[RedHorseRider]

I have been using Sta-Bil fuel stabilizer for a few years now. I have been adding it to the gas in the gas tanks of my power equipment and running the engines until the Sta-Bil gets to the carbs.
The stuff works, but....
when I removed the bowl from my TB Horse carburetor last week just to check the bowl, the bowl gasket and the O ring seal of high speed power screw was dry rotted. I then took the carburetor completely apart and found that all the seals were crumbling.
I think the fuel stabilizer has caused this. I think this fall I`m not going to use any stabilizers any more. I`m going to just let the engines run out of gas and store the equipment this way.

Did fuel stabilizer cause drying of the seals and gaskets on your equipment?

 

[Wheelhorseboy]

Interesting, I've always attributed the rotting with the additives in the higher octane fuel, but maybe. I dont use stabilizers, our storage seasons in Wyoming are way too long so I always just drain and dry.

 

[jim335]

My guess would be ethanol in the fuel.

 

[dbuck]

:howdy: I use Sea-Foam, an never had that problem. I will go with jim335, ethanol in the fuel. :smilie_fl

 

[CADplans]

My 80 year old neighbor loved Sta-Bil,,,,

He would call me each year to start the woodsplitter I gave him.

I would drain the gas that had the Sta-Bil added, refill with pure gas,
the splitter would start right up,,,:hide:

That engine hated Sta-Bil,, he used the same gas in his tiller and mower without a problem,, :dunno:

 

[mla2ofus]

Interesting, I've always attributed the rotting with the additives in the higher octane fuel, but maybe. I dont use stabilizers, our storage seasons in Wyoming are way too long so I always just drain and dry.

And I do the same. In 10 yrs haven't had a problem.
Mike

 

[RedHorseRider]

Probably both the ethanol in the gas, and the Sta-Bil treatment has contributed to the crumbling of seals and gaskets in the carb.
This fall I`m going to just let the engine run until it runs out of gas, then store it this way. I`ll see if the seals and gaskets last longer this way.

 

[meburdick]

First, it's important to understand that Sta-Bil is a fuel stabilizer. It's intent is to SLOW the degradation of the fuel over a longer period of time. Fresh fuel is generally said to go stale in 30 days, but we all know we can get more than that. Using it does not prevent the fuel from -ever- going bad. So, if it does, it's still going to make mess inside of the carb if you leave it in there.

Second, it's important to understand that Sta-Bil does NOTHING for the ethanol in the fuel. Startron has an Ethanol-targeted forula that I prefer to use if I'm adding anything to the fuel.

Third, SeaFoam was originally developed to be a fuel stabilizer, but it works better as a general carb cleaner (chemically, it's very similar to that of carb cleaner only much more concentrated). So, every time you run the motor, you're scrubbing down the carbs at the same time!

Fourth, it doesn't matter what you put in as a stabilizer if you don't follow one very basic rule of small engines - run them dry! NEVER leave gas in the carb if there is any possibly way you can avoid it. Dump the tank on your chain saw or turn off the fuel and let the motor idle until it dies. If you follow this rule, you'll never need to add a stabilizer to your fuel unless you are storing it more than 30 days.

Fifth, another excellent way to slow fuel degradation is start with better fuel! Yep. Buy your gas from a very high-volume station, and consider buying super if they go through a lot of it! The higher the octane when you start, the longer it will take to degrade below a usable level. The snowmobiles ALWAYS get super because I seldom go enough distance to empty the entire tank in one ride. And, I never know what ride will be the last of the season. Even then, they get idled out by turning off the fuel.

 

[hotrod351]

i used sta-bil for a while, never saw where it did anything. then i found this stuff on amazon, read the reviews and tried it in my gas air compressor, it the first stuff that will enable me to start my 5hp briggs & stratton air compressor engine with out any problems, i mean it starts right up. so ive been using it ever since.

 

[Alleyyooper]

Argued the run dry thing every spring with my father in law & brother in law.
Dad had a 12 hp. Kohler, never ran the carb dry and it would start just fine every year when ready to mow lawn. I have a 17hp Kohler and I also never run the carb dry and never had a problem when spring came and time to mow. Yet BIL who has a 14HP Kohler and runs his carbs dry has a problem every spring getting it to start. I have it at my place right now because it kept hydro locking on him (this year)when he tried to start it when he got ready to use it this spring.
The float was hanging in the open position and would not close till I removed it and disassembled it put in some lacquer thinner for a few days. I am returning it to him today so he doesn't have to pay the big bucks to get his lawn mowed any more.

