For all you fuel stabilizer nuts

[ZmOz]

Due to a combination of me being lazy and hating my boat, I haven't touched it in 13 months. During that time it has sat in the rain, completely uncovered. Well, I just fired her up. That's 13 month old 92 octane Chevron gas in the tank, no fuel stabilizer. Started without a hickup, didn't even have to use the choke. All three carbs purring like an angry kitten.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQlGrPWeXfA

 

[Boomyal]

Re: For all you fuel stabilizer nuts

13 mo's? I guess we have this wonderful PNW summer to thank for that. BTW, my 115 hp 'rude never smoked like that after sitting for the winter. 7 years on 100:1 ***oil synthetic, pushing a big ol 30 ft house barge.

 

[CharlesW]

Re: For all you fuel stabilizer nuts

It's great that it worked for you, but over the years no fuel stabilizer has caused me to remove and clean the carburetors on a snowmobile (2), a lawnmower (1), and a motorcycle (4). Snowmobile took a couple of hours, lawnmower took about 30 minutes, the motorcycle took close to four hours removing the seat, tank, carb linkage, air cleaner boots and bank of carburetors. Then reverse all that once you have cleaned them. Easy enough to clean once they were on the bench.
I think I'll stick with my Sea Foam or Sta-Bil.

 

[ZmOz]

Re: For all you fuel stabilizer nuts

BTW, my 115 hp 'rude never smoked like that after sitting for the winter. 7 years on 100:1 ***oil synthetic, pushing a big ol 30 ft house barge.

That's 32:1 Pennzoil.

 

[gss036]

Re: For all you fuel stabilizer nuts

Must be why Chevron charges so much for their gas/TECHRON. Probably has it already in the gas. I use Techron additive in my vehicles occasionaly, good stuff, but not good enough for me to pay 35-40 cents more per gallon at the pump.

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: For all you fuel stabilizer nuts

Get rid of the gas before you blow a hole in a piston or two. It might start, it might run. But it has definately lost octane and that's a recipe for disaster on that old motor. 1500s are wound pretty tight and it doesn't take much for detonation to occur. Bad gas or the timing off by just plus two degrees will burn holes in pistons. It won't do it on a hose. It'll do it running full throttle and you won't notice it til the motor loses a bunch of power. By then it's too late and it's major overhaul time.

 

[MikDee]

Re: For all you fuel stabilizer nuts

Must be why Chevron charges so much for their gas/TECHRON. Probably has it already in the gas. I use Techron additive in my vehicles occasionaly, good stuff, but not good enough for me to pay 35-40 cents more per gallon at the pump.

In the marina where I kept my boats for over 12 yrs, Chevron Techron was THE carb, & injection cleaner additive of Choice! I found it to be true, (good stuff) but for storage I'll stick to my stabil, and for an all purpose decarbonizing, and engine cleaning, I really like this (new to me) SeaFoam. I hear you about Chevron gas, and their prices.

 

[BoatBuoy]

Re: For all you fuel stabilizer nuts

Due to a combination of me being lazy and hating my boat, I haven't touched it in 13 months. During that time it has sat in the rain, completely uncovered. Well, I just fired her up. That's 13 month old 92 octane Chevron gas in the tank, no fuel stabilizer. Started without a hickup, didn't even have to use the choke. All three carbs purring like an angry kitten.

Yea, I've started them up with gas older than that. Local discount gas at that. What's you point.

 

[ziemann]

Re: For all you fuel stabilizer nuts

ZMoZ-

Sure you can get away with it sometimes. It's kinda like Russian Roulette. But all of the ingredients are there for disaster. As the gasoline evaporates out of the float bowls (remember the float bowls are vented so it does happen) it does leave behind a varnish that coats everything. That varnish can clog or narrow any of the jet openings and create a lean condition that will burn it down. If your lucky, everything is just fine- and alot of people neglect their engines and get away with it for a long time.

Willy is also right- octane drops over time and you can easily develop pre-detonation and easily burn down an engine.

You SHOULD be happy that it runs. But it is still foolish. Just like Russian Roulette.

 

[ZmOz]

Re: For all you fuel stabilizer nuts

What's you point.

My point is, a lot of people here start freaking out when gas is a month old that it will ruin your engine. Those people are wrong.

