Damn this gas today..

[sixty4]

Put my snowblower away last year. I added the fuel stabilizer ran it for a bit then shut off valve from tank to carb and it used up what was left in the line and carb. Well I went to fire it off this afternoon and could not get it to start. It turned out to be the rubber fuel between the shut off valve up to tank a short piece. The **** inside was like jelly and could see that the line was breaking down.
Lesson learned run the machine out until it has no fuel at all. I just don't think the blue stabilizer is worth a darn with todays gas.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

I replaced the original tank-to-carb lines on my snow blower last season because they were starting to deteriorate and one was leaking at the fuel ****. I used "modern" fuel line that is ethanol resistant, but I still use a stabilizer on all my fuel and I run the machine dry, then empty the tank...

Tommy

 

[NUTTSGT]

I had a conversation with a friend the other day about this. He heard from one of the counter guys at O'Reilly's that he didn't think Sta-Bil was as good as it used to be.

Maybe the issue isn't Sta-Bil but the gas being used ??

 

[sixty4]

I had a conversation with a friend the other day about this. He heard from one of the counter guys at O'Reilly's that he didn't think Sta-Bil was as good as it used to be.

Maybe the issue isn't Sta-Bil but the gas being used ??

Perhaps, I was told to run Super in all outdoor equipment. I have been doing it for a few years now.

 

[mishkaya]

The main thing is to not use ethanol blended fuel, which can be hard to find in certain areas. I have a preference for Seafoam over Stabil for storing fuel. Personal preference...

 

[GYPSY400]

I run ethanol free Shell V-power in anything that I fill with a jerry can.. haven't done much, if any carb work since the switch. Currently doing a carb clean and fuel line replacement on the neighbors snowblower as I write this

Sent from my SM-G903W using Tapatalk

 

[Doug Arthurs]

I heard on a car show that the only ethanol free gasoline in Canada is Shell's premium stuff.

 

[VocaTexas]

The problem is fuel stabilizers can stabilize the base fuel, but not the alcohol. The alcohol draws in moisture, then the alcohol eventually evaporates leaving that jelly-like **** behind. I've gotten in the habit of running the carb dry on my riding mower and then draining the gas tank EVERY time I use it. I don't have any problems that way, but it's a pain in the ***. I can't find fuel without alcohol in it in this area.

 

[tarmy]

I learned a while back here in Kalifornia to use Marine grade Stabil.

Out here the friggin state has had 10-20 % ethanal blend...and we also have the joy of summer and winter blends (not even sure what that means...but we get to pay more)...so these clowns have ruined alot of marine engines and fuel systems. You really never know what you are getting...so I tend to buy good fuel for the winterization.

In have several boats that get laid up for 7-8 months in the cold...so I always add the Stabil with every...and I mean every...fill. Then I run the double dose they recommend just before I store them....same with pressure washer, lawn mower, etc.

They all start first time...and I have not had any issues in over ten years...

 

[KEH]

We have ethanol free fuel locally in SC. I use it in outdoor equipment. I also run it mostly in my truck. I figure maybe 2 mpg improvement over regular gas. Haven't tried to figure cost benefit analysis.

KEH

 

[duwem]

Ethanol free gas in all my small engines at my place...

 

[GYPSY400]

I heard on a car show that the only ethanol free gasoline in Canada is Shell's premium stuff.

Yes, Shell super (v power) is.. Canadian tire super and Superstores/lob laws are also ethanol free - check where the ethanol sticker is on the pump.. if it's only over the low and mid grade section, chances are the super is ethanol free. I'm betting all three brands are Shell gas.

Esso, petro Canada, Macs (esso ), pioneer, etc. All have ethanol in all grades.

Sent from my SM-G903W using Tapatalk

 

[James-W]

I use ethanol free fuel in all my small gasoline engines and have not had any issues since. I even quit using a stabilizer and still no issues.

 

[theoldwizard1]

First, "rubber" has not been used in any fuel components since WWII ! Everything is HYpalon or Viton or some other synthetic rubber. All of these can easily handle extended exposure to E10.

WHere I live it is almost impossible to find "pure" gasoline. I have been running it for years in all of my outdoor equipment with no issues.

 

[CJM8515]

I never have this issue. I DO NOT store anything with gas in it at all, never have and never will. Never had anything fail to start up once I add some gas.

If you want to make sure it doesnt turn to **** try some seafoam, stabil doesnt do anything, the marine grade stabil barely helps and pri-g works but is hard to get.

 

[bczygan]

First, "rubber" has not been used in any fuel components since WWII ! Everything is HYpalon or Viton or some other synthetic rubber. All of these can easily handle extended exposure to E10.

WHere I live it is almost impossible to find "pure" gasoline. I have been running it for years in all of my outdoor equipment with no issues.

Almost, but not quite.

Southbound Southfield Road, where it crosses I-94 and expressway ends.....on the right is a station with ethanol free premium.

