I am about to put the convertible away for the winter - wondering if I should be using a fuel stabilizer product. Your thoughts?
Fuel Stabilizer For Winter Storage
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YES!
I use 1 ounce of STA-BIL per 2-1/2 gallons year round.
For a car/boat (many gallons of gas) I would use Startron (blue). Its at Walmart in auto and/or boat section. NAPA also.
For OPE I prefer blue StaBil.
For OPE I prefer blue StaBil.
i use marine stabil and 1 oz of tcw3 in 5 gallons for winter use/storage.
Run a couple of tanks on non ethanol fuel trough it to get all the ethanol out of it and then be sure to top it off before storage (minimize water buildup from temp changes) and use the correct amount of Sta-Bil for the tank size. I keep 10-12 motorcycles store every winter and it works great for them, never a problem in the spring. Don't forget the battery tender for the battery!
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Originally Posted By: hungstart
Run a couple of tanks on non ethanol fuel trough it to get all the ethanol out of it and then be sure to top it off before storage (minimize water buildup from temp changes) and use the correct amount of Sta-Bil for the tank size. I keep 10-12 motorcycles store every winter and it works great for them, never a problem in the spring. Don't forget the battery tender for the battery!
Your suggesting to the OP to run a couple of tanks of E0 through his convertible car? That seems like a crazy suggestion for a car.
Run a couple of tanks on non ethanol fuel trough it to get all the ethanol out of it and then be sure to top it off before storage (minimize water buildup from temp changes) and use the correct amount of Sta-Bil for the tank size. I keep 10-12 motorcycles store every winter and it works great for them, never a problem in the spring. Don't forget the battery tender for the battery!
Your suggesting to the OP to run a couple of tanks of E0 through his convertible car? That seems like a crazy suggestion for a car.
I have seen carbs full of corrosion from ethanol based gas after sitting for a years time. If you can fill it up with non ethanol gas that is the way to go. Add a good quality fuel stabilizer with corrosion inhibitors (very important for the ethanol) and fill the tank up and run the engine enough to get the treatment through the fuel system.
The tank is currently full of ethanol free premium fuel (not easy to find around here).
Just wondering what to add to the fuel.
I use SeaFoam in all of my small engines, it claims to stabilize fuel. Would this work as a stabilizer?
Just wondering what to add to the fuel.
I use SeaFoam in all of my small engines, it claims to stabilize fuel. Would this work as a stabilizer?
Hello, There are many stabilizers on the market.
I'm no expert but I do know many have solvents in them and I have a fiend who replaces fuel pick-up hoses in small engines.
He says these stabilizers dissolve those wee hoses.
I resort to running any engine for storage COMPLETELY DRY of gas. Refill with fresh in Spring.
Yank the cord and they go. Kira
I'm no expert but I do know many have solvents in them and I have a fiend who replaces fuel pick-up hoses in small engines.
He says these stabilizers dissolve those wee hoses.
I resort to running any engine for storage COMPLETELY DRY of gas. Refill with fresh in Spring.
Yank the cord and they go. Kira
Originally Posted By: Kira
Hello, There are many stabilizers on the market.
I'm no expert but I do know many have solvents in them and I have a fiend who replaces fuel pick-up hoses in small engines.
He says these stabilizers dissolve those wee hoses.
I resort to running any engine for storage COMPLETELY DRY of gas. Refill with fresh in Spring.
Yank the cord and they go. Kira
I suspect the ethanol has more to do with the hose deterioration than any stabilizer.
According to the AMSOIL tech guys, the AMSOIL Quick Shot will help solve the ethanol problems, plus helps keep the fuel lines from going bad. Not listed on any of the literature--if it were, there would be all kinds of hollering by those who put it in after years of not using it and the lines went bad!
Hello, There are many stabilizers on the market.
I'm no expert but I do know many have solvents in them and I have a fiend who replaces fuel pick-up hoses in small engines.
He says these stabilizers dissolve those wee hoses.
I resort to running any engine for storage COMPLETELY DRY of gas. Refill with fresh in Spring.
Yank the cord and they go. Kira
I suspect the ethanol has more to do with the hose deterioration than any stabilizer.
According to the AMSOIL tech guys, the AMSOIL Quick Shot will help solve the ethanol problems, plus helps keep the fuel lines from going bad. Not listed on any of the literature--if it were, there would be all kinds of hollering by those who put it in after years of not using it and the lines went bad!
