fuel stabilizer?

[lumpfisher]

A friend of mine just bought a boat that has been sitting up for about six months with the fuel tank filled and he was wondering if he should add something to the fuel before running it. I suggested stabil, but I really am not sure. Any suggestions?

[Class Act]

Too late if it was not added when fuel was initially pumped in.

I would however recommend some sort of product that allows the engines to burn through any water that may be in the system. STP abd others have a product that you can but at any walmart, etc.

[goinsfishin]

Maybe hit the auto parts store and get some octane boost.

[docj]

Look at PriG &/or Startron.

[tripleplay1]

I put octane boost in my Verados and I emptied fuel filters all day. I wont do that again. Maybe I had the wrong brand??

[Special K III]

I read a post here a year or two ago about a guy who pumped out his tank after a year. The guys at the marina took the old fuel off his hands and used it themselves without any problems. I'm sure the octane is lower than it was when it was fresh.

[prober]

If you have water in your fuel you need to syphon out the water. Additives that keep the water suspended so it can be burned just ensure that you are running water through your engine, which can wash the lubricants from your cylinders. It will also fill your filters as said above. If there is no water then remove a few gallons and add fresh premium to bring the octane back up.

[Snowwolfe]

Most occtane boosters claim to boost the octane one point when mixed according to instructions. What they fail to tell you is one point is equal to 1/10 of an octane point.
I quit using stabilizer about 8 years ago and I store my RV, boat, 3 atvs, and my Corvette for 7 months every year and never once noticed anything wrong with the fuel come spring. Personally I have come to the conclusion stabilizer is nothing more than snake oil. Modern fuel has a shelf life of 12 months according to every petroleum engineer I have ever talked to.
Of course, a lot of people like spending more money to feel safe so it's your dime.

[bornfishing]

Modern fuel has a shelf life of 12 months according to every petroleum engineer I have ever talked to.

Yes, they do, BUT ... Don't forget that boat gas tanks vented, and will suck moisture due to alcohol content.
I would drain all old gas, that's if you can get to it, or drain as much as you can, than get some seafoam, mix with with 2-3 gal of fresh gas dump it in your tank, let it sit for a day and try to drain again. I had to do the same before, since I could not get to the gas tank, I had to use primer pump to drain from outboards.
Most of the time I use Stabil for all of my equipment (I have few pc.- I'm in landscaping business) before I store it for the winter, works good for few month.
Cheers!

[catfoiler]

Snowwolfe - 3/14/2007 2:03 AM

Most occtane boosters claim to boost the octane one point when mixed according to instructions. What they fail to tell you is one point is equal to 1/10 of an octane point.
I quit using stabilizer about 8 years ago and I store my RV, boat, 3 atvs, and my Corvette for 7 months every year and never once noticed anything wrong with the fuel come spring. Personally I have come to the conclusion stabilizer is nothing more than snake oil. Modern fuel has a shelf life of 12 months according to every petroleum engineer I have ever talked to.
Of course, a lot of people like spending more money to feel safe so it's your dime.

That might well be true but I don't think that it holds true in Florida because I have gunked up more than a couple of carbs or fuel injectors with fuel sitting unused for months.

[grassguysc]

Off topic but does anybody know if ring free has any stabilizers in it?

[redfarm]

"Modern fuel has a shelf life of 12 months according to every petroleum engineer I have ever talked to."

That was funny. How many have you talked to? Funny stuff.

[C Craft 23]

I have heard that ethanol can "go stale" whatever that means faster than regular gas but I'm not sure octane booster is the answer. I believe regular gas actually is more volatile than premium and higher octane just means that the gas won't pre-ignite (detonate) as easilly on the compression stroke allowing the motorist to advance the spark timing without detonation - advancing the spark timing gives better performance if you can do it without detonation (aka pinging or knocking).

The major problem with ethanol gas is that it absorbs water more readilly than normal gasoline and once it reaches the saturation point it undergoes "phase separation" and then you have a real problem beyond just old gas - you have separated gas and water - many so-called disposal companies won't accept separated gas and will charge you an arm and a leg if they do. I haven't heard of any "shelf life" for phase separation - it might just depend on how much water it is exposed to from the enviornment and also from condensation inside a vented fuel tank such as on boats. Sta-bil is supposed to prevent phase separation from what I hear.

Any thoughts on this? Am I wrong? We need a fuelologist.

[mtcfish]

Startron....

