Fuel Stabilizer
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: General Correct Craft Discussion
Forum Name: Common Questions
Forum Discription: Visit here first for common questions regarding your Correct Craft
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=15600
Printed Date: November-22-2024 at 7:08am
Topic: Fuel Stabilizer
Posted By: Fournier
Subject: Fuel Stabilizer
Date Posted: October-15-2009 at 6:17pm
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Is Sta-Bil my best bet to add to a full tank while sitting in the un-heated garage for the winter. I already use Star Tron enzyme treatment each time I fuel up. 86 nautique/2001.
Thanks, Ross |
Replies:
Posted By: C-Bass
Date Posted: October-15-2009 at 7:28pm
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I don't know if it's the "best", but any stabilizer would work. Measure it out so it treats a full tank, and fill her all the way up to prevent condensation. Make sure you run the boat a good little bit so that stabilized fuel gets into the carb.
Check the http://www.correctcraftfan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8368&title=winterization - winterization thread for other winterization tips. ------------- Craig 67 SN 73 SN http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=6103" rel="nofollow - 99 Sport 85SN |
Posted By: Fournier
Date Posted: October-18-2009 at 1:47am
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Thanks for the tip!
Ross |
Posted By: emccallum
Date Posted: November-28-2009 at 12:43am
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Your best bet is to try and find non ethanol fuel and use Stabil. Ethanol fuel really scares me leaving it in the tank for several months. It has a high affinity for water and will clean all the gunk out of your tank and plug up the filters. If I could only find ethanol fuel, I think I would consider storing it with no fuel at all.
Just my opinion, after spending several hours completely cleaning a fuel system stored with ethanol fuel and Stabil. Try a google search on ethanol and marine engines. It is eye opening. |
Posted By: TX Foilhead
Date Posted: November-28-2009 at 12:20pm
| I don't know that this is true everywhere, but it has worked for me here in Texas. I'm fortunate enough to live in an area where we don't have a bunch of nonsense regulations about our fuel. Regular and mid grade may contain ethanol but super does not. I usually run mid grade, but after a tank of ethanol that made the boat run like crap I've started to take a sniff when I start pumping and if I smell ethanol I switch to super, never had that problem again. This trick has worked for me all over Texas and Louisiana and I was fortunate that the bad tank was at an event where we were running all day long so it only took me a day to burn through it if it happened at my house it might have been a month before I got it all out. |
Posted By: SN206
Date Posted: November-28-2009 at 7:13pm
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There is a list of company's that still carry no-ethonal fuel in the south and southeast. I'll try find and post it. I'mm planning on bringing 30-40gal. with me to St. John's just in case. ------------- ...those who have fallen and those who will. |
Posted By: gun-driver
Date Posted: November-28-2009 at 9:12pm
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I thought it was a federal regulation that all fuel had to contain at least 10% ethanol.
I used stabil marine treatment specially for ethanol this year, when ever I added fuel with good results. |
Posted By: SNobsessed
Date Posted: November-28-2009 at 9:20pm
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In Iowa they still sell straight gas, although it usually is 12 cents per gallon more. Funny, since our state is a big ethanol producer. I stopped buying E10 altogether after reading about all the problems. ------------- “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Ben Franklin |
Posted By: emccallum
Date Posted: November-28-2009 at 10:02pm
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From what I remember when I was going through the ethanol problems this summer, no stabilizer can prevent ethanol fuel from going bad and Stabil for ethanol is just double strenth regular stabil. Bottom line ethanol is bad for boats! Especially, for older engines and fuel systems.
I dont worry about the engine being able to burn it, I worry about the fuel system and tank being able to stand up. The alchohol will remove built up varnish in your system and plug it up. That is why they still have that sticker next to the filler. On NEW PCM motors you can use E10 but the warranty excludes anything more than 10%. |
Posted By: Hollywood
Date Posted: November-30-2009 at 12:54pm
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Please explain why ethanol is particularly bad for "marine" engines. ------------- |
Posted By: emccallum
Date Posted: November-30-2009 at 1:10pm
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http://www.fuel-testers.com/marine_boat_ethanol_problems.html
This site explains it better than I can type. Can someone explain to me how to create a hyperlink? 
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Posted By: Hollywood
Date Posted: November-30-2009 at 2:06pm
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Boaters tend to store fuel in their boat gas tanks much longer than automobiles.
