Fuel Stabalizer

[newhewes]

Any thoughts on using a fuel stabalizer every time you fill up the boat as long as the correct amount is added according to the number of gals put in?

 

[eurolarva]

Re: Fuel Stabalizer

It is not a bad idea to do so because you never know if you are going to use it again before the season is over. Stabilizer has a shelf life of about 2 years. If yours is older then that you should dispose of it and get fresh stuff.

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: Fuel Stabalizer

Infrequent boat users are very wise to use it year-round.

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Fuel Stabalizer

Every time you fill up? No, there's no reason for that. Gas takes a very long time to go bad. For the winter, maybe, that's up to you. I don't. Never have. I've stored hundreds of engines for months without stabilizer and I've never cleaned out a carb.

 

[Solittle]

Re: Fuel Stabalizer

My take on it is that if you know that you will not be using the boat for at least a year then it there is no need to use it if you get all of the fuel out of the motor, lines, etc. There are thousands of boats that are rarely used that seem to have no problems.<br /><br />Having said that if you buy a boat and don't know how long the fuel has been in the tank then stabilizer makes sense.<br /><br />Fuel can get really nasty - with or without a stabilizer. I bought an I/O rig many years ago with bad fuel in it. I had to have the tank pumped & cleaned. What came out looked like a dark rum whiskey sour and smelled like rotten turpentine. You could have put gallons of stabilizer in the tank and it would have done no good.

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Fuel Stabalizer

Originally posted by SoLittle:<br />if you get all of the fuel out of the motor, lines, etc.

That's not really a good idea. The more gas you have, the slower it goes bad. If you try to drain your fuel lines and carbs, you'll never get ALL of the gas out. The little bit that is left will go bad faster than if you just left them full. <br /><br />The main reason gas goes bad is because the octane goes down as it sits. If you leave it for a few months, it would be a good idea to top off your tank with premium. It takes at least a couple years for it to get as SoLittle explained, and when that happens, you'll certainly know it. Bottom line is, if your gas still smells like gas, then it's good to use. The octane may be lower, and thus, adding premium is a good idea.

 

[newhewes]

Re: Fuel Stabalizer

I have heard that with the new four strokes that varnish is a nightmare for the carbs. Even if gas last for a couple of years, assuming it does, what if any damage can occur by using a stabalizer?

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Fuel Stabalizer

Originally posted by dsmith84:<br />Even if gas last for a couple of years, assuming it does, what if any damage can occur by using a stabalizer?

None really, and if you want to use it for the winter, go right ahead. But doing it at every fillup is just silly...complete and total waste of time and money.

 

[wayne h]

Re: Fuel Stabalizer

i use it every tank full because here in florida it only take a week to dry out a carb bowl if not used . i also use it in all my yard equitment its only 6 buxs for a quart and that will do like 100 gallons so its not really that much money i have never had any carb problems on anything since i have started using it

 

[BillP]

Re: Fuel Stabalizer

Stabilizer is for long term storage. Using it daily isn't going to help anything. <br /><br />A few months ago I checked a 3hp omc motor that had been stored 4+ yrs in a garage here in Florida. It still had gas in the carb. The gas looked and smelled bad but the bowl wasn't dry.