I didn’t want to hijack the thread on alcohol stoves, but it spurred me to ask a question I have been wondering about for some time.

I have a Svea 123 stove that is probably older than many of our members. I use and have used Coleman fuel (naptha) exclusively. In theory, it can also use “white gas,” which I understand to be unleaded gasoline.

While unleaded gas is now the norm, around here it is now 10% ethanol. The pumps that dispense it have warnings to “ask inside” before using it in marine engines. (We live near a big boating area.) This causes me to wonder if this stuff can be, or should be, used in a simple gasoline stove like the Svea. I would hate to damage/destroy this stove at this late date.

I understand that in an emergency you would have to make do, and worry about the damage later, but I still would like to know if the 10 gallons of gas I usually keep stored could fuel the stove also if circumstances required it.

A further complication is that my stored gas has also had Sta-bil added to it at twice the normal dose to further extend the life of the gas. This is now an option described on the label.

Any thoughts?

White gas is different in that it has no additives. Unleaded gas does have addititves, and it will soot the bottoms of your pans. shrug - no big deal in a survival situation, but it makes a mess if you're just camping and trying to keep things clean.

I have a bi-fuel camp stove that's made to burn colemant fuel and unleaded gasoline. I have no idea what problems unleaded gasoline would cause in a Svea, if any. If you don't get an answer here, I'd suggest a board for Svea stoves or their support.

Same with Sta-bil. If there's something in your gasoline that would clog the Svea and render it useless in a week, you've got a problem with survival.

As I understand, Coleman fuel (naptha) is White Gas. White gas is basically gasoline with no additives.

I've been told that using unleaded gas can gum up the works on stoves - even those theoretically built to use unleaded gasoline.

I have no direct experience with unleaded gas since I figure its easy enough to just use Coleman fuel.

I have a Russian copy of one of the Optimus 8R stove that will run on White Gas or unleaded auto gas. Never used it. I figure if I need to use unleaded fuel for some reason, that's the stove I'll use and if it gums up, hopefully the Russians figured out how to loosen the tolerances to make it run anyway.

Well, the manual is quite emphatic that you should only use white gas, NOT gasoline.

http://www.optimusstoves.com/fileadmin/user_upload/optimus/Downloads/Manual_Optimus_Svea.pdf

Unleaded works fine in my Peak and Sigg. You just need a bit more time cleaning up at the end of your trip. No massive issue.

Love those old Sveas! The valve in mine finally gave up the ghost and I couldn't get parts; too bad.

My old Svea had a sticker on it detailing the acceptable grades of petrol for Europe (pretty sure it was automotive gasoline) but the North American manual said to use white gas. So it seems like a regulatory thing AFAIK.

The only thing in a Svea that can gum up is the wick, and that is user replaceable. If I were counting on a Svea plus car gas, I'd have extra wicks on hand. I'd put a cover on my pot while cooking too, and be extra careful since IIRC car gas has a lower flashpoint than white gas.

the gang at Classic Camp Stoves has hashed this over many times,in the end they think that Colman fuel or naptha of some sort is the only way to go.thats a great site if you use older stoves and they have a link to a place that sells parts..Basecamp,in the UK.

The reason there are warnings about using gasoline with alcohol in it for a marine engine is that the alcohol will eat its way though the in hull fiberglass boat fuel tanks.

Don't know what it will do to your stove.