Originally Posted By: jrmason
I have seen carbs full of corrosion from ethanol based gas after sitting for a years time. If you can fill it up with non ethanol gas that is the way to go. Add a good quality fuel stabilizer with corrosion inhibitors (very important for the ethanol) and fill the tank up and run the engine enough to get the treatment through the fuel system.
Not sure the OP has a carbed engine. I only read convertible. I store a lot of stuff, including John Deere zero turn mowers and generators, for several months at a time, all of them use E10 and get stored with full tanks to limit condensation in tanks. They even get filled with bulk stored gasoline. I do change out the filter, along with oil changes, in the spring. I do use a stabilizer product, for sure, but I have no issues with any ethanol laced fuel. And those mowers and generators have carbed engines. A injected engine would be even less of an issue with E10.
Modern vehicles have ventless fuel systems, so any water associated issues with ethanol would be virtually non existent. Especially if they top off the tank before storage along with using a fuel stabilzer product.
I have seen carbs full of corrosion from ethanol based gas after sitting for a years time. If you can fill it up with non ethanol gas that is the way to go. Add a good quality fuel stabilizer with corrosion inhibitors (very important for the ethanol) and fill the tank up and run the engine enough to get the treatment through the fuel system.
Not sure the OP has a carbed engine. I only read convertible. I store a lot of stuff, including John Deere zero turn mowers and generators, for several months at a time, all of them use E10 and get stored with full tanks to limit condensation in tanks. They even get filled with bulk stored gasoline. I do change out the filter, along with oil changes, in the spring. I do use a stabilizer product, for sure, but I have no issues with any ethanol laced fuel. And those mowers and generators have carbed engines. A injected engine would be even less of an issue with E10.
Modern vehicles have ventless fuel systems, so any water associated issues with ethanol would be virtually non existent. Especially if they top off the tank before storage along with using a fuel stabilzer product.
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Don't worry about it.
I'm personally convinced, based upon past use, that fuel stabilizers do nada. I've tried them and they seem to have no effect. No easier starting in the spring.
I've had good weather drivers that I've stored winters for years and have never used anything other than a full tank of fuel and a battery tender or periodic charges.
The BMW will be entering its fifth winter of rest shortly and it will get nothing more than a full tank of E10 and a float charger.
It'll crank up with no drama in the spring, just as it has for the past four.
Save your money for something useful.
I'm personally convinced, based upon past use, that fuel stabilizers do nada. I've tried them and they seem to have no effect. No easier starting in the spring.
I've had good weather drivers that I've stored winters for years and have never used anything other than a full tank of fuel and a battery tender or periodic charges.
The BMW will be entering its fifth winter of rest shortly and it will get nothing more than a full tank of E10 and a float charger.
It'll crank up with no drama in the spring, just as it has for the past four.
Save your money for something useful.
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Don't worry about it.
I'm personally convinced, based upon past use, that fuel stabilizers do nada. I've tried them and they seem to have no effect. No easier starting in the spring.
I've had good weather drivers that I've stored winters for years and have never used anything other than a full tank of fuel and a battery tender or periodic charges.
The BMW will be entering its fifth winter of rest shortly and it will get nothing more than a full tank of E10 and a float charger.
It'll crank up with no drama in the spring, just as it has for the past four.
Save your money for something useful.
My experience has been the exact opposite. E10 with no stabilizer results in poor/rough/failed starts and periodic carb jobs. The cost of stabil (on sale) is negligible. I also store gas for my generator for 12 months which works perfectly with this routine.
Don't worry about it.
I'm personally convinced, based upon past use, that fuel stabilizers do nada. I've tried them and they seem to have no effect. No easier starting in the spring.
I've had good weather drivers that I've stored winters for years and have never used anything other than a full tank of fuel and a battery tender or periodic charges.
The BMW will be entering its fifth winter of rest shortly and it will get nothing more than a full tank of E10 and a float charger.
It'll crank up with no drama in the spring, just as it has for the past four.
Save your money for something useful.
My experience has been the exact opposite. E10 with no stabilizer results in poor/rough/failed starts and periodic carb jobs. The cost of stabil (on sale) is negligible. I also store gas for my generator for 12 months which works perfectly with this routine.
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