Those who have a 55gal drum of E85: Come in!

[MTBSully]

Just got a 55 gallon drum, and even though the closest e85 station is only 7 or so miles away, I would like to keep a 55 gallon drum at my house. Will be buying a hand crank. My drum is a sealed plastic one with the two screw style caps on the top. It used to have Hydrochloric acid in it. Questions:

1. I want to hose the drum out to be sure it is clean. Whats the best way to be sure no more water is in there before I dump in the E85?
2. Do you keep it in your garage? Any fuel smell? Do you keep it sealed or partially vented?
3. Any other tips?

 

[sonicblew]

great timing, i just got a 55 gallon drum and had the same questions too.
maybe someone who knows what hand crank to recommend or a rolling cart to set it on.

 

[SID297]

I'm not sure how comfortable I'd feel storing that much fuel in my garage. I suppose it's no worse than a couple of cars though.

 

[Bdubbs]

My buddies that run e85 just store there's in those vp racing gas jugs. I believe there only 5-10 gallons, but he fills 4-5 of them at a time. This might be the route I have to go as I'm limited for space. Just a thought.

 

[bigmoose]

Hey Sully, Where do you get your E85? I just filled two 5gal containers at logan so I can get it tuned tomorrow. I don't have a tester yet so i'm hoping its decent e85.

This was my first hunt for e85 and learned a few things. The Shell in cambridge on memorial drive is out of e85 and has not had any for 3 months. The station in Chelsea(burke fuel) has e85 but they won't let you pump into a container, car only. The service station at logan has it and is open 24 hours apparently.

 

[MTBSully]

Sent you a PM bud

 

[oldstv]

I would love some input on this as well. I am looking to do do the same thing.

 

[BLOWN9646]

Sealed off the ground (small pallet) and out of direct sunlight.

 

[Blown38]

I think i put the vacuum blower side in mine to dry it out/ let it sit out in the sun for a few days.

 

[Aaron@JPCRacing]

I would not recommend hosing it out as your just adding water to a sealed environment.

I'd rinse it out with a gallon of E85 and then be totally fine with using it for whatever.

Keep it 100% sealed and you wont have any odd scents.

 

[cj428mach]

I would just get a new oil drum from a shop or company that does their own service work. We go through several 55 Gallon drums of oil a month and the places we buy the oil from wont take the drums back as cores so we have tons of them stacked around. Actually we end up crushing a lot of them when our stock pile gets to large.

Get the barrel, let it drain for a day or two and call it good. Whats a few ounces of oil in 55 gallons of alcohol, it'll all be gone after you empty it the first time. I don't see the need to introduce water or other possible contaminants while trying to "wash" out.

 

[oldstv]

How long can it be stored in a sealed drum and still be good to run at the track?

 

[gabe1530]

if its completely sealed it will last a long time. a member here tested his container after a year of it sitting and it was perfectly fine. i think it was c6hombre ?

 

[MTBSully]

Has been draining and soaking in the sun for a few days now. Will probably rinse it out with some E85 and call it good

 

[04cobrawhine]

I have an old VP racing 55 gallon drum I store it it. Just put it up on a couple 2x4s and keep it totally sealed.

 

[Arrickh]

How much these drums cost anyway?

 

[Tron84]

How much these drums cost anyway?

Empty drum? $15-$25
Full drum? I just picked up one of Sunoco E98 for $321. Ouch! Glad it's just for the tuning