Fuel additives

[IrTxRx]

Ok, hindsight is 20/20. 18 months ago I purchsed a 7-12kW portable gasoline fueled generator to power the house when the powere goes out. I have 4 6-gal cans of gas that I rotate through generator/lawn tractor/lawn mowers/chainsaws/whatever. I've filled up my gas cans with "staybil" fuel stabilizer to keep the fuel from varnishing "for up to 12 months."

Problem - my small engine mechanic says nothing prevents varnishing.

Self - should've bought propane backup generator...stupid, stupid, stupid.

Question - are there fuel stabilizers which will prevent engine trouble???

Thanks to the collective TBN brain

 

[KubotaBling]

i think he's mistaken.. u can't prevent carbonization in the engine.. but varnish sta-bil i'll keep ur feel from seperating into it's lower componets..

 

[Egon]

Ahh - your doing okay ehhh. Lotas good tales out there.

Egon

 

[zuiko]

I think you will be fine for a while longer than a year. Maybe not forever but a few years anyway. If you are rotating through it you should use it up in that time anyway.

 

[mahlers]

Most fuels will keep for at least a year on their own, and when you add something like Sta-Bil, you should be OK for at least a couple of years. Modern gasoline won't deteriorate as much as gasolines of yesterday. Here's a link to some information from Chevron:

Long term gasoline storage

 

[IrTxRx]

Dear all

thanks for the info, my rotation system will work then.
my fuel sits MAX 6 month through the minter when not using the lawn engines

 

[Bird]

The one thing I don't see mentioned in this thread so far is how often you run that generator. You need to run it at least long enough to get up to normal operating temperature and under a load at least once a month (once a week is even better). And while gasoline does last quite awhile and Stabil will help, if you leave it sitting long enough that gasoline in the carburetor evaporates, you'll likely have some problems before long.

 

[KiotiJohn]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The one thing I don't see mentioned in this thread so far is how often you run that generator. )</font>
Bird is right, not exercising the generator is the worst thing you can do to it. I try to exercise my RV generator at least once a week, and not longer than every other week. It has more to do with the generating portion than the engine side. As for small gas equipment, it's always best to run all the gas out of the carb if you're not going to use it again within a short period. I put cut off valves on most of my equipment to make it easier to run out what's in the carb. From all I've every read and seen, Stabil works just fine. John

 

[MadDog]

Does anyone know of any source for comparative data on the various diesel fuel additives?

Some time ago, I did some research on gasoline additives. Test data was available that showed significant differences in effectiveness and, as a result, I use PRI, which scored significantly better than Sta-Bil.

For diesel, the principal alternatives appear to be Stanadyne and Power Service, but PRI also makes a diesel additive. I ran several Site searches and they have only turned up anecdotal information which, while better than nothing, is less useful than test data. If no one knows of anything, I think that I will send emails to the major mfrs and see what kind of response I get.

 

[mhalla]

<font color="green">While we are talking about fuel additives where do you folks find Stanadyne in stores? All I ever see on the shelf anywhere here in the Bloomington/Bedford area of Indiana is Power Service.

The following URL takes you to a site with pictures inside fuel system componets that compare using straight fuel and fuel mixed with Stanadyne.

http://www.dieselpage.com/addtest.htm

Mike</font>