Already ongoing thread with that included. Test has flawed methods I think.

Added Stabil to a full gas tank and discovered a...

Pretty much riding is over here in Iowa, at least for me. I was able to get it filled up with gas yesterday and added Stabil to the tank. I went for a 20 minute ride to get it all through the system. After putting the bike away, I discovered I foolishly used an expired bottle of Stabil. It was a...

www.gl1800riders.com

 

His evaporation test: How many owners leave their fuel cap off during storage?
His Red0x test: How many owners don't leave their tanks full to the brim during long term storage, eliminating any air in the tank?
As I've stated before, if Seafoam and Stabil were as bad as he states, they wouldn't be in business after all these years.

The guy, Ryan Kluftinger, a journalistic hack from Fortnine.ca, doing this very unscientific analysis, is just a guy with an undergrad degree in art history and physics.
I don't see anything in his curriculum vitae about chemistry, chemical engineering, or anything else remotely related to what he is talking about.

I would laugh off that video and continue using Sta-Bil or Seafoam with no worries whatsoever.

 

54 seconds of that was enough for me......

 

We recently had a five day black out and the twenty five gallons of Stabil treated gas that I keep for my generator was over two years old. It ran fine and the black out saved me the trouble of having to recycle the old gas. Also, I emptied the gas tank before putting in new gas and there was zero residue in the tank nor the gasoline itself.

 

I use "both" the Seafoam and the Marine stabilizer (blue container) in my bike.............(Yep "both" in my hibernating bike, as we speak!)

Ronnie

 

Chemical & Oil companies love customers like you!!

 

Used the stuff my entire adult life for bikes, lawnmowers, generators, and snow blowers. Swear by it. Would never go an off-season without it. It plain works and does what it says if you use it properly. Not too much. 1 oz per 2.5 gallons of fuel. Carbs and fuel-injection.

 

I fill my bike with non ethanol for 2 fill ups before storage and the bike sits unstarted for 6 months. I never use a fuel stabilizer and have never had a problem in the Spring.

 

Just have to ask yourself, you probably know many people that have used these products for years me included with no problems and now you have one guy that states that they kill small engines. If the problems were there after all this time I would think there would have been numerous law suits by now.

 

Ethanol gas is the root of the problem.

 

My Bikes and Cuda will sit from mid September through mid May with E10, no additives and never had any issues. Been doing that for decades.

 

It's not usually a problem on larger engines or in areas where the relative humidity is low.

Try it in Houston with a single cylinder engine and your results won't be as good.

Then again, this post is about whether or not it's needed on a larger motorcycle, and I agree with you there. I don't use the stuff in any multi-cylinder fuel injected engine.

I use Sta-bil in single cylinder or small carburated engines or I just drain the gas completely.

 

Not a big "Science Guy", but I use it. If for no other reason than peace of mind. I had a couple Suzuki LS650 Savages. Those one lunger's would always stumble on stale gas. I can tell stale gas sometimes on my V-Twins, too. I have read articles on it, and somewhere in my confusion of all the chemistry blabbing, I come away with the idea that Stabilizer has some chemical properties that do help with fuel storage. Like I said, not a big scientific type - just an old wrench that goes with his gut!

 

Been using some form of fuel stabilizer since 1988 without a problem. The reason I started using it was after some pretty extensive fuel system damage that I had in a vehicle with old gas in it. This was prior to ethanol being In fuel so that was not the problem. I have several toys and some of them see minimal usage in some years, that gas is likely to be carried over for more than a year. I've never made any special arrangements to fill them with ethanol free gas. Since 88 I have not had any fuel related problems due to bad gas.

 

Save the corn and make more Whiskey!

 

While most fuel remains in spec for at least 6 months, E10 loses its octane a bit quicker, however I have been constantly using E10 (remember gasohol?) in engines since mid-80s. Including lawn mower, outboard, inboard marine, cars and motorcycles. My 1978 GL used regular gas until 1986 then E5 and E10. All my other engines have used E10 all their life. To compound, every engine is stored at least 6 months but many longer. Every year I use the recommended dose of Sta-bil. so heres' the results:

Engine	Stored	Bought	E10	Stabil	Mileage (km)	Results
GL1000	6 months	1978	34 years	30 years	450,000	No engine work
VT1100C2 Shadow	8 months	1995	25 years	25 years	88,000	No engine work
Honda 2003 Accord	3 months	2003	15 years	0	350,000	valves
Bayliner 350 V8	6 months	1988	marine gas	10 years	???	No engine work
Honda Lawnmower	8 months	2000	20 years	20 years		No engine work
SLK 350	6 months	2005	15 years	15 years	120,000	No engine work
4 hp Evinrude ***	10 months	2008	12 years	12 years	?	No engine work

One year we travelled for an entire year for about 14 months. Everything got E10 and Stabil BUT I forgot to Stabil the Evinrude and carb was completely gummed and would not start but the lawnmower was OK so Stabil may have helped. My storage procedure is to use E10 however I go with a higher PON so 91 for storage and then Stabil.

