I just retired and do not burn up the gas like I did as a salesman. Besides my beloved CTD, I have (2) Nissan gasers, a truck & car. These fuel systems sre obviously sealed.
My question is whether it is advisable to put stabilizer in these if I do not drive them a lot. if so, what is recoomeded? Stabil seems prevalent, but I am interested in other peoples experience with their gasers that they do not run enough, especially with this crappy ethanol gas, that is now EVERWHERE.
I know for a fact that if you have a small engine ATV, Bike, lawnmower, genset, you need to drain the fuel or use it in 30 days, or big problems are in your future. The alcohol invites water from the air, plus is breaks down much faster than regular gas.
Your advice, please!

 

Its more expensive than Stabil, fitch fuel catalist pellets that you put in the tank. I recommends this to a fellow motorcyclist how had year after year problems with bad gas come spring time. So far three years with keeping gas over the WI winters in non-insulated garage started up each time without problems.

 

I use Seafoam when things are going to be parked for awhile, excellent stuff.
I'm lucky though and have non-ethanol gasoline delivered to the farm.

 

I run sta-bil in all my power equipment (4 hondas, 2 stihls and a Tecumseh) and no issues at all. They start 1 or 2 pulls every spring after sitting for 6 months in an unheated shed that gets down to -40 every year. I fill all the tanks to the brim after adding the stabilizer, run each motor for 10 minutes and then walk away till spring time.

 

I have had good success with the stabil marine forumal for ethanol in my bass boat (green stuff). its a yammy and they get picky on old fuel or the water in fuel sensor is sensative. it used to trip periodicly when untreated after about 3 weeks, since I have been using that. 2-3 month of sitting and no water detected. FWIW.

 

I run Stabil in my 2-stroke stuff, (3 Stihl products), my push mower, (a Honda), and my JD Gator (kawasaki), and I've never have problems with starting stuff the following spring. I've heard good things about Seafoam, though I've never used it. I don't go through much gas per year, maybe 5 gallons at the most, everything that gets used heavily is diesel.

 

Unless it's going to take more than 6 months to get through a tank, don't worry about it.

 

Agreed.

I have a '94 Jimmy sitting in the back that's been parked for nearly a year now that will fire right up no problem. Gas dosent go bad like it used to. Just make sure the fuel stays clean and free of water.

 

Does your states mandate the 10% ethanol? Ever since they started putting it in missouri it has caused nothing but problems for me.

 

I have used Sta-bil in all my equipment other than the truck and van. None of my equipment has complained so far.

 

If or when you use it make sure to top up the tanks and run the vehicle for a little while to get the stabil thru the fuel system, ive done this on all my gas units with no problems at all.

 

Yes, very important...Make sure it runs long enough to reach carb or fuel injectors before a long shutdown......Ben

 

Yeah Stabil and fill the tank all the way up.


I might start using that marine forumla as well someone mentioned above.




I have stabil treated fuel in my gas motor forklift on my land and its probably rolling up on a year and it cranks and smells just fine.

I generally put stabil in the 5 gallon tanks and run the motors out of fuel when done. Never know how long something will sit, I was just today messing with a small engine that hasn't run in over 3-4 years, cranked up but the primer bulb is leaking.


Also, I mix it at the amount they say to store for 1 year. Even though they say over mixing it doesn't hurt anything I've noticed some fuel lines disenegrate if it was mixed too strong, but then again maybe that's just my luck.

 

Naw man, I had fuel in my ATV that sat for 3-4 months and it turned yellow. Filled it up on the road and it ended up immediately in the shop so I didn't have a chance and forgot to put stabil in it. It's bad for the fuel system and valves for sure.


With the stabil it says good for a year and useable for '?'. I had a car I parked for 6 years, ran it down to nearly empty with stabil in it (plastic tank is fine to sit empty for long periods). I siphoned it out the little bit remaining after 3-4 years during a hurricane and it ran fine in my generator mixed with fresh a bit although a bit yellow. At 6 years I topped it off and it cranked up without much trouble at all, no seriously gummed up lines.

 

The sealed fuel systems on modern cars make a world of difference. Fuel sitting in a lawnmower or ATV is exposed to a lot more oxygen and moisture than fuel in the tank of a modern car.