What is your experience with Stabil?

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Steven I bought a brand new stilh weed eater used can premix and carb messed up before the summer.

Ahh. Not all canned stuff is equal. That is, saying something else didn't go wrong w your tool beyond a fuel mix.
True Fuel was awful but I think they changed their formula recently so the stuff seems better. Their 40 to 1 mix is preferable if you're gonna use this brand.
VP stuff is pretty good.
Stihls 2 cycle mix seems a bit too oily to my liking.
Echo's stuff I think is good.
That's the only brands we sell and I have had experience with so there probably are other mixes that are worthy.

Seeing we sell Stihl equipment, I will say they (In general), run too lean from the factory. We adjust this before the customer picks it up.
Don't know what went wrong with yours but I would not leave any canned fuel within the tool after use if its gonna sit for awhile, no matter what they say about their product.

 

[mjonesnh]

Have used the blue marine stabil with good results, red stabil not as good for me. Use Star Tron and a splash of Seafoam now year round. Never a problem with this combo mix, even for gas that has been in tank for several months to a year

 

[WinterDeere]

Don't know what went wrong with yours but I would not leave any canned fuel within the tool after use if its gonna sit for awhile, no matter what they say about their product.

I'd be interested to know your thoughts on 2-stroke storage. I use my chainsaws pretty consistently during fall/winter/spring, but they sit mostly unused all summer. Each spring, I dump all remaining fuel out of their tanks, fire them up, and run them dry.

Everyone from mechanics to amateurs to my own saw shop tells me this is bad practice, because I'm running the saw lean as it consumes the last drops of fuel. They say I'd do better to refill the tank with canned fuel before storage, and running that through the machine, leaving it fueled rather than dry.

Sure, maybe that is better, in theory, but I've never done it and I've never had a problem. Also, you seem to be saying that may not be the best practice, after all.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Posting this here because this is where the ad popped up after reading WinterDeere's post.

"Kia's for sale" it said. Not Kias, but Kia's. You'd think someone responsible for placing even irritating ads would have a better command of the English language.

Okay, immigrant's rant over, back to the subject.

 

[arrow]

I'd be interested to know your thoughts on 2-stroke storage. I use my chainsaws pretty consistently during fall/winter/spring, but they sit mostly unused all summer. Each spring, I dump all remaining fuel out of their tanks, fire them up, and run them dry.

Everyone from mechanics to amateurs to my own saw shop tells me this is bad practice, because I'm running the saw lean as it consumes the last drops of fuel. They say I'd do better to refill the tank with canned fuel before storage, and running that through the machine, leaving it fueled rather than dry.

Sure, maybe that is better, in theory, but I've never done it and I've never had a problem. Also, you seem to be saying that may not be the best practice, after all.

You raise a good point Winter.
That increase in engine speed as tool empties fuel is indeed a lean condition but it is so short, it doesn’t do much damage if any and the reason for that is because the oil film on moving parts protects internal components for the short lean duration.
I have always emptied my tanks and drained fuel bowls for long term storage. I have never had a problem doing this.
One of our techs does the opposite. He fills his tanks with VP brand canned fuel, runs the machine for about 20 seconds and shuts it down. He also claims no problems. I did that once with a canned two cycle mix and had a problem. If one likes to do this, I trust a mix of no ethanol fuel that you mix with your own 2 cycle oil that either has a stabilizer or you add one, over the canned 2 cycle mix for long term storage.

 

[WinterDeere]

Thanks, arrow! Sounds like I'm good to keep running 'em dry, it has certainly worked well enough for me, so far.

I empty the bowls on my generator and walk-behind leaf blower carburetors, Honda and Subaru, respectively. Easy enough with a drain screw on each, and a shot glass or old yogurt cup in-hand. I even occasionally do it on the walk-behind mower and pressure washer, but those have those crappy stamped steel bowls that can only be drained by loosening the center mounting screw. I hate those.

I've never even looked at how to do that on any 2-stroke handheld OPE. Is it easy enough, or not worth the trouble?

 

[arrow]

I'd be interested to know your thoughts on 2-stroke storage. I use my chainsaws pretty consistently during fall/winter/spring, but they sit mostly unused all summer. Each spring, I dump all remaining fuel out of their tanks, fire them up, and run them dry.

Everyone from mechanics to amateurs to my own saw shop tells me this is bad practice, because I'm running the saw lean as it consumes the last drops of fuel. They say I'd do better to refill the tank with canned fuel before storage, and running that through the machine, leaving it fueled rather than dry.

Sure, maybe that is better, in theory, but I've never done it and I've never had a problem. Also, you seem to be saying that may not be the best practice, after all.

You raise a good point Winter.
That increase in engine speed as tool empties fuel is indeed a lean condition but it is so short, it doesn’t do much damage if any and the reason for that is because the oil film on moving parts protects internal components for the short lean duration.
I have always emptied my tanks and drained fuel bowls for long term storage. I have never had a problem doing this.
One of our techs does the opposite. He fills his tanks with VP brand canned fuel, runs the machine for about 20 seconds and shuts it down

Thanks, arrow! Sounds like I'm good to keep running 'em dry, it has certainly worked well enough for me, so far.

I empty the bowls on my generator and walk-behind leaf blower carburetors, Honda and Subaru, respectively. Easy enough with a drain screw on each, and a shot glass or old yogurt cup in-hand. I even occasionally do it on the walk-behind mower and pressure washer, but those have those crappy stamped steel bowls that can only be drained by loosening the center mounting screw. I hate those.

I've never even looked at how to do that on any 2-stroke handheld OPE. Is it easy enough, or not worth the

Thanks, arrow! Sounds like I'm good to keep running 'em dry, it has certainly worked well enough for me, so far.

I empty the bowls on my generator and walk-behind leaf blower carburetors, Honda and Subaru, respectively. Easy enough with a drain screw on each, and a shot glass or old yogurt cup in-hand. I even occasionally do it on the walk-behind mower and pressure washer, but those have those crappy stamped steel bowls that can only be drained by loosening the center mounting screw. I hate those.

I've never even looked at how to do that on any 2-stroke handheld OPE. Is it easy enough, or not worth the trouble?

There are larger 2 cycle engines you can drain such as motorbikes and generators. The smaller carbs such on a chainsaw or weed wacker, don’t need draining as mostly all of the fuel is sucked out of the carb when getting empty. Also, to get any residual fuel out of a float chamber on a small 2 cycle carb is not worth it.
You can also use your last fill with 2 cycle mix that has no ethanol.

 

[Williy]

I have never used it and will not waste my money on the stuff.
I have a 5 gal gas can on the back porch its in the open just a
roof and Its been like about 17 or 18 months and I just filled the
weed eater and works fine.

willy

 

[arto98607]

Do you store with a full tank?

I’m always like “if I store with a full tank, there’s no room for condensation” Or so they say.
There’s the store with tank full crowd and store with every last drop removed crowd.

I have not really paid too much attention to whether the tank full or not, but I run the carburetor empty on engines where it's easy to do so.

Here is a prime example, my 1976 TroyBilt Horse which almost always starts on the first pull after sitting 6 months or months in the barn.

PS. The gas tank has a fuel shutoff valve.

 

[oldballs]

I've got a 45 YO Sears front tine walk behind tiller. It has a 8 HP BS engine with the gas shut off above the glass bowl. I use it less and less as I get older...........But.......when I do use it I just drain residual gasoline, remove and clean the glass bowl, add fresh gas.......and .... it starts right up year after year......even though it is stored outdoors with a big wash tub hainging upside down over the engine. I've been using ethanol free gasoline with red Stabil for years.

Cheers.
Mike