Strictly user based. Fuel systems of cars also tend to have better seals, (EG. tightly closed gas caps). Eh, not buying it. Boat engines also are most used during the most humid (summer) months. Moisture from humid air can be absorbed into E10 fuel. This one applies to cars and autos exactly the same. Clogging of carburetor and fuel filters is now more common. Boats and autos exactly the same again. Octane drops when fuel water contaminates, which makes fuel problems even more problematic. Driveability and performance problems seem most noticeable in marine engines, motorcycles and older or classic cars. Boats and autos exactly the same again, again. So, my conclusion to E10 gasoline... run the engine (no matter what its in) often! ------------- |
Posted By: Riley
Date Posted: November-30-2009 at 2:28pm
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Hollywood, from my own personal experience, I'd say you have great potential to find out the problem 1st hand with your '89. We found out last summer with our '88. The ethanol breaks loose all the old crud and mungs up the carb. The only fix it to remove and clean the fuel tank and metal fuel lines and replace the rubber line. Then rebuild the carb. It's a big PIA. I add Star tron to every fill up on every boat now. ------------- |
Posted By: emccallum
Date Posted: November-30-2009 at 2:29pm
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Well, that is a glossing over. Our older boats fuel systems were not designed to resist the alchohol. Rubber lines, carb seals, etc. Alchohol is a strong solvent. So, if you have varnish in your old tank, lines, carb etc then the E10 is going to clean it and it has to go somewhere. Into your filter and carb. That is why stations had to have there tanks cleaned prior to switching over to E10. Some have done a better job than others. Also, ethanol is added at the distribution center, not at the refinery for a very good reason. Because it is not very stable and does not store long.
Also, cars generally have closed fuel venting sytems that resist exposure to open humid air. Boats have open vents to the atmosphere. Also, newer boats and cars have knock sensors to deal with lowered octane. Many folks here are still using older electronics and do not have knock sensors, so they would not tolerate lower octane fuel as easily. I think our boats, being similar to a car have the least effect of marine engines. The fuel injected outboards are getting the worst of it. At the very least I would run a very good water seperation filter. |
Posted By: Hollywood
Date Posted: November-30-2009 at 3:02pm
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So now the thinking is to leave the crud in the fuel system? I know to let a sleeping dog lie, but one day it will clog you up. If you've gone through the trouble of cleaning it all, I suppose the ethanol has nothing to mung up anymore.
I forgot about the tank vent, that is a concern. We're lucky enough to run 87 ok, but mostly 89 all year long. The boat really only sits 4 months max. At the last Chicago Beers copcraft said he didn't even burn a whole tank in his 1995 Ski Nautique all summer! A friend of mine only runs premium straight gas in his 1988 Ski Nautique, says it runs crappy on everything else. I bought a gallon of SeaFoam for my Camaro that has 4 year old gas in it that I'm now using with the boat gas for storage. Sta-Bil has a shelf life, which is bizarre to me. Burned 5 gallons yesterday, which really is the best medicine. ------------- |
Posted By: emccallum
Date Posted: November-30-2009 at 5:08pm
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[QUOTE=Hollywood] So now the thinking is to leave the crud in the fuel system? I know to let a sleeping dog lie, but one day it will clog you up. If you've gone through the trouble of cleaning it all, I suppose the ethanol has nothing to mung up anymore.QUOTE]
The normal varnish or buildup in a tank will not go into solution unless attacked by a solvent, like alchohol. The problem with E10 fuel is it has a high affinity for water. It soaks up water then seperates out of the fuel and creates a snot like buildup. I bet your camaro fuel was regular fuel, not ethanol, which lasts a lot longer. Store some e10 in an open glass for a few months, then see what it looks like. |
Posted By: 62 wood
Date Posted: November-30-2009 at 9:07pm
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HW,
I think the Sta-bil 2 yr shelf life is AFTER the bottle is opened. I think the "magic dust" they put in it starts to seperate/flake after that time. On a side note the E10 can really do nasty things to 2 stroke engines if not adjusted for it. Since the oil in the fuel is the only engine lubicant, adding the E10 can act like a solvent. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1117&sort=&pagenum=6" rel="nofollow - 64 American Skier 62 Classic.. 73 Ski Nautique |
Posted By: SNobsessed
Date Posted: November-30-2009 at 9:18pm
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Steve - I heard that the ethanol interferes with the 2 stroke oil wetting out.
Probabaly just another myth. Maybe we need Jamie & Adam to do some research! ------------- “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Ben Franklin |