Bill

 

[Mikes82GT]

If you want to get ethanol free gas, try looking here: http://pure-gas.org/

 

[Showkey]

First, "rubber" has not been used in any fuel components since WWII ! Everything is HYpalon or Viton or some other synthetic rubber. All of these can easily handle extended exposure to E10.
.

Not even remotely close to being true..........

 

[AirJunky]

At work we winterized over 1500 boats last year. We use Startrons fuel stabilizer & never saw anything like this.
This year, the goal was 1800 boats & will be reached this week.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

I was told any premium fuel doesn't have additives.

 

[Lassen Forge]

The only stabilizer I've found that's worth a damn with this chemical concoction they mislabel as gasoline is PRI-G... None of the others seem to do squat, and eve with that stuff you better double what they tell you to, and use it in a year. Everything else leaves me with a tank of faux napalm...

I was told any premium fuel doesn't have additives.

100% backwards - Premium has a higher octane, and has MORE additives to control the combustion of the gasoline. The lower the octane, the closer to raw gas it is, and it will detonate a LOT easier (which is why cheap gas knocks from pre-ignition)... They used to use Tetraethyl Lead (among other things) to slow down the gas so it could run in higher compression motors (giving more power), then when lead was vilified they switched to MTBE, then to whatever exotic chemistry they claim is gasoline (but smells like bad paint thinner)...

 

[doorfx]

Star-Tyron gets my vote.

 

[redmondjp]

I haven't had any issues at all since switching to alcohol-free gas. I drive miles out of my way, and pay $.50 more per gallon to get it. I usually buy 25-30 gallons at a time. It's definitely worth it.

I leave fuel in all of my equipment over the winter and it always starts right up in the spring. I would never try this with E10 pump gas.

 

[KDXSR5]

I guess I am lucky. I always buy the cheapest gas I can to run in my seasonal use equipment (definitely has alcohol in it). Sometimes I will use sta-bil, and sometimes not. I always make sure to run the carb dry even if leaving fuel in the tank, but otherwise do nothing special. Have not had a problem yet (knock on wood).

 

[redmondjp]

I guess I am lucky. I always buy the cheapest gas I can to run in my seasonal use equipment (definitely has alcohol in it). Sometimes I will use sta-bil, and sometimes not. I always make sure to run the carb dry even if leaving fuel in the tank, but otherwise do nothing special. Have not had a problem yet (knock on wood).

I have a theory on this - my childhood best friend still lives in Eastern WA, where they get their gas from the refineries in eastern Montana. He does the same as you and has never had any problems.

Here in the greater Seattle area, our gas comes from a refinery up in Anacortes about an hour north of Seattle. I don't know what they are adding to it besides the alcohol, but it smells to me like paint thinner when I'm filling up. It doesn't last very long - I've had pump gas go bad in my lawn mowers several times over the summer (most people don't water their lawns here so the lawns go dormant July - September), before I started using alcohol-free.

Also, another factor may be the humidity level - in Eastern WA the humidity level is pretty low, while it's much higher in Western WA. The higher humidity is going to affect E10 more.

So these factors may account for why some people have more problems running E10 than others.

 

[KDXSR5]

I have a theory on this - my childhood best friend still lives in Eastern WA, where they get their gas from the refineries in eastern Montana. He does the same as you and has never had any problems.

Here in the greater Seattle area, our gas comes from a refinery up in Anacortes about an hour north of Seattle. I don't know what they are adding to it besides the alcohol, but it smells to me like paint thinner when I'm filling up. It doesn't last very long - I've had pump gas go bad in my lawn mowers several times over the summer (most people don't water their lawns here so the lawns go dormant July - September), before I started using alcohol-free.

Also, another factor may be the humidity level - in Eastern WA the humidity level is pretty low, while it's much higher in Western WA. The higher humidity is going to affect E10 more.

So these factors may account for why some people have more problems running E10 than others.

I have a couple pieces of data that may just support your theories.

First, the cheap gas I buy is made in a refinery located within 20 miles of my town. They actually supply the fuel for the majority of the local stations, and will just blend in the necessary additive packages to make the fuel "ExxonMobil Fuel" or "Texaco Fuel" or "KDXSR5's super cheap no brand name fuel."

Also, Wyoming has very low humidity. I suppose it is pretty hard to pull humidity out of the air and into your fuel if there isn't much humidity in the air to begin with, eh?

 

[HOTFR8]

Any one tried Fuel Set ?

 

[Sticks McGee]

I live in NW Indiana. When I shut my stuff down for the season I put a small dose of seafoam in the tank and then top the tank off. I run it for about 5 min and then shut it down. I never drain the carb or tank. A year later I start the stuff and use it. Have never had a problem. The gas I get is 87 with ethanol in it. I never use anything but 87 in everything I own with the exception of my 2003 HD Road King that I have to run premium in. I have never had an issue knock on wood. Yesterday I pulled my leaf blower out (8 hp briggs walk behind blower) I set the choke to full and two pulls it was running. Last time I ran it was last fall.

