Gas vs. Diesel

[Thomas M-4]

I am not saying steal fuel from your neighbors who still live in their homes. Get real. In a SHTF situation, in those areas where fuel oil is common for heating, there will be a lot of abandoned homes and stuff like that. In a real crisis SHTF type situation. In that case there would be lots available.

In a normal crisis, yes, you can store fuel etc. Which is what I plan on doing eventually (right now in a rental house with no place to store). I plan on picking up 20-30 of the military style 5 gallon containers and storing in that so that I can easily rotate the fuel and also carry and transport it.

Its nice to know that you would only consider abandoned homes but from living and working in the gulf coast for years. I was also working in biloxi when hurricane Catrina hit I evacuated but went back a week after and talked to a lot of survivors
I can tell you you better check with that abandoned home neighbors and make damn sure the neighborhood knows what you are doing their and you have there permission.

[chadbag]

Its nice to know that you would only consider abandoned homes but from living and working in the gulf coast for years. I was also working in biloxi when hurricane Catrina hit I evacuated but went back a week after and talked to a lot of survivors
I can tell you you better check with that abandoned home neighbors and make damn sure the neighborhood knows what you are doing their and you have there permission.

I am not talking about Katrina. I am talking about break down of society across the board SHTF type scenarios. For long term SHTF type things fuel oil is an alternative. For Katrina type localized things, that would be last resort your life depends on it. For short term crises you should have your own stores etc.

[GlockWRX]

I am talking about break down of society across the board SHTF type scenarios.

In that case you need to form a motorcycle gang or get one of the last of the V8 Interceptors....

[Thomas M-4]

I am not talking about Katrina. I am talking about break down of society across the board SHTF type scenarios. For long term SHTF type things fuel oil is an alternative. For Katrina type localized things, that would be last resort your life depends on it. For short term crises you should have your own stores etc.

In your break down of society across the board SHTF type scenario where have all of the people gone too??
Katrina sure was localized the people that could leave left . All they had to do was go north . How many hundreds of thousands stayed? If it is a break down of society across the board SHTF scenario were are all the people going to be? AT HOME PROTECTING THE ONLY THING THEY HAVE LEFT.

Fuel oil is viable alternative for sure but I would use the fuel oil at my house to get were I need to go. But I for damn sure not going around in a break down of society across the board SHTF scenario scoping out for houses that are vacant to use there fuel oil not without the neighborhoods permission .
If an ENTIRE neighborhood is vacant well that's different.

The point I am trying to get across is that in a SHTF scenario is that neighborhoods get very protective of their property and their neighbors property even if they are not their.
They even have a name for it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8La5xLYo2-s

[Thomas M-4]

In that case you need to form a motorcycle gang or get one of the last of the V8 Interceptors....

LMFAO

[Puffy93]

Don't quote me on this, but I believe there are limits on how much fuel (especially gasoline) a person can store at a residence. I think the limit is 10 gallons.

I highly doubt that. Most trucks and SUV's have gas tanks larger than 10 gallons.

[GlockWRX]

I highly doubt that. Most trucks and SUV's have gas tanks larger than 10 gallons.

I meant in portable containers, like 5 gallon cans. I've heard that the limit of portable containers is 10 gallons. I believe it has to do with fire safety. A bunch of firefighters don't want to roll up to a house fire when the guy has 200 gallons of gas in his garage. Cars, motorcycles, and RV's are free of the limit as I under stand it. Of course, I've never heard of anyone getting 'busted' for it either.

[Aggunner]

Depends on where you live. I currently drive a diesel and don't have problems getting fuel since i live in a "rural" area where diesel is very popular. However, I've been in Austin before and damn near ran out of fuel because i couldn't find a station that had diesel. If i'm traveling to an unfamiliar area I'll always bring a 5 gal can with diesel.

[MarshallDodge]

Diesels are a great way to go but like others have said you have to be careful with the new injection systems. Keep the fuel clean and free of water and they run forever.

Advantages:
Simplicity, even with the newer injection systems.

High MPG. You typically see a 30% advantage over the same gas vehicle.

Rugged. Diesel motors are built stronger because of the high compression. The Cummins in my Dodge is rated for 350K miles.

Fuel. Diesel fuel will last longer than gasoline in storage. There are alternatives to diesel fuel including kerosene, heating oil, and biofuels. In the immediate aftermath of a catastrophe I am thinking that diesel will be more available because of the amount of gasoline powered vehicles on the road.

A lot of people in the remote areas of 3rd world countries run diesels so that should give you an indication of how reliable they are. Of course they don't have any of the emissions crap on them that today's EPA mandated diesels have but the EPA won't be around in a catastrophe.

[Nathan_Bell]

Avoid ALL of the new gen diesels. They all have issues.

Stick to the older diesels, you can get the power and fuel milage that folks think of when they discuss diesels. The new diesels get WORSE milage in a platform than a gasser will.