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Winterization fuel question

Once they had found out what the problem was ,one of things the service dept did was drain the tank .

That was a sample of what they took out after letting it settle .

They brought it into the show room for a show & tell .

I also shook the jar it did not take long to separate again .
 
A lot of different ideas that all make sense ! So what is the deal with the Ethanol ? Better not to use it ? Or just not to store with it in the tank?
 
Avoid if at all possible ,marine applications  do not like it 
 
A lot of helpful and good information out there. So what is the deal with the ethanol fuel ? Don't run it at all or just don't store your boat with ethanol in the tank?

Jeff
 
w33.
 
StevL said:
Wow, my dealer told me specifically to add SeaFoam run the boat over to them (they are on my lake) and they will clean the logs take care of the battery and store it till spring. After running Seafoam they told me they wouldn't even fog it. I have my oil and drive lub changed in the spring when ready to bring her home.

Go figure...

Steve
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I used it for a few months after a fleet mechanic told me about it but the dealer had pictures up with warnings back by the service dept. I was told it really works to well and tends to gum things up that are pulled from the lines and the tank. I have never heard anything but good about stabil so I guess I will stick with it until something better comes along.
 
Calamus,

Good to know, I'll ask my dealer and I may change to Stabil next year.

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Ethanol isn't good for many gasoline engines. It really isn't the engine (they could be tuned for it) it's the fuel system, rubber parts to be exact. I have had to replace many rubber parts in my model gas planes fuel systems over the past 5 years. Carbs rebuild at least every other year, now I use ethanol free in my gas models and no more rubber problems!

If I could find the rubber carburetor parts made of "Viton" then it would be a non issue.

Steve
 
Typically "newer" stuff is made with rubber made for use with ethanol. You shouldn't have an issue if you treat your gas properly. Boats are especially prone as they are not driven alot like cars so the fuel just sits there, and on the water at that. Once phase seperation starts, you can't change it. That's why it's important to treat it ALL the time. Older rubber turms to goo, and carbs clog up. I got good at taking my carbs off the jet boat, tear em down, clean em, and back on ready to go. This was almost a monthly thing.
 
A lot of pwc's used a grey fuel line that would get a green goo build up and block jets etc. Smitty, check to see if you have these and replace.
 
Having had to buy a new carburetor for a year old generator I bought brand new, I talked with techs from several different shops and they all said the exact same thing, ethanol free premium fuel only......no exceptions and stay away from ALL so called fuel stabilizers be it stabil or sea foam ect, all the studies they have done personally and seen show that gas actually deteriorates the same with it and in some cases even worse with the additives and to steer clear from them.

Non premium and ethanol only have a shelf life of 30-60 days max, premium has a 12 month shelf life.

They claim the best fuel stabilizer is to add Aviation Gas to the tank, all government and municipalities have done this for years and have excellent luck with it.  I can't remember the mix amount though, something like a quart of av-gas per 5 gallons of regular gas.

For what its worth I thought I would throw it out there. 
 
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I had used the red Stabil for years in every gas engine owned. This year with a new Benny and Yamaha, my dealer said DO NOT use red stabil because it seperates in the fuel. He said use Staron or green marine Stabil. So it looks like there is a lot of different opinions out there. I fill my tank with fresh gas and and extra big dose of Staron making sure I run the engine at least ten minutes to get it through the system. This is my first 4 stroke outboard so hope it works out.
 
Marine Stabil for 4 years on pontoons, no issues.

No Stabil in mower, tiller and pressure washer in garage, starts on 2-3 pulls....... After sitting 6 months .... ?? Better start using some Stabil before I jinx myself .....
 
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Personally from my experience with the dozen or so small engine I have around is that the larger the amount of gas stored the smaller the chance of it going bad in 6 - 8 months of non use, the smaller tanks go bad faster but with all the new blends of gas the last couple of years I had been running ethanol almost exclusively in everything with not a single issue at all in anything but all of a sudden the last year has been a real pain in several of my small engine with stale gas and gummed up floats ect. I have since switched every single small engine over to premium and will stay that way now.  I noticed that everything seems to run better now as well. I also started to use the red stabil last year in everything as well, needless to say it didn't do me any favors.

Also one needs to turn off the fuel valves if the small engine has one and then drain the float bowl as well. or just run it out of fuel. This is for carbureted small engines not talking marine engines in particular that are fuel Injected.
 
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So say a guy has ethanol in his tank, is there an additive to throw in the fuel for the winter storage? Yes I screwed up and put in the mid grade and not the premium.
 
Both Startron and the green Stabil are marketed as ethanol treatments. I see Lucas also has one. I have always used Startron but have had good luck with Lucas products in the past.
 
The debatable debate.

Use whatever you believe in because nobody will convince you differently without an actual controlled test. Everyone has to believe in something.

I trust Seafoam and Lucas injector cleaner / fuel conditioner. Proven results.
 
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