What fuel additives do you use for ethanol?

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I run 93 octane for all my 2&4 cycle small engines. I keep my fuel in "No Spill" brand containers.

http://nospill.com/Products.html these fuel cans are the only ones I will buy now.

I first used Sta-Bil additive (red), now I use their Sta-Bil Marine version (blue). The blue version supposedly has more concentrated additives for ethanol, storage, and system cleaning. It costs more than the red version, but it treats more gallons per oz.

Ethanol free fuel is not readily available where I live.

What additives (if any) do you guys run for your small equipment?
 
If the fuel is going to sit for a while, it gets sta-bil. If it's not going to sit for all that long, nothing. The only big concern with storage is to avoid condensation in the tank / container holding the fuel.
 
I just use the normal dose of marine stabil for regular fills but over the winter I'll super dose it, like 4x the dosage.

I normally use Trufuel for my trimmer because I just don't burn enough gas through it to mix it up.
 
Rslifkun, in NY, is most of your available fuel 10% ethanol or w/ lower amounts or non-ethanol?

Madman, I find 32oz of Marine Sta-Bil locally for $20-22. Red is few bucks cheaper.

Donald, which pre-mix brand do you use? My co-worker and I were discussing premix fuel for our 2-cycle equipment a few months ago, but I never started using it.

I started using it after my 3 month old Echo hand held leaf blower started having problems. The dealer (authorized Echo service center) took apart/cleaned/reassembled/adjusted the carb. They said it was from bad gas. Tech said they advise all customers and especially their commercial lawn accounts to use some type of stabilizer and/or enthanol additive if all fuel, even if fuel was to be used that day.

He explained (although this may be incorrect but sounded plausible to me) that with our high humidity, the ethanol draws in moisture even while in the underground storage tank at the gas station.

The gas I had used was less than week old and stored in a newer fuel can w/ no visible contaminates. I dumped it out, got fuel from another service station and started using Sta-Bil red.

That was in 2010 and my Echo Blower Weed Trimmer have ran like new since.

May have been a fluke and the Sta-Bil has just been a placebo.
 
Originally Posted By: Islandvic
Rslifkun, in NY, is most of your available fuel 10% ethanol or w/ lower amounts or non-ethanol?

Madman, I find 32oz of Marine Sta-Bil locally for $20-22. Red is few bucks cheaper.

Donald, which pre-mix brand do you use? My co-worker and I were discussing premix fuel for our 2-cycle equipment a few months ago, but I never started using it.

I started using it after my 3 month old Echo hand held leaf blower started having problems. The dealer (authorized Echo service center) took apart/cleaned/reassembled/adjusted the carb. They said it was from bad gas. Tech said they advise all customers and especially their commercial lawn accounts to use some type of stabilizer and/or enthanol additive if all fuel, even if fuel was to be used that day.

He explained (although this may be incorrect but sounded plausible to me) that with our high humidity, the ethanol draws in moisture even while in the underground storage tank at the gas station.

The gas I had used was less than week old and stored in a newer fuel can w/ no visible contaminates. I dumped it out, got fuel from another service station and started using Sta-Bil red.

That was in 2010 and my Echo Blower Weed Trimmer have ran like new since.

May have been a fluke and the Sta-Bil has just been a placebo.


I buy premix at HomeDepot, I think its TrueFuel but thats only a guess. I probably use 2 - 3 QTs of premix a year. The cost is low enough to prevent carb problems. I use the 2 cycle implements sporadically. So it might be a month or two between uses of my backpack blower, maybe a year for the chain saws.
 
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I always add StaBil to my stored fuel. Some of my small engines or the show tractor only get used once or twice each year, and I never know exactly how much fuel I'll use. I currently have about 10 gallons left from my fall fill last October (I didn't need to plow the drive much this winter). I keep a 30 gallon wheeled fuel tank on hand along with 3 tractors that take 9 gallons each, in addition to several other small engines.

I can go out and start any engine that I have without a single issue, and I have never had a fuel related issue in the 30+ years I've been using E10. And to be fair, I sometimes store fuel long enough that I would add StaBil even if I made the choice to use non-E10 fuel.
Originally Posted By: RedOakRanch
You can add water, that will pull out all the ethanol, then drain off the water and enjoy your pure gas! I won't use ethanol gas in small engines, I buy AV gas at the local airport.


And I'll add to my information above that I've never had to go to the airport to get some sort of magic fuel, nor have I ever dumped water into my gasoline in some misguided attempt to create non-E10 fuel.
 
I just use ethanol gas. If I'm going to store(bike) for longer than a month I just use up the gas and fill the tank with 100% gasoline. Never issues, never needed anything, no hard starts. Simple as that.
 
The best product I ever used was PRI-G.

http://priproducts.com/retail-consumer/

It actually works at a 2000:1 ratio, yest two thousand to one. But I haven't found it in Canada for years.

I use Seafoam now. I pour 2oz per gallon into a jerry can the moment I fill it for 2 stroke equipment and 1oz per gallon for 4 stroke stuff, so all of my outdoor power products are using Seafoam treated gas all the time. I find Seafoam works better than Sta-bil.
 
Originally Posted By: vitez
The best product I ever used was PRI-G.

http://priproducts.com/retail-consumer/

It actually works at a 2000:1 ratio, yest two thousand to one. But I haven't found it in Canada for years.

I use Seafoam now. I pour 2oz per gallon into a jerry can the moment I fill it for 2 stroke equipment and 1oz per gallon for 4 stroke stuff, so all of my outdoor power products are using Seafoam treated gas all the time. I find Seafoam works better than Sta-bil.


PRI-G claims it can bring back old gas to new. Nothing can short of re-refining it. Given that claim, I avoid PRI-G all together.
 
The Sta-Bil helps a little bit, but the flexible diaphragms get stiff after awhile from exposure to ethanol. You just gotta plan on replacing them once a year.
 
Used to use sta-bil red and 90/10 gas. Over a year ago I switched to non-alcohol gas (premium) for everything, and still use sta-bil as the gas may be in the can or the tank for 2-3 weeks while it's being used.
Have never had an issue, and it's worth the insurance cost t me.
 
Those who use ethanol free gas, is it readily available where you live.

The local Rudy's BBQ/gas station used to offer it. But they haven't had it for a out a year or two now.

Also, anyone use Star Tron or Lucas ethanol treatments?
 
Originally Posted By: Islandvic
Those who use ethanol free gas, is it readily available where you live.



Yes, there are a few stations, though it's only premium grade.

There is a website that tracks who sells what fuel, tru fuel? Something, anyway, google is your friend, bet it'll take no time to find.
 
The only additive that really makes sense to use with ethanol is boost
wink.gif
 
Do you have a location very close to you that sells non-ethanol gas? I suggest you run only non-ethanol gas and be done with it. Esp. in your 2 cycle equipment for sure!
 
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