Product Description
Startron® is the world's first fuel treatment to
be based on naturally occurring enzymes.
Although this is a very unique application
of enzyme technology, we encounter
various enzymes in our everyday lives. For
example, enzymes in laundry detergents
break down dirt and stains so that they may
be easily washed away, even in cold water.
Enzymes in the human digestive system
break down food into components that are
easily used by the body to produce energy.
Functioning as biocatalysts, enzymes
increase and control the rate of chemical
reactions. Startron® uses highly specialized
enzymes to modify how gasoline and diesel
fuel burns, the end result being more
complete and uniform combustion. This
same enzyme package disperses harmful
microbial growth, cleans the fuel delivery
system and combustion chambers, stabilizes
fuel chemistry and reduces engine
emissions.
Increasing Power and Improving Fuel
Economy, Reducing Emissions
Engines are not very efficient at burning all
of the fuel that is fed into the cylinders. The
result of this incomplete combustion is
reduced power, production of harmful
emissions and carbon formation. By
changing the bonding structure of the
hydrocarbon molecules that make up fuel,
enzymes in Startron® allow more oxygen to
attach to the fuel components at the point of
ignition, resulting in a more complete burn
of the fuel charge. Startron® treated fuel
therefore produces greater power, increases
fuel economy up to 15% and shows up to a
90% reduction in commonly encountered
emissions. Carbon monoxide is reduced up
to 40%. Diesel soot is now classified as a
carcinogen and a toxic air contaminant.
Enzyme modified diesel fuel can reduce
soot by over one half in just a day and
continued use can reduce soot by up to
80%.
Cleaning Injectors, The Fuel Delivery
System and Combustion Chambers
While Removing Carbon Build-Up
When more of the fuel charge is burned
there is a dramatic drop in the formation of
performance robbing carbon deposits.
After several hours of operating with
Startron® enhanced fuel, the engine’s
concussive forces can blow all existing
carbon off the pistons, completely cleaning
the combustion chamber without the use of
solvent-based carbon removing additives.
As the enzymes in Startron® are naturally
powerful surface-active agents, deposits
are removed from the fuel tank, fuel lines,
injectors, valves, pistons and spark plugs.
Startron® accomplishes these cleaning tasks
quickly and at the lowest per gallon cost of
any product on the market.
Once existing carbon deposits are removed
and future deposit formation is prevented,
knocking and pinging (pre-detonation) are
eliminated. Engines develop full power
while running smoother and quieter. An
added benefit of a deposit free combustion
chamber is that fuel burns at a properly
controlled rate, helping to greatly boost fuel
economy.
Microbial Growth In Fuel
When gasoline or diesel fuel sits in a tank
with excessive air space, the daily
temperature changes produce condensation
(water formation) on tank walls. This water
falls into the fuel where it sinks to the
bottom providing a breeding ground for
microbial spores that feed on hydrocarbon
fuels.
Known as "diesel algae" these are
primarily fungi, yeast and mold
contaminants. If left untreated, diesel algae
will ruin the fuel causing clogs in filters,
fuel lines and injectors. Common treatment
for this problem up until now has been the
use of a biocide to kill existing growth and
prevent a future infestation. The use of a
biocide can however cause other problems.
Once the growth is killed, the resulting
biomass settles to the tank bottom where it
decays forming organic acids. The acids
then deteriorate the fuel and cause
corrosion of the tank walls, injectors and
fuel delivery system. Additionally,
biocides can be harmful to all those who
handle them or come in contact with
treated fuel plus, they can cause
environmental damage if spilled. Startron®
uses its nontoxic enzyme technology to
breakdown microbial growth into submicron
size particles. These microscopic
particles are then either safely burned away
or filtered out. Startron® is the only
treatment that prevents biological growth
and eliminates existing growth without the
use of toxic chemicals.
Treating Water In Fuel
As mentioned before, water can wind up in
your gas or diesel fuel as a result of
condensation in the tank. Because water is
heavier than fuel, it sinks to the bottom of
the tank and forms a distinct water layer.
The fuel pick-up tube is located at the
bottom of the tank so, once this happens,
water is supplied to your fuel pump.
Obviously the engine can not burn water;
soon it starts to sputter and eventually stops
running. Additionally, water is corrosive so
it deteriorates tank walls and metals in the
fuel delivery system. The enzymes in
Startron® prevent the water molecules that
are in fuel from combining and forming a
distinct water layer. Water is reduced to
sub-micron size particles that cannot cause
corrosion and are safely burned during
normal combustion.
Stabilizing Fuel Chemistry
Diesel fuel and gasoline are not formulated
to be stored for more than 90 days. After
this period of time, they begin to oxidize,
forming sludge, varnish, gum and other
harmful deposits. The ability of the fuel to
burn properly is diminished as chemical
components start to break down. Startron®
uses its enzyme technology to maintain
fuel quality and prevent the deterioration of
fuel components. Diesel fuel treated with
Startron® has a shelf life in excess of two
years. Gasoline, which tends to evaporate
volatile components more quickly than
diesel, remains stable for one year.
Once hydrocarbon fuels deteriorate, the
process of cleaning and rejuvenating them
is extremely expensive. Enzymes contained
in Startron® can in fact "repair" old fuel,
restoring cetane and octane ratings,
dispersing water and breaking down sludge
and other deposits. Startron®’s enzyme
formula may well be the most cost
effective fuel remediation technology in
the world.
Startron® product line and dosage
Startron® Gasoline Additive is available in
8 fl. oz., 16 fl. oz. and 32 fl. oz. sizes. 1 fl.
oz. treats 16 gallons of gas.
Startron® Diesel Fuel Additive is available
in 8 fl. oz., 16 fl. oz., 32 fl. oz. and 1 gallon
sizes. 1 fl. oz. treats 32 gallons of diesel.
Available where
boating products
are sold.
Star brite

[C Craft 23]

O.k. nice fish - nice Startron Ad - where's our fuelologist to tell us what's right?

[mboy]

PRI-G is what he wants!

[buzzk]

I use the PRI-G in my gas and it works.

[tompass]

I use the diesel Startron in my 4 stroke tank mixed to the appropriate measure. Also use Stabil. So far, so good.