Oil & Fuel Stabil in gas mix

[Oldstuff]

I have a 1963 Ford 2000 tractor with a gas engine that I use once every 6 to 8 weeks and when I do use it I put anywhere from 2 to 4 hours on it. In between the times I use it I leave the tank full of gas and the gas has had Stabil added. Up until yesterday I have had no trouble starting it and it always runs just fine. Yesterday it would not start, checked and I had spark so I took the gas line off the card and gas was coming from the tank just fine and it also smelled like good gas. I took the carb off and lifted the top off to look into the float bowl area and there was no gas, the float was hanging down but the needle valve was up in the shutoff position. I very gently touched the needle valve with a screwdriver and it dropped down. So I took off the float and looked into the seat area where the needle seat is and all looked well and clean. Blew it out and put it together and it runs as usual. As easy as the needle valve dropped down I am assuming I could have probably tapped on the side of the carb without removing it and it may have dropped down and it would have filled the bowl with gas and would have started.
I am thinking about using more Stabil in my gas mix since I am assuming maybe the gas was beginning to deteriorate? What do you think. Will also start to add fuel injector/carb cleaner in my mix, is this a good idea?

Thanks for the help- Oldstuff

[bigdad]

I just talked to a vender last week that does all of our small engine and chain saw service about this very subject. I had heard that Stabil wasn't that great and that the Briggs and Stratton equivilant was better. Yeah yeah.......

The Gent that I talked to said that extreme heat is the biggest villan as far as fuel decay and that all of the additives in fuel now doesn't hold up very well to heat.

I have also heard that the alcohol in some gas is hard on plastics and diaphrams. I have heard that high octane 93 octane gas is the best for power tools.

This has really become a problem especially in the surge of emergency generator ownership. I am anxious to hear what others have to say.......

[clemsonfor]

Maybe a half dose of seafoam as well. As long as you use the label rate on stabil your fine. If i have a carb that i know is getting fuel pumped to it or flowing to it i will always wack it with a screwdriver handle. This is kind of common and an old mechanics trick it just gets stuck that rubber needle in the seat. Not a problem just cause it wasent used in a while. Just remebler the trick. If that dosent work a shot of (lower pressure of course) compressed air will also dislodge that needle if it is going to go.

-Nate

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Best for long term storage is avgas. Yep, sneak out to a rural airport and get you some...Fair warning, You're own your own tho, as I don't believe most airports sell to a customer with a can. Probably cuz they don't have road taxes on it.

It just doesn't varnish like the crap we burn in our cars.

[bp fick]

Biggest problems we have seen with "older" gas or stored gas in the last few years is that gas simply isn't formulated the way it was in the past. Boutique blends for specific EPA designated zones, methanol pushed for questionable reasons and so forth. There aren't great answers anymore, only "the best we can do" answers.

[whistlepig]

Stabil has a shelf life too. If you are not completely emptying your tank before the shelf life of the Stabil and the gas expires I could see where the left over stuff could cause problems.

[Deadman]

Best answer is leave only a small amount of old gas in it. Bring a gas can full of fresh fuel when you go to mow. Only dump in what you need for gas. then dump the extra fresh gas in your car, so it gets burned before it rots. I doubt gas is any good after a month, the new stuff is just garbage.

[Oldstuff]

Deadman and others that have replied, I really appreciate your ideas. I have been leaving the tank full of gas and Stabil mix as I have always understood that is the best way to prevent the tank from internal rusting- is this accurate or not? I did run out and get some Seafoam since my last post but it will be late August before I am going to be at the tractor since it is 160 miles from my home.

Oldstuff

[CurlyDave]

I use a double dose of Stabil and it has always worked for me. Always use premium fuel in my small engines. After about a year of storage, I put the gas with a double dose of Stabil in my truck and start again.

[clemsonfor]

Can you cut the fuel off to the carb and run it dry before storage? This will help keep any of the gaskets from breaking down from the ethonol, but if you have an old cork or something else float it may have ill effects. A plastic of composit one will not matter. I would keep the tank full of fuel to keep condensation down wich will put water in the fuel as well as rust metal tanks. The ethonol in fuel will suspend the water in the fuel for burnoff the problem is that this lowers the octane and helps lead to the fuel breakdown which can cause lowoctane situations on the older fuel with cause preignition or detination and hot temps and blown pistons and heads etc. I would get the ethonol Stabil (blue color) if you have to get the ethonol fuel in your area. In my area i can seek out certain stations with all pure gas and some that have pure gas in just the premium grade. Basically my long wordy explination means i can still buy 100% oil based petrolium fuel in the 93 octane at a few stations around here. It may not be as good as time gas based on new additives etc, but still pure gas.

-NAte