anyone else suspect problems from useing marine stabil?

[info404]

after haveing rpm problems and finding the same symptoms as alot of these threads, i'm curious as to how many of you switched recently, or before problems started , to marine stabil. i'm going throught he ringer here trying to figure out what is causeing this problem. starts fine, but does not pick up speed in full throttle. got spark and compression, fuel is getting in, just no hi speed. if you want more see my other post on 81 merc outboard. it all started after switching to marine stabil...anyone else?

 

[tblack111]

Re: anyone else suspect problems from useing marine stabil?

Same here on my 25hp 4 stroke Merc...question is does it correct itself after a fresh tank of gas and maybe another type additive?

 

[HappierWet]

Re: anyone else suspect problems from useing marine stabil?

I've been having the same problems, but I haven't used any additive til yesterday. I suspect water is my culprit. It also may be the ethanol in the gas doing bad things to the rubber parts.

Yesterday I added a can of SEAFOAM. We'll see if that clears it up. My nextstep will be a water seperating filter.

 

[skargo]

Re: anyone else suspect problems from useing marine stabil?

I use marine stabil with every fill up, no problems here.

 

[RicMic]

Re: anyone else suspect problems from useing marine stabil?

My motor actually seems to run BETTER since I started adding the marine stabil. Stabil has been in business a very long time and I am sure this product was thorougly tested. I do make sure that I don't just pour it into a tank of gas, as the directions say, I measure the right amount and either put it in a nearly empty tank and then fill it, or I premix it with some gas in another container and then add it to the tank.

 

[RicMic]

Re: anyone else suspect problems from useing marine stabil?

By the way, ethanol will readily absorb water, in the tank or from the air and it will also desolve things that gasoline dos'nt AND if it sets around, it will separate from the gasoline, thats why some 10% ethanol actually tests out up to 30%.

 

[sschefer]

Re: anyone else suspect problems from useing marine stabil?

I thought I noticed some power loss in an older tired engine but in a fairly fresh motor I don't see any difference. 1 oz for every 10 gals is the recommended amount. Once opened it has a shelf life of 2 years. You double the dosage for long periods of storage and run it for five minutes before storing.

So the answer to the question might be this. If I double up the dosage for long term storage and over treatment will not harm the engine then why wouldn't I just pour the whole darn bottle in... The answer, your engine will run like currap.

If your running a tank a week through the engine during the regular season I doubt you need it at all. If you only use your boat occasionally then use it. I've got it in mine right now.

 

[J Hartman]

Re: anyone else suspect problems from useing marine stabil?

I've had mega problems out of my OMC outboard after using seafoam. Still isn't running right.

 

[sschefer]

Re: anyone else suspect problems from useing marine stabil?

I've had mega problems out of my OMC outboard after using seafoam. Still isn't running right.

Sorry to hear that.

SeaFoam should be used to try to revive a neglected engine. They say you can run it in your fuel regularly and it will do the same thing that StaBil does.

I've decarbed with it and run it in the tank without any noticible problems but I didn't mix it and StaBil.

Are you running a full synthetic TCW3 oil?

 

[tblack111]

Re: anyone else suspect problems from useing marine stabil?

I talked with a guy at Mercury...he thinks I have a bad coil. Yet a local repairman say go ahead and change the plugs although I changed them in December and they look ok. I told him it did not skip and was running smooh...just lost rpms and he insisted on trying the plugs, for a fouled plug does not neccesarily mean a skip. I still dont understand that statement.

 

[dohcdelsol93]

Re: anyone else suspect problems from useing marine stabil?

first: avoid ethanol in ALL 2cycle engines. Alcohol/oil will eventually seperate and this can cause a very costly issue.

secondly: if you must purchase ethanol containing fuel purchase an ethanol treatment additive that removes the ethanol from your gasoline

third: only run high test in 2 cycle engines as these are high compression engines, you would not run 87 in (in your nascar favorite here) track car would you

fourth: If it's the end of the season you know you won't be using the boat much through the fall/winter run it as much as possible to drain the tank as close to E as possible.

about once a month or month and a half buy some 93oct ethanol free gas (1/2 to 1 gallon and put it in and run it with ear muffs for a few min.

I know it's a pain in the rear but it's the only way to be sure that your engine will be ready to go come spring/summer.

Ethanol fuels start breaking down quickly, the lower octane fuels can even start smelling like varnish in as little as 30 days. The thick varnish can really gum up carbs/filters/tanks/pumps. Ethanol will attract water right out of the air and the water in the fuel can cause more damage than the varnish.

