Hey I found something of interest. The marine formula sta-bil is cheaper than the regular formula sta-bil. It also treats more fuel. 1 ounce to 10 gallons compared to one ounce to two and a half gallons with the regular formula. I run sta-bil year round and at this price and treatment level it beats seafoam and regular sta-bil. I used to farm and had about a dozen engines on things like atvs and compressors. A mechanic friend of mine convinced me to start treating the fuel on this equipment that would sit a while between uses. It made a big difference. Especially on the atvs. Ran way better. I use it on my boat and garden equipment fuel because it really sucks when it doesn't run right or run at all because of sour gas. [url "http://www.goldeagle.com/sta-bil/stabil_marine.htm"]http://www.goldeagle.com/sta-bil/stabil_marine.htm[/url]
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That is great news -- thanks for posting. I will hit Boater's World right away and purchase some.
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Is that what you use also Kent or are you just going for the good deal?
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I have mostly been using Sea Foam; however, because it is so expensive I don't use it every time I put gas in the boat. As a result, right now I have to pump the gas that is in the lines out before firing up my outboards, because last fall I added Sea Foam to the tank of fuel and never ran the outboards again to get it in the fuel lines. I would like to use something less expensive (I will have to confirm that it is in fact less expensive) and put it in every tank of fuel.
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[indent]I've always used seafoam, but since I got a boat last fall the price to treat 25 gallons at a time has soared using seafoam. I've been contemplating changing to Sta-bil in the boat at least. I think I will still use sea foam in the winter and in my yard equipment and ATV. I also treat all gas that I don't know for sure will be used in a month or less. It is just easier to mix it into my can than to worry about it if I don't get something out for a bit.
On another note, does any one know where to get gallons of sea foam. The auto parts store in Kamas carries it, but since I don't work up there anymore, I don't really want to drive that far to get some.
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Are you no longer maintaining golf courses for the rich and famous?
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Some of the Parts plus stores carries it, one of the guys on the site said he got it at a PP store in the SLC area. I went to one in Ogden and they said they could get it but the price would be the same as buying it in the pint size, I think around $54 a gallon but that was before the last increase in price. WH2
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No more kissing the butts of millionaires for me. I now sell equipment to golf courses and parks departments.
No more commute, no more working weekends all summer. Heck I had so much extra time and gas money on my hands I bought a boat and that pretty much took up all of that.
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If I may ask, how long does it take for the fuel to go bad ?
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I don't have a good answer for you, but I have had it go bad in my fuel lines over the winter. Had the same problem with lawn mowers (before I learned to either stabilize or drain the fuel before winter).
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Have not had any problems, do not want any fuel system problems thats why I asked. Thanks I need to research it.
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In the right conditions fuel can go bad in 1 month. That is on the severe end, but those are the peramiters that I use. Any fuel that I'm not 100% sure is going to get used in one month I stabilize. I generally stabilize right in my gas cans, that way I know it is good. The only things I mix in the tank is my 4 wheeler and my boat, those are the only ones I fuel at the station.
Another key in the winter time is if you are not going to drain a fuel system ENTIRELY, then stabilize and keep the tank as full as possible. The more air space you have in the tank, the more air their is to condense and condensate when them temps drop and add water to your fuel. My system is small items like gas weed eaters and ice auger that are easy to drain I run the fuel from completely. Larger items like mowers and 4 wheelers I top off the tank, stabilize and if it has a fuel cut off valve I close the valve and run the fuel out of the carburator. This keeps my carb dry and residue out of the tiny orifices in the jets, no air space in tank to condense water, and stabilized fuel that is ready to go in the spring. All I have to do is turn the valve on and go. Since I've stared using Seafoam religeously I haven't pulled a single carb off to work on.
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One of the things that reelfast and I talked about in a PM was the difference between Seafoam and Sta-bil. It depends on how long the gas sits of course but what I found out is that Sta-bil will gum up in the container if it sits to long, Sea Foam will not. As long as the Sta-bil is used quickly and not allowed to sit for months it will keep your carb and jets clean and is much cheaper. Dan said they both have the same ingredients but the Sea Foam is stronger because it has more alcohol and because of that it does not gum up. At $8 for a 16 oz can SF is getting a little pricie but my boat sits for months at a time so I will continue to use it unless I start using my boat more. Dan usually takes his boat out weekly so he said he would be using Sta-bil because he runs the gas through a lot quicker. It makes sense to me, we all have our own reasons for using the product we use. WH2
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Thanks, I looked it up we no direct answers to shelf life of gas. I have never had a problem, that doesn't mean I won't. I will start using it as I have fuel injection and that could be a pricie fix.
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Thanks for the good tip. I run Sta Bil ineverything, but did'nt know they had marine grade stuff...[crazy]
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The Marine grade Stabil is formulated especially for gas with ethanol in it. It has a different formula and was developed for the purpose of solving problems associated with the ethanol.
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I've used StaBil for about 15 years now. I don't use it year round as I've found that my stuff doesn't run as good with it in there all the time, plus the exhaust stinks. However, it can't be beat for protection from gas going bad, etc. At the end of the summer, I put in in all my garden equipment (lawn mower, tiller, edger, weedwacker) and boat (the I/O) and run it through the last couple uses before putting them away for winter, and I leave the StaBil treated gas IN THEM (don't drain it...the gaskets will dry out) over the winter. The next spring, other than the exhaust stinking, they run fine. Same with with I/O boat, but that first trip out each spring I've noticed it doesn't run as good till all the StaBil treated gas is run out. Since my small outboards get used pretty much year round...I never treat them, but if they were going to sit for more than 3 months or so, I would.
Also, the old leaded gas would go bad a lot sooner than the modern unleaded gas we have nowadays.
Since I like to stick with things that I know work, I will likely keep buying the non-marine formula of Sta-Bil, and will use when putting my equipment away for more than 3 months at a time.
I also use Seafoam, and I like it, but I use it more for a de-carbonizer/tune-up in a can. I usually run that stuff through each of my motors at least once a year...except for the diesel, which gets Stanadyne performance additive every tank.
On my fuel injected cars (all but the old jeep) I run generic fuel injection cleaner thru them about every 2nd or 3rd tank. Take if from a mechanic...used regularly, that stuff works. And it really doesn't matter what brand. Just use it.
Hmmm....I just realized I was rambling.
I think gas/fuel should come with all the additives built in.
Randy
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