 

[finn]

Everyone blames today's gas, but I remember automobile, lawnmower,and other small engines with cracked, deteriorated and leaking fuel lines back in the sixties and seventies, long before fuels were reformulated.

Parts stores always had four or five rolls of bulk fuel hose either behind the counter or on the display floor. I never had to special order fuel line for an old jalopy when I was a kid, and since the line was so readily available, I assume many others commonly replaced leaking hoses back then too.

 

[Showkey]

Everyone blames today's gas, but I remember automobile, lawnmower,and other small engines with cracked, deteriorated and leaking fuel lines back in the sixties and seventies, long before fuels were reformulated.

True........gas going bad is NOT a new phenomenon ............ethanol blends just make it happen quicker, in hot humid weather a small sample in the float bowl might go bad in 30 days. Weather is BIG factor.

When a few say knock on wood...........there is some luck or bad luck involved

This come up on all these gas gone bad threads....SEAFOAM.........the ingredients are naphtha, pale oil and IPA ( alcohol) not sure what those things do as far a fuel preserving. One theory of all the stabilizers is the oil forms a top layer and helps prevent evaporation of the lighter hydrocarbons??????

 

[billspit]

We have ethanol free fuel locally in SC. I use it in outdoor equipment. I also run it mostly in my truck. I figure maybe 2 mpg improvement over regular gas. Haven't tried to figure cost benefit analysis.

KEH

With the ridiculously higher price you pay for ethanol free, I doubt it pays to burn it.

 

[Will S.]

Count yourself lucky if you even have the option of getting ethanol-free fuel. Here in this state, it is ALL ethanol-blended, even at the marina pumps. Stupid state law made it illegal to sell pure gas, so we're stuck with the **** ethanol for everything.

 

[reader2580]

I buy only ethanol free gas for my small engines. I am still using up a five gallon can of gas that is a year old. That old gas still works fine in my four stroke engines. (I bought a diesel riding mower right after I bought five gallons of gas.)

 

[nh_yota]

The regular red Sta-Bil was fine in the old days but it doesn't work well in ethanol-blended gas. You need to use an ethanol treatment like Star Tron, which is what I use.

 

[zmotorsports]

The problem is fuel stabilizers can stabilize the base fuel, but not the alcohol. The alcohol draws in moisture, then the alcohol eventually evaporates leaving that jelly-like **** behind. I've gotten in the habit of running the carb dry on my riding mower and then draining the gas tank EVERY time I use it. I don't have any problems that way, but it's a pain in the ***. I can't find fuel without alcohol in it in this area.

^^Exactly. The alcohol is the culprit here. You want to use a product that prevents moisture from getting to the fuel itself.

I learned a while back here in Kalifornia to use Marine grade Stabil.

Sta-Bil 360 Marine works to create a barrier over the fuel level to keep moisture from being drawn into the fuel. Briggs and Stratton also has a good product that bears their brand name for treating ethanol fuel.

Ethanol free gas in all my small engines at my place...

Same here. I drive out of my way to purchase ethanol free gasoline. We have two stations within about 10 miles of my home where I buy it.

At work we winterized over 1500 boats last year. We use Startrons fuel stabilizer & never saw anything like this.
This year, the goal was 1800 boats & will be reached this week.

A nephew of mine works at a local marina as a part time mechanic and they use the Sta-Bil 360 marine stabilizer and have had similar results. I don't quite think they winterize 1500 boats but they do a lot and have had great results.

Mike.

 

[chruler]

I think I'm lucky too. I run only premium gas in my bike and use Stabil for winter storage. 10 years now and no issues.

 

[Falcon67]

I only run 91 or 93 in the little motors - generator, weedeater, mower, etc. No stabilizer, etc. Can't buy anything here but 10% mix. No problems. But then "winter" here might be a couple of months, 3 at the outside.

 

[tomstin]

I learned the hard way with a chainsaw. Pulled it out of storage, put some gas in it and the fuel lines had been deteriorated to the point they were useless. I now drain the tanks and run the engines until empty as a preventive measure. Not 100% but the best I can do.

 

[Todd.Brock]

Dang it you guys--- here I go with a brand new zero turn mower and fill it all the way up to avoid condensation and then use red stabilizer. Now I need to go get the marine stuff? Can you put too much stsbilizer in gas???

 

[Showkey]

Dang it you guys--- here I go with a brand new zero turn mower and fill it all the way up to avoid condensation and then use red stabilizer. Now I need to go get the marine stuff? Can you put too much stsbilizer in gas???

From FAQ

For everyday in-season engine performance improvement and protection, use 1 ounce (30mL) in every 10 gallons (37.9 L). For seasonal storage and for fuel system clean-up, use 1 ounce (30mL) of MARINE Formula STA-BIL® in 5 gallons (18.9 L). Again, over treatment is safe and will not harm engine.