Question about using a stabilizer?

[JD TRACTOR MAN]

I was wondering if anyone out there uses a stabilizer when storing your garden tractor/s or gas equipment away or do you just drain the gas out? Also for a 11horse power briggs motor how much stabilizer do you add to the gas tank?

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Have had good luck with StaBil, but found Star Tron to be quite a bit better.

 

[WinterDeere]

There are as many different opinions on this as there are world religions, and adherence or proof in any one of them being better than the other is a bit of religion, in itself. I'll name what I do, which has worked very well for me, but I'm sure others will have varying opinions, based on their own history, local conditions, and usage patterns. This is for machines that will be stored a season, not several years:

1. Add stabilizer to fuel, prior to your last usage of the year, so it gets mixed well in the tank and run thru the system.
2. Install fuel shutoff valve between tank and carb, if you don't already have one.
3. After last usage, close fuel valve and allow the engine to idle itself dry.
4. Drain crankcase oil while still warm, then refill with fresh oil.
5. Drain carb fuel bowl. Many machines have a cast bowl with a bleeder screw, which makes this very easy. On others with sheet metal bowls, you just need to loosen center screw enough to let it drain out there.

At beginning of next season, just top off tank with fresh fuel, open fuel valve, and you're on your way.

 

[DJ54]

I've been using Stabil 360º for 4-5 years now in all of my farm and garden tractors. I put it in my gas cans when I fill them so I know it is in there and mixed. Some of them may set for 6+ months after parking them, and never had fuel issues with any of them. Only take 1 oz.to treat 5 gallons so it goes along way. A quart bottle treats 160 gallons.

 

[RjCorazza]

I treat my gasoline beginning in the fall so that over winter storage all engines have treated fuel. I don't even drain or run dry the carburetors anymore.
The leftover (treated) fuel is used in the spring.

 

[dodge man]

I add Stabil to my stuff for long term storage. There is directions on the bottle and I follow that.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

I treat my gasoline beginning in the fall so that over winter storage all engines have treated fuel. I don't even drain or run dry the carburetors anymore.
The leftover (treated) fuel is used in the spring.

I do similar:
- Run a little treated fuel (Sta-bil) till it circulates through the carb. at about 1/3 oz / gal.
- Drain tank (save fuel for next engine seems a dozen to do every fall)
- Drain carb by taking drain plug out of carb or run engine till dry
- I also like to use fogging oil through the carb. and extra shot down the spark plug hole.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

I've been using Stabil 360º for 4-5 years now in all of my farm and garden tractors. Some of them may set for 6+ months after parking them, and never had fuel issues with any of them.

StaBil will keep gas from having the ethanol and water separating out for at least two years, I've found. But it had lost its potency at that point.

Which is why I went in search of something better and came across Star Tron. It apparently rejuvenates old gas, and after having successfully used six year old gas (kept in well sealed cans) I tend to believe it works.

 

[Peter 315]

I double dose sta-bil when I fill my gas cans and never have any trouble with the small engines or motorcycles...

 

[alexinPA]

When you guys use Sta-bil for storage in cans (not engines) do you add it before or after filling can with gas?

 

[WinterDeere]

When you guys use Sta-bil for storage in cans (not engines) do you add it before or after filling can with gas?

I like to put a little gas in the can, add any additive (Stabil or 2-stroke oil), swirl, then finish filling the can. But just as often, I'm adding Stabil later to an already-filled can, and don't sweat it much. Just note it's very hard to mix a completely-filled can by shaking or swirling, you need some air space in the can.

 

[alexinPA]

I like to put a little gas in the can, add any additive (Stabil or 2-stroke oil), swirl, then finish filling the can. But just as often, I'm adding Stabil later to an already-filled can, and don't sweat it much. Just note it's very hard to mix a completely-filled can by shaking or swirling, you need some air space in the can.

I do exectly the same, never had problem. Just wanted to hear opinions on that

 

[scootr]

When you guys use Sta-bil for storage in cans (not engines) do you add it before or after filling can with gas?

I put a little gas in the can then the oil and then fill. The reason is that filling the can from a pressure nozzle mixes the oil and gas.
Note oil will separate from the gas if it sits for 30 days so some agitation is needed to keep them mixed.

 

[4570Man]

I buy ethanol free gas which isn’t hard to get in my area and don’t add anything. I’ve gotten a lot of free equipment with screwed up or usually completely ruined carbs from people but I’ve never had a problem with ethanol free gas messing up. I’ll leave stuff sitting for the better part of a year and it always starts.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

I had ethanol free 91 octane lose its potency after two years, and it was treated with StaBil.

At this point I'm convinced that the container must be well sealed for the gas to stay good. The 200-gallon tank with the 91 was not, having the typical vented cap.

When down to about 100 gallons there was a fair amount of venting going on since air expands and contracts more than gas does.

Removed the cap and plugged the fill hole, then made a "closed" setup with an expansion chamber and a valve to allow air in as gas is being pumped out.

It hasn't been much more than a year, so it's too early to tell how well this system works, but there are no longer any noticeable gas fumes coming from it in the AM.

Since gas can stay fully usable in well sealed cans (like the old European military kind) for at least six years, I'm hoping to make this 200-gallon tank as close to those as possible.

 

[WinterDeere]

I had ethanol free 91 octane lose its potency after two years, and it was treated with StaBil.

Gas octane rating diminishes with time, on a months-scale. Something shy of 1 point per month, in most storage scenarios. I’m not sure how Stabil affects loss of octane rating, if at all, I always thought its aim was more preventing separation and varnishing.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Gas octane rating diminishes with time, on a months-scale. Something shy of 1 point per month, in most storage scenarios. I’m not sure how Stabil affects loss of octane rating, if at all, I always thought its aim was more preventing separation and varnishing.

If StaBil does anything for preserving the octane rating, it isn't much. That's why I switched to Star Tron, which seems to do a better job.

 

[WinterDeere]

What has you storing gas for two years? I usually try to rotate my cans to never have one sit more than a month or two.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

What has you storing gas for two years? I usually try to rotate my cans to never have one sit more than a month or two.

Got tired of constantly going to fill 8-12 cans, then manually fill stuff from them. Bought two 200-gallon tanks with pumps, one for gas and one for diesel. That delivered fuel is cheaper than going to get it in town doesn't hurt. And neither does my back..as much.

But after not using my main gas hog (which got about 1 mpg at the time) nearly as often, a 200-gallon tank usually lasts over two years now when feeding four other vehicles that gets a lot better mileage.

 

[Smokeydog]

After a year gas smelling like varnish using Stabil in my welder/generator. Switched to Pri-G over 10 years ago without any problems for all gas engines.