 

In my experience over the years, I've determined seafoam and stabil don't hurt, but don't help either. I tried to do my own tests a couple times in recent years by adding gas to a couple sets of old inline 4 carbs with additive and without, but every test regardless of whether gas was treated or not, the gas all evaporated out of the bowls in less than 2 months with no sign of gum or other signs of stale gas.
Maybe it's because we are dry and hot here though. My dad has an old 1989 Craftsman snowblower the engine probably hadn't been started in over 10yrs. I found the gas tank dry from evaporation and expected the carb a mess, but clean as new. Added new gas, started right up.

 

If E10 is so horrible, then why isn't the teck section loaded with people having fuel issues ? After all GW are noting more than plastics and aluminum.

 

I believe it has to do with exactly what type of metal was used in the carb or fuel system.
I have a 45 year old garden tractor (used only for snow plowing) that sits all summer with
E10 in it. No problem, starts right up with old fuel.
But my leaf blower with a new Predator engine sat for just ONE year and
the carb was messed up something awful! I had to take it apart and
clean all the corrosion out of it. Now it sits empty or with Avgas, no E10.

 

Can Fuel Stabilizer Kill Your Motorcycle?

Only if you need it and don't use it.

Agree with Fred, and only that if kept in partially filled containers over 6 months. Even drunken fuel lasts maybe longer if full, sealed, and cool. No idea about fuel beyond 20 proof (10%).

prs

 

Selling ethanol by proof. I love that idea. How great a marketing ploy that would be: "Get Shell 20 and 30 proof at Shell stations everywhere!"

 

I know this is a fuel stabilizer tread so I'll try not to hi Jack it. Seems like a lot of the concerns has to do with ethanol in the fuel. Ethanol use in fuel or as a fuel source is nearly as old as the internal combustion engine itself. It has been used in fuel or as a fuel for over a hundred years, and mandatory since 2007. If a modern fuel system is unable to tolerate ethanol, who's fault is it?

 

Well, I hadn't considered this from that point of view, but I agree. That said, the person who owns the non-ethanol-ready motorcycle isn't much concerned with whose fault it is that he can't get non-harmful gas for it.

 

I quests my question is, why is there a such thing as a non-Ethanol ready motorcycle? It's been used extensively in fuel for decades. It's what they run off of. It would be like manufacturing a coffee cup that can't hold hot liquid.

BTW: I for one, do believe manufacturers have taken the use of ethanol into consideration and it is not the problem some make it out to be.

 

Ethanol in the fuel (gasoline) isn't a big problem when in use and/or while the mixture hasn't taken on some changes (of which there has been shown to be many variables). It doesn't store or age well. Ethanol isn't pipelined because of its water carrying capability and corrosion. It is hauled from the distiller "refinery" to the mixing bulk plant in stainless tanker trailer trucks.
Lots of extra handling costs involved with ethanol blends.

 

No doubt that it has It has unique set of properties and problems, as I noted in an earlier post the most damage I've had from fuel was from non ethanol fuel. Manufacturers know full well that in many parts of the country motorcycles, boats, lawn mowers, etc will generally see a period of storage. In the 70's and 80's I recall putting Ethanol treatment in my fuel during winter months to keep the fuel line from freezing and to make the moisture in the tank combustible.

 

Think of all the car dealers and various other vehicle dealer that have vehicles sit on their lot for sometimes a year with a less than full tank of gas and usually never have had fuel stabilizer added. I have worked for dealers where cars came in that were produced 9 or 10 months before and just sat. Never seen a fuel related problem, battery problems yes but no fuel problems.

 

Some of the confusion in this is that most all new(er) produced products are made to accommodate ethanol (until it gets old enough to separate, not many things burn water at the bottom of the tank). But, most of the time, in such vehicles it stores well/long enough to get used up. Using it in older/pre ethanol existence vehicles and/or equipment doesn't fare as well.
Vintage stuff with "rubber" (float needle seats, etc) parts in the fuel system doesn't last long with ethanol. And some of those things are hard/impossible to get parts for.

 

Is the discussion about ethenol, or the use of fuel stabilizer? Got a little off-track, I think.

 

I think many here dont believe the topic is mutually exclusive. For many the shorter shelf life of Ethanol fuel is what necessitate their use of a stabilizer. As someone who own several vintage vehicles, I am keenly aware of the problem of fuel when it comes down to long term storage. Personally I've had problems with both Ethanol and Non- Ethanol fuel when not treated with a stabilizer during long term storage. But for temporary short term layups I wouldn't fret, I think it takes several months for phase separation to occur in any quantities larger than a push mower fuel tank. IMO fuel stabilizers work, are cheap, and I've never seen any negative effects from the use of them.

 

...and for what it's worth, I don't usually worry about ethenol or non, just fresh.