I always make sure I have the freshest gas I can buy to fill my plastic fuel tanks with before storage. The 2 strokes even the ones with oil pumps like the snowmobiles and ATV I still premix the fuel 20:1 for the tank for storage.

If you like to run carbs dry and it works for you fine but it isn't gospel nor written in stone any place that is the best way.

If you like me like fresh fuel in the carb for storage and it works for you then by all means keep doing it. It also is not gospel or written in stone.

Ethanol in fuel is hard on gaskets and seals and even alum parts. If you can find non ethanol fuel with out paying thousands of dollars to have it shipped to you I recommend you use it.

Go to this site and plug in your state and see where you can but the better stuff.

Ethanol-free gas stations in the U.S. and Canada

 

[Wheelhorseboy]

I would say it really depends on where you live, the tempuratures during storage, lengths of storage, and type of storage, out in the back shed that gets hot and cold, or in a shop or garage where temp stays moderate or even. Even the amount of humidity in air will affect how much the ethenol gas affects the machines.

 

[RedHorseRider]

Well, this year I`ll try running the carbs dry and see if the seals and gaskets last longer. I have in the past tried leaving gas only, no Sta-Bil in the machines, and they gummed up by spring time.
There is one thing I have not mentioned yet. When using the Sta-Bil fuel stabilizer, I get a brown/yellowish varnish all over the carburetor. And inside the carb there will be like a dry film. I believe this is from the fuel stabilizer. The stuff does keep the carbs from gumming up, but I believe it also shortens the life of the seals and gaskets.

 

[Tractor-Holic]

I'm not a fan of "gas stabilizers"..I have seen just as many carbs gum up with it as without..not sure it does much other than cost you more money ..

I have stored a 8 HP B&S away for years at a time with no carb troubles--I run it bone dry out of fuel,then take off the fuel line at the carb inlet fitting,and use a pump type oil can to pump the float bowl full of fresh motor oil--some engines I have just dumped some fresh motor oil in the gas tank instead,after running them out of gas..

When I go to start the engines much later in the future,it might take a little coaxing to get them to fire up,I might have to pull the spark plug out and spin them over several times to clear the excess oil out of the cylinder--but I can often cheat and get them to start right up by squirting some gas in the carb throat or in the plug hole...they'll smoke like crazy for several minutes,but that is better than a dry start,and the valves wont be stuck from sitting..

I parked my Chevy van in 2003 and have only started it maybe 6 times since..after I moved it where I wanted it to be for the winter,I'd let it run out of gas,then used the oil can to pump oil into the carb,by squirting it into the air bleed vent pipe that is easily accessible with the air filter cover off it..
It might take a bit of cranking to get it to fire up the next time I go to start it,but it hasn't had any stuck valves and the carb's accelerator pump still works great..and I'm sure the oil that was in the carb wont harm the pistons any either..
I have rigged up a 1 gallon tractor gas tank to it's fuel pump under the hood,so I wont have to have 5 gallons of stale gas decaying in the fuel tank..

I notice 2 cycle gas doesn't seem to gum up carbs after the gas goes state as bad as "pure" gas..I think the oil acts as a "stabilizer" to some degree..

 

[Wheelhorseboy]

A lot of 2 cycle oils have some sort of stabilizer already in them.

 

[jack2181]

I think its hard to have a general policy. Some engines are just finicky. Something like a tiller that is hardly used...........I run dry.

The sleds always get run dry or empty at season end. They sit for 6+ months dry.

Saws I just cut till the last tank is empty.

I do use Sta-bil , but go with the Marine version; but I do not use it with every tank. I do use it in my generators.

My tractors that I use year round and regular, I do not put any stabilizer in them.

I do every now and then add some cleaner or squirt some carb cleaner in the carbs.

Not sure if Sta-bil deteriorates gaskets, but agree that ethanol does. But will watch my gaskets with the Sta-bil machines.