certainly have gas left in them. However, such "hot spots" will likely be contested by the survivors also, so that has to be considered.

reply to post by Gazrok


I understood this; and might I say you did so in a most admirable fashion.
It was my point that we can not so easily come to depend upon simple short term ways to relieve the momentary difficulties.
When the SHTF it will be just moments too late to work out the new normal and set to provide for the long term problems of survival. Those who may have adopted these short term resolutions will soon find themselves in dire need of other solutions.
It will be far better to set up for the long haul before the situations demand it. The outcome will be far easier to accept. Though we will have little choice in the matter at that time.

reply to post by teamcommander


Sure, but any port in a storm. Even with a longer range plan in place, I would have no qualms about trying to get as much regular gas as I could, either for trade or for use in the other (regular gas) truck and lawn mower.

You can even use transformer oil (in all those transformers on power poles) as diesel fuel, so I can see these being tapped in a situation where the power is not coming back anytime soon.