Ethanol is also hard on gaskets/diaphrams and will cause them to harden/swell/leak.

Keeping fresh fuel in the fuel system will help prevent all this.

I'm not a boat technician, i'm a small engine tech specializing in 2cycle. Thanks to ethanol my income has nearly doubled since the bush era....with all the drought in the south east in the past 8 years...if it wasn't for bad/cheap gas I would have shut the doors down on the shop a long time ago

 

[tblack111]

Re: anyone else suspect problems from useing marine stabil?

Tryed changing out my gas....got on the water, up to about 5200 rpm and zilch. She locked down. No smoke, no skip, no bells, whisltles or signs of distress. Would ot turn over, could'nt even pull the pull chord.....MAJOR PROBLEM

 

[nor2345]

Re: anyone else suspect problems from useing marine stabil?

Have to fully agree with dohcdelsol93, I do a lot of bike work and have seen the same problems when ethanol is used...bad crap. I just bought a new Yamaha 50hp 4-stroke and the service manager highly recommended using marine stabil in every tank of fuel and to use 87 octane. Most gas stations do not change out their filters/separators as they should let alone pump out the water that accumulates at the bottom of their fuel tanks. It also takes several hours for water to "settle" to the bottom of the tanks (at the gas stations), hence, it's very likely you will pick up "some" water whenever you buy fuel.

 

[info404]

Re: anyone else suspect problems from useing marine stabil?

i swapped out my fuel pump, and put in a new impeller, changed my gear oil. it seams the marine stabil was not the culprit. the linkage to the carb wasn't hitting the hi stage throttle lever. at first i couldn't find it because i was working on the motor side, but when i got my son to shift the lever, while i watched, i saw it was slipping off the linkage. as soon as i fixed that problem the boat ran great. i'm sorry for any false ideas i had that it may have been the stabil. i guess thats why i ask you guys for advice. after all it is a forum. but i still feel i need to apoligise...04.
a quick note, most no starts are pretty much a fuel, or electric problem. alleviate those first. if ur motor isn't turning at all, you may have a bigger problem. check compression first. remove plugs and see if you can turn the flywheel by hand.

 

[jimdd810]

Re: anyone else suspect problems from useing marine stabil?

I use Stabil Marine Grade only. Since i started using it when winterizing I have not had any customer call me and tell me they are having troubles in the spring when first running up there boats. Ive never been fond of sea foam but cant really come up with hard facts on why. I love stabil and will continue to use it.

 

[PGFISHER]

Re: anyone else suspect problems from useing marine stabil?

I started using star tron. Gained 2MPH on my pontoon and 2MPG on my truck.

 

[ErnieH]

Re: anyone else suspect problems from useing marine stabil?

My first thought is why try to overcome the problem of bad gas with an additive. Small 2 cycle and all outboard 2 cycle engines should not use gasoline with ethonal, not even 10%. There are at least 6 states that require service stations to use 10% ethanol in their gasoline that is not at least 91 octane. In Missouri where I live the 91 octane may have ethanol or not depending on what the distributor wants to do. I have checked with several distributors and have only found one here that does not add ethanol to their 91 octane fuel. I buy all my fuel there for everything that runs on gasoline. My suggestion is to find a distributor that does not add ethanol for all 2-cycle engines.

 

[skargo]

Re: anyone else suspect problems from useing marine stabil?

My first thought is why try to overcome the problem of bad gas with an additive. Small 2 cycle and all outboard 2 cycle engines should not use gasoline with ethonal, not even 10%. There are at least 6 states that require service stations to use 10% ethanol in their gasoline that is not at least 91 octane. In Missouri where I live the 91 octane may have ethanol or not depending on what the distributor wants to do. I have checked with several distributors and have only found one here that does not add ethanol to their 91 octane fuel. I buy all my fuel there for everything that runs on gasoline. My suggestion is to find a distributor that does not add ethanol for all 2-cycle engines.

I challenge you to find ANY ethanol-free gasoline on Md, that isn't race gas.
Additives are a MUST here, no alternative.

 

[RicMic]

Re: anyone else suspect problems from useing marine stabil?

I'd have to go to another state, its the law in GA that ALL the gas have 10% ethanol.

 

[tblack111]

Re: anyone else suspect problems from useing marine stabil?

One Texaco station has it in Spartanburg, SC. They claim that all their gas at that station is 100% ethanol free.