Non Ethanol vs Ethanol w/Stabil

[woodlandfarms]

Generally I buy Non Eth for all my small engines. Problem is that non eth is a half hour away and we are having big windstorm issues and am running the generator more than normal.

What I am getting at is this, wanted to run into town and buy some Ethanol but throw in some Stabil in case I don't use it all up. Thoughts? I tend to hold non ethanol for about 6 months max (usually 2 or 3 months before my 20 gallons are gone) with no issue. Wondering if Stabil in an ethanol product will give me the same results. I have had Ethanol gas seem more problmatic after only a few months of storage.

 

[davesl708]

StaBil has a product for ethanol gas. The other issue is the effects of alcohol on the components of your engine.

 

[woodlandfarms]

Correct. I guess my question should have been twofold. Question 2, scenario will I have damage to my carbs like I did when I used ethanol without Stabil?

 

[Ford850]

I've only had ethanol blended fuel (E10) readily available here for many years, so I haven't had a choice. I treat it with regular Stabil every time, and store it longer than I should probably, but not 6 months. What I usually do is top off my old Ford tractor if I haven't used it all within 2 or 3 months. Then I start with fresh again.
I use that E10 gas in my Ford tractor, a lawn mower that doesn't get used often, wood splitter, BCS 2 wheel, and my 18 year old JD rider mower that I sold recently. I've never had a fuel issue with any of them.

 

[davesl708]

I had three weedeaters and one push mower that had ethanol run in them. All three were given to me because they would not run anymore. The fuel lines and primer bulbs were hardened and brittle. The carbs were in bad shape.

Cleaned and rebuilt they run fine. My own I never use ethanol and my push mower is 18 years old and still starts with one prime and one pull.

 

[s219]

My opinion is that no additive can eliminate the bad aspects of ethanol. When I have to run ethanol gas in two strokes, I don't keep it around more than about 6 weeks.

 

[KennyG]

Everyone here seems to be really conservative, but I have no source of non-ethanol fuel. I haven't seen any problems with stabilized fuel, 2 stroke or 4 stroke, for 6 months or more.

 

[Bird]

Everyone here seems to be really conservative, but I have no source of non-ethanol fuel. I haven't seen any problems with stabilized fuel, 2 stroke or 4 stroke, for 6 months or more.

I have NEVER had a problem that could be attributed to ethanol, but I do use the old original Stabil in my small engine gas every time; a double dose when it might stay 6 months or more as it sometimes does in my Mantis tiller. Of course, that Mantis tiller was a reconditioned one and I've only had it about eight and a half years. The Stihl string trimmer is more than ten and a half years old. Those are both 2 stroke. The Toro ZTR with a Kohler engine is a 4 stroke but barely over 5 years old. The only thing I've replaced on it, so far, is the battery.

 

[Clipse3GT]

I've been using Stabil Protection, now known as Stabil 360 Performance. For the past 3 years or so in all of my small engines, not one system issue, perform regular maintenance yearly on all of them without one issue with the fuel system on my Stihl BR600 blower, Husqvarna string trimmer, Mantis Tiller, Stihl MS 290 chainsaw, or Husqvarna lawn tractor. Everything runs as it should even if the gas sittings around for longer than 6 weeks.

 

[Ford850]

I'm no proponent of ethanol fuel, but I think it is a scapegoat many times. Just reading on this site, you'll see it blamed for gelling, varnish, hardening of rubber, softening of rubber, gumming up lines, etc. From factual studies I have read, it can cause softening of rubber parts, and due to it collecting and holding water it can cause rusting. All those other things can be caused by any stale gasoline, which does not last as long as it used to due to many other modern additives and EPA mandates. In my opinion, Ethanol gets blamed for everything that can't be blamed on George Bush.