Does Ethanol Free Gas Need Stabil?

[Ciao]

My Boxster has about a half tank of Ethanol Free Gas for Winter storage.

Should I add fuel stabilizer during storage? Or, should the Ethanol Free gas by itself do what Stabil fuel is intended to do when 10% Ethanol gas is used?

[BrianStam]

Yes any automotive gasoline will degrade with time. Very good idea to add the Stabil.

Brian

[Dave S.]

I've been storing multiple vehicles for the winter for 40 years and have never once used fuel stabilizer. I have never had a problem, ethanol or no ethanol. I do always fill the tank completely up to help ensure no water condenses in the tank over the winter however.

[Ciao]

Originally Posted by BrianStam

Yes any automotive gasoline will degrade with time. Very good idea to add the Stabil.

Brian

"Better Safe than Sorry"

Thanks

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by Dave S.

I've been storing multiple vehicles for the winter for 40 years and have never once used fuel stabilizer. I have never had a problem, ethanol or no ethanol. I do always fill the tank completely up to help ensure no water condenses in the tank over the winter however.

You just might be surprised at how many cars get flat bedded to the shop every spring when they won't start or only run poorly due to fuel related issues. By comparison, StaBil is cheap compared to what it costs to disassemble and clean out a fuel system with bad gas in it.

[mikefocke]

I had always used Stabil in my cars and small engines but my small car mechanic advised me that it deteriorates over time and clogs things. He advises against it and does a great spring business cleaning engines and carburetors that had used it.

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by mikefocke

I had always used Stabil in my cars and small engines but my small car mechanic advised me that it deteriorates over time and clogs things. He advises against it and does a great spring business cleaning engines and carburetors that had used it.

Mike, we have used it for years in everything from chain saws and mowers to Ferraris, and have never once had any problems with fuel break down or any type of clogging, etc.. In fact, yours is the first comment I have seen saying it caused any type of problems.

[Ciao]

Originally Posted by mikefocke

I had always used Stabil in my cars and small engines but my small car mechanic advised me that it deteriorates over time and clogs things. He advises against it and does a great spring business cleaning engines and carburetors that had used it.

I've used Stabil on all my lawn equipment for years and in the Spring all equipment fires up on first try. This is the first time I'm applying Stabil on my Porche

[dghii]

Waverunners!!!
Ours sit in a garage from Oct-Apr every year. When we fire them up in the spring, they run like I'd just filled up. We use ethanol free fuel and marine stabil.

I also use the same 'formula' for our yard equipment. Seems to work.

[cornontherob]

Spending like $10 for Stabil is going to be a lot more fun than unhooking the fuel line and letting the entire gas tank drain into a bucket on your garage floor, I guarantee it.

[BFeller]

Just remember there are two formulations of Stabil. One for ethanol fuel and one for regular gasoline formulas.

[Ciao]

Originally Posted by BFeller

Just remember there are two formulations of Stabil. One for ethanol fuel and one for regular gasoline formulas.

I did not know that--Thanks!

[jaykay]

I don't believe I have ever seen an ethanol specific formula........I stick to non ethanol fuel especially for winter storage and Stabil. I will have to go back and read the label and see what it says

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by Ciao

I did not know that--Thanks!

Not correct. StaBil makes several product's, including Storage, Marine, and 360; and all of them are for use with fuels containing ethanol

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by mikefocke

I had always used Stabil in my cars and small engines but my small car mechanic advised me that it deteriorates over time and clogs things. He advises against it and does a great spring business cleaning engines and carburetors that had used it.

Mike, I contacted our rep at Gold Eagle, StaBil's parent company, and asked him about your comment. Turns out that there is an element of truth to there being clogging issues, but not in the way your mechanic noted.

All StaBil fuel additives have a high level of fuel system detergency to them, and when they are added to systems that are already varnished or gummed up from use or lack of maintenance, they can break these materials up while sitting, which can lead to clogging. But he was carful to note that these clogs come from build up that is already in the system due to poor fuel system maintenance, and are not caused their products breaking down. To prevent this from happening, they suggest running the last tank or two of fuel before storing with their product in it to clean the system out while the engine is running. He also noted that by far, this happens most often in lawn equipment whose owners dump a shot of StaBil into the gas tank and give it a shake to mix it before putting the equipment away for the winter, and then have a problem come spring.

So if you take good care of your vehicle's fuel system, this should never be an issue.