Case Closed on which Fuel Stabilizer to use, at least on my engines!

[MedicAndy]

I had several issues over the last couple of years ranging from my garden tractor, chain saw, generator, or my single to multiple carburetor fueled bikes not wanting to fire up after they were sitting sometimes between two month and up to a year.

I usually used 93 octane with a 10% ethanol mix fuel and added some random fuel stabilizers on my engines.

I then decided about a year ago to switch my fuel over to 93 octane ethanol free fuel with adding some random fuel stabilizers, but my bikes and garden equipment still had issues with the carbs clogging up. I assumed in the beginning that the issue was specifically due to  the ethanol fuel blend, but my issues continued with the ethanol free fuel too. I'm starting to believe that yes, ethanol is not good for the fuel deliver system of an engine; however, I'm also starting to think that todays fuels, even if ethanol free, must use new additives that some engines may not like either?

Either way, I drained the fuel out of my bikes and garden equipment last summer and started using only 93 ethanol free fuel with "Sta-Bil 360 Marine" fuel stabilizer additive (which is actually suppose to treat and stabilize ethanol laced fuel).

Fast forward now to today.... Life happened, so it's been at least 8 month now since about five of my bikes or the garden equipment were started up, and between two to four month for three of my other bikes. Today was a super nice day here in Raleigh with the temps in the low 70's, so I decided, since I had this afternoon off from work, to start up all of my bikes and garden equipment. I wanted to know on how much time I needed this spring for rebuilding and cleaning out the carbs before my riding season is starting up!

I was pleasantly surprised as every bike, four carbureted and four EFI's, including my 20 year old garden tractor and all of my other garden equipment fired up within the first or second push of the start button. One of my 96 carb Sports needed three attempts to get her going, but she ran just fine after 20 seconds of huffing and puffing a little.

So I can hopefully now be at ease on which fuel and stabilizer that I am going to use on all of my engines. I'm sure that there are many good fuel stabilizers out there, but the Sta-Bil 360 Marine stabilizer worked great for my engines fuel deliver systems, so I will continue using this additive / fuel blend.

[Scud]

Good report, thanks. And I like the GSXR, which I assume "followed you home" one day.

Ethanol-free not an option for me. But on the flip side, winter storage is not needed either.   

[bigbikerrick]

Thats good to know, Andy. I have used that product as well , with good results.
Rick.

[guzzisteve]

Just came in from mowing back yard 1st time this year. Didn't want the weeds to get out of hand. Filled up rider w/93 10% and a splash of StarTron stuff is pretty good. I quit using Stabil cause it would turn to a white chalk when it dried, I'm sure the newer stuff is better.

[sign216]

Motorcycle Consumer News did a write up of fuel stabilizers about a year ago.  They liked the Briggs and Stratton product because it had some added extra ingredients to protect copper/brass and other misc components. 

I can't find the article now.  Does anyone have a copy?

[Lannis]

My experience is exactly the same with Marine Sta-Bil.   I use it in non-ethanol gas as well as a bit in my tractor tanks.

Yard equipment fires right up after 6 months in storage.  SO nice not to be disassembling gunked-up carburetors every year.

AND prevent rust in steel fuel tanks, even if they're unlined and the tank isn't full ....

Great stuff!   A regular bottle seems high ($30+) but it adds $.15 to the price of a gallon of fuel.  Well worth it to me ....

Lannis

[Chuck in Indiana]

Stabil FTW... 

[Arizona Wayne]

On my carb bikes I drain the carbs and gas tank.   On my EFI rigs I use regular Stabil but make sure it's the right quantity for how long it's going to set before running again.  But I do live in a dry climate and the coldest it get's here is 20F a few nights in winter time.  Don't have any issues this way.  Do the same on my `89 Dodge PU which doesn't get driven very often.