 

[Cricket Too]

Re: For all you fuel stabilizer nuts

I've never seen anyone freak out over month old gas, but year old gas is another story.

Wait until you try and let some 25% Ethanol fuel sit that long and see how good your engine runs on that, when it's separated out, full of water and has stripped 15 years of crap off of your tank and that's now all suspended in that soup and running through your carb jets.

I could see if it was a pain in the neck process to satbilize your fuel, if it took a whole day or something, but is it really that big of a deal to dump a bottle of $8 stabilizer into your tank, it takes about 20 seconds.

 

[ziemann]

Re: For all you fuel stabilizer nuts

I would agree with you there. As I recall, someone posted not to long ago an article that talked about fuel degradation starting in about 3 months. It is a gradual process in a fuel tank.

It is a more abtupt process in the float bowl of a carb that is open to the atmosphere.

 

[JRJ]

Re: For all you fuel stabilizer nuts

Very interesting. Since ZmOz started his boat with Chevron, the stock has gone up $3.60. Coincidence? I don't think so.

 

[ZmOz]

Re: For all you fuel stabilizer nuts

Wait until you try and let some 25% Ethanol fuel sit that long and see how good your engine runs on that

The max amount of ethanol sold in gasoline aside from E85 is 10%. While it is not as good as straight gasoline, it's not that bad either.

I could see if it was a pain in the neck process to satbilize your fuel, if it took a whole day or something, but is it really that big of a deal to dump a bottle of $8 stabilizer into your tank, it takes about 20 seconds.

Fuel stabilizer is mostly a scam, just like slick 50 and those fuel line magnets. Gas will go bad with stabilizer over time too, but it takes a long, long time, the same as without stabilizer.

You do realize fuel stabilizer is mostly just alcohol, right?

 

[wbeaton]

Re: For all you fuel stabilizer nuts

I'm not sure why you are looking for a fight, but...

I have a nice bench test going on at work right now. I took two glass bottles filled 1/4 full with 24:1 premix using 10% ethanol gas and TC-W3 oil. I added fuel stabilser to one and not the other. The one without the stabiliser has phase separated. Seems like pretty good proof to me that fuel stabiliser works. The fuel might only have 10% ethanol, but once it separates its 100% pure oil cleaning, not lubricating alcohol. I like to leave the bottles out as a reminder to the guys to stabilise their fuel.

As well, all fuel goes bad in time. Stabilser just gives you more time before it sours. I don't care if you use it or not, but don't disparage the rest of us for not taking chances with our motors.

Also, no one freaks out over month old gas. Gas from the previous year - yes.

 

[dingbat]

Re: For all you fuel stabilizer nuts

You do realize fuel stabilizer is mostly just alcohol, right?

I wouldn't be so sure about that.

Google up the MSDS for 1132 - STABIL FUEL STABILIZER (ZAD1132)

Ingredient #1 - 5% = Cas# 1002 Diethylene glycol methyl ethyl ether
Ingredient #2 - 95% = Cas# 64742536 NAPTHENIC MINERAL OIL

http://uhildp82.csd.disa.mil/pls/msds/web_msds.display?imsdsnr=186554

 

[eli_lilly]

Re: For all you fuel stabilizer nuts

Both my lawnmower and Honda generator's owner's manuals said to use fuel stabilizer.

-E

 

[bruceb58]

Re: For all you fuel stabilizer nuts

You do realize fuel stabilizer is mostly just alcohol, right?

The alcohol component is not intended to stabilize. Its purpose it to act as a gas drier.

I also doubt the claims of fuel stabilizers. The ones that sit on the top of the fuel that prevent oxidation are probably the only ones that actually do any good

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: For all you fuel stabilizer nuts

For the price it costs I use it. Crazy not to !!!!
Outboard, weedwacker, lawn mower etc etc. Always fire right up in spring.

 

[ZmOz]

Re: For all you fuel stabilizer nuts

Outboard, weedwacker, lawn mower etc etc. Always fire right up in spring.

Yeah, so do mine. Never use a drop of stabilizer. It's a placebo.

Also, no one freaks out over month old gas

Oh yes, they do. You haven't been reading this forum long enough.