What stabilizer is in your garage?

10 years ago

The reason I ask is because I'm planning to not buy another bottle of red stabil after my current bottle is gone. Really have only had one problem I think is related to that product though. Ill omit my 2 stroke stuff as the oil in that mix stabilizes that fuel.

The problem has been with my Honda mowers (past/present HRT216TDA/HRX217HXA). On the older Honda I religiously filled the gas tank after each mow (less air in the tank means less O2 for the ethanol to react with) and still had some surging issues. Now with the current one I do the same plus close the fuel shutoff and run the carb dry (atleast that's what's supposed to happen) at the finish of every cutting. Still, I get a bit of surging and I put a brand new carb on it last season (it was completely void of any fuel over the winter too).

I know Honda carbs have had poor reliability lately but given the efforts I employ to curb this its hard for me to single out the carb or the stabil.

I have always used Seafoam as a carb soak/fuel additive and recently found out it is also widely used as a stabilizer. I just want the best for my equipment/less hassle for me!

So what are you using and for how long?

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Comments (9)

bill_kapaun
10 years ago
I started using Stabil back when it became popular. Can't really remember how long ago that was?
I bought my Honda back in 1990.
I use the same storage method you do, but never run the carb dry.
IMO, there's always a small amount of fuel left in the bowl that will dry up, leaving some amount of crud.
One thing I do differently is put in a strong dose or carb cleaner (probably 10X) in the fuel on (usually the 2nd mow after Winter storage). The tank will be nearly empty after a mow, so after the first mow I don't top off the fuel.
2nd mow, I'll add the carb cleaner and about 1/2-2/3 of a tank.
I run that dry during the 2nd mow and then top off as usual.
I've never had the carb off. No need to have done so.
I DON'T want to store the mower with the strong dose of CC
Basically a new spark plug, air cleaner and blade about every 5? years. (Oil change and a little more duct tape on the bottom of the bag each year)
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1saxman
10 years ago
For Ethanol-laced fuels, I use the blue super-concentrated Sta-Bil at 1 oz/10 gal. I put it in the 2-gal gas can (about 1/2 oz - a little too much doesn't matter) when I go to the gas station along with about 2 oz of Marvel Mystery Oil. I don't do anything special with the fuel when putting the mower away except close the fuel valve if so-equipped. The same holds for the last run in the fall. They always start right up in the spring and always run fine.
The only thing I've ever heard about the old red Sta-Bil is that it could leave red flakes in the fuel system. They now have a re-formatted red for Ethanol fuels but I haven't tried it since I've had good results with the blue, and I like using less product with the super-concentrate.
I do the same thing for my 2-cycle mix except maybe a little more MMO in addition to the regular mix oil. All engines love MMO, and you can take 4 oz of fuel, add 4 oz of MMO and have a great fogging mix for storage. Always use only 2-cycle mix for this in 2-cycles, never just the MMO and straight gas, although I have no doubt it would be fine if you did. No sense in taking any chances though.
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Most if not all the better 2 stroke oils say they have stabolizer in them but I have always questioned just how much. I have found rotten 2 stroke mixes in too many engines to believe they have enough to be good for anything more then a month or 2 longer then using nothing. Think about it, a 50/1 oil mix is about 2.5 ozs of oil to a gallon of fuel. If memory is correct Stabil says to put 1 oz to a gallon of fuel. If 2 stroke oils had 1 oz of stabolizer in them that would leave only 1.5 ozs of oil. Way to lean on oil to be effective. They simply cannot have enough stabolizer in them to provide long term protection. I realize the 2 stroke oil companies may be using a stabolizer which is far more concentrated, thus requiring less but do we really know? I just go back to my experience with the number of times finding rotten old fuel in 2 stroke equipment where I know the owner was using one of the better oils that claim to have stabolizer in them. They cannot be using enough to say the user shouldn't add some him/herself. It relatively cheap insurance to add your own. Just keep in mind to take advantage of any stabolizer that it has to be added at time of fuel purchase. It is not a revitalizer that can be added after the fuel has gone bad.
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Brandon Smith
Original Author
10 years ago
Good posts gents, it's interesting to hear other folks "magic mixtures".

One of the main things that chaps my bobo concerning Stabil is this. If the red is capable of keeping out machines happy why the need for the ethanol specific formulation?
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Brandon Smith
Original Author
10 years ago
Good posts gents, it's interesting to hear other folks "magic mixtures".

One of the main things that chaps my bobo concerning Stabil is this. If the red is capable of keeping out machines happy why the need for the ethanol specific formulation?
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slls
10 years ago
Never use stabilizer, don't see any need for it. weed wacker,
lawn mower, chain saw, snow blower, ATV
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rager_w
10 years ago
Last night Clark Howard did an expose on the news here in ATL. Had some experts talking about this very subject and how bad 10% ethanol was for power equipment. http://www.clarkhoward.com/videos/clark-howard/environment-energy/upcoming-changes-to-ethanol-will-damage-engines/vxLp8/

I use TruFuel 50:1 in my 2-strokes and StarTron in the 4 strokers.
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Brandon Smith
Original Author
10 years ago
Tried the link you posted rager w, but it was not successful. It went to his site but not that specific segment.

Here is a link to an article I found that really explains what ethanol in gasoline really is all about and the myriad troubles it creates.

It's long but very much worth the time.

http://www.lcbamarketing.com/phase_separation_in_ethanol_blen.htm

Still trying to find a cited example of how much water gets into a given amount if e15 (what ALL the pumps in STL flow) after a specified amount of time. Ill find it!
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shaggnasty
10 years ago
I use the blue Sta-bil with a splash of MMO as well. But I don't know if the stabilizer has anything to do with the surging on the HRX...I thinks it's just the nature of the beast. Mine does it as well at part throttle, but runs like a scalded dog at WOT.
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Brandon Smith
Original Author
10 years ago
The HRX doesn't "hunt" like some of the videos online. I correct it with running Seafoam in a tank of fuel as soon as I notice anything that deviates from smooth in ideling or at full throttle. About half way through the spiked tank it runs smooth as butter.

The above happens even with red stabil mixed correctly in my 2.5g fuel can.
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What stabilizer is in your garage?

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What stabilizer is in your garage?

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bill_kapaun

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