Quoted:
I've heard over and over how kerosene wont store for more than a couple of years, and will go bad like gas. I'm glad to hear this isn't the case
My own experience was lighting a kerosene heater that still had fuel in it, which had been sitting for over 15 years. Lit just fine.
I've also read that Coleman fuel goes bad after a year, however I've bought several lanterns and stoves that had fuel sitting in them for 10+ years and still burned just fine.
My experiences are similar, I have used lots of old coleman, kerosene, gasoline and diesel.
However, just because it burns does NOT mean it is fine.
It is the varnish build-up, etc. that is the problem.
For example:
I have a kerosene lantern I bought that was filled with kerosene of an unknown age and grade.
First time I fired it up, it ran fine.
Second and third times I fired it up, I noticed that it did not seem as bright and it seemed to flicker.
Fourth time, the mantle began to accumulate a black soot and the light was definately flickering.
I added some fresh kerosene, ran it an hour, no difference.
I added a couple of capfuls of fuel injector cleaner.....
Within 20mins, no more flicker, mantle is clean and it runs better than ever.