Fuel Stabilizer ?

Did some searching on the site, but most of the threads I found seem to be from 2010-ish... For long term in tank fuel storage these days is it still Sta-Bil that everyone prefers, or is there something new (Sea Foam, etc) that works best for the fuel and the system? I've got nearly a full tank in the CJ5 and the weather and my travels are conspiring against driving for a while. What is best for 2-3 month storage? Fuel is in the tank is ethanol free.

 

Everyone on the bike forums down talks the red stuff and praises the green stuff. I'm not going to pretend I know why. Personally, I use Lucas fuel stabilizer. I have noticed the gas not smelling like terpentine in the spring like it did when I used Sta-bil.

 

Thanks - the marine forums are all over the place with products too, and questioning if necessary with ethanol free fuel. Will dive in and research the Lucas a bit.

 

I use ethanol free in things that set ( mostly small engines) with a splash of Seafoam.

 

ethanol free or clear as they call it at the gas station goes into all lawn and garden,saws,generators, boat,classic cars and jeeps.haven't had a fuel problem in several years.Used Stabil several years back but discontinued after clear became a option. Also battery tenders on everything. Cut down on battery replacement and every thing is ready to go.

 

isnt there still water/fuel separation, even with the ethanol free option?

 

I'm confident in ethanol free for 3 months, maybe 4. Longer than that and I'd go for stabilizer (ideally still with ethanol free gas).

 

We call the ethanol free gas "recreation" gas in Florida. In the Keys, its "Rec 90", or 90 octane. Its good for a few months at best.
If you really need storage fuel, Aviation fuel is good for several years storage. It hard to get, expensive, and illegal to use in motor vehicles, but for storage, its great. I've got 3 gallons in an old VW in storage, and after 3 years (and a fresh battery) it starts right up and smells fresh.
-Donny

 

I still use sta-bil, but anything small like chainsaw, weed eaters, blower or 4 wheelers get straight gas. In Alabama you can get it in 87 or 89 octane. I have let it sit for more than 2 years in my Jeep and it’s starts right up and runs fine. Might be down on hp a little. It nothing noticeable though.

 

Up by my cabin in Northern Lower Michigan, Tourist area, almost all the gas stops sell Recreational Fuel, no alcohol , I use it in my Four wheeler, Sled, lawn mowers, and Jeep. I used lead supplement, in my Jeep, because it is a 1952 short block, so I am not sure if it needs leaded fuel. I had a head rebuilt for it by a local Hot Rod head guy, new valves, guides and springs, but don't think he replaced the seats, so I used the lead supplement.

 

Sea foam, or Lucas makes a similar product, I usually dump in a tad more than recommended!

 

Sta.bil has always worked well for me. Lucas makes good stuff.

 

I'm a Stabil guy, but I have switched to the Marine. It appears to be more expensive, but if you look at the details it goes twice as far. I probably have more crap that sits with fuel in it than any 3 "normal" people and it is great.

November of '99 I put my short stepside in the barn. I filled the tank up with 93 octane plain unleaded (before there was as much ethanol) and doubled the Stabil dose (the standard, not marine). I pulled the truck back home in 2012, rebuilt the carb and started it right up on the 12 1/2 year old gas...

I was a fuel treatment fan before that, but every tank I put in anything but my daily driver gets treated. And the small engines get the ethanol free stuff and the really small engines get TruFuel 50:1.

 

My antiques have no problem with stale gas, even several years old. I think a lot of our troubles are the modern machines being much more finicky and using vulnerable materials.

That said, using small amounts of Seafoam additive in every tank-full makes my small engines start far better after sitting.

 

It depends a lot on how your gas was made - most of it is not too good these days. I’m glad we don’t get ethanol here in AK.
I’ve had good luck with stabil, sea foam, and Lucas fuel treatment.

 

I'll have to see if I still have the section of fuel line I replaced in a bush hog because of ethanol damage. I may have chucked it because it was stinking up my bench. It looked like a deflated, melted, black balloon.

 

Yup.

One winter my Harley dumped a full tank of gas onto the barn floor. "New" generic fuel line looked like it had been through a cheese grater. I was very P-ed Off.

I have learned to ask for American-made, ethanol-rated tubing.

 

Check the little rubber tubes that come with the generic auto fuel filters. my jeep puked it's tank on the floor since they softened and the filter was below the tank on the frame.