stabilizing gas for small engines

[Donald]

I am sure like many I have been using the redish Sta-Bil for years. Now comes E10 to screw us all. The local JD dealer says they are installing new carbs left and right. I have a 9HP Vanguard generator and a smaller pressure washer that both need some carb work.

So now for the other engines I have, what to do.
I want to keep 10 gallons of gas for backup generator. Thats my main question. The redish Sta-Bil mentions nothing about E10 gas. Well Sta-Bil sells a marine forumla that handles E10 but is quite a bit more money. My generator is not a marine engine but I want it to work when needed. Maybe the redish Sta-Bil works fine but they do not mention it as the more expensive Marine forumla covers it. HD sells a small container of stabilizer that works for E10 gas for 5 gallons.

 

[Chris Meutsch]

I will use Sta-Bil in my small engines with whatever gasoline I can purchase at the local station until my small engines no longer run on the combination. Currently a B and S lawnmower and a Stihl leaf blower are the main engines. There is a Troy-Built trimmer as well that is only used twice a year but it starts every time.

 

[crazyoildude]

i dont put anything in my small engines just a little mmo in the gas and run it through and have never had a problem

 

[opus1]

I'm seeing both ends of this "issue".

My lawnmower is going on 9 years with no repairs (knock wood) on a diet of either BP or Shell gas with the red Sta-Bil for most of the year. This time of year I switch over to some stuff I found at Wal-Mart that's supposed to be a winterizer/stabilizer made by Pennzoil (green stuff).

My Dad didn't believe in Sta-Bil until the Tecumseh engine in his Toro had carb problems after about 2 years. Then he started using Sta-Bil and it seems like it helped a bit. My Mom bought a replacement about 4 years ago and she had some carb problems this season, and has been using the red Sta-Bil religiously since I'm the one that mixed the gas for her. The closest "name" station to her house is Thornton's, so I'm wondering if it's more the brand of the gas than the E10 or Sta-Bil?

I thought the marine Sta-Bil might be the solution and e-mailed Golden Eagle to ask. The rep basically said I could use it for lawnmowers but it was overkill and the red stuff should be just fine.

 

[Donald]

I am unsure of why Sta-Bil makes a marine formula or what the difference is. Lets say my boat sits over the winter in a garage next to my JD tractor. Why does the boat need the marine formula but the JD tractor only need the original Sta-Bil?

 

[bigbird_1]

What about Seafoam?
The label says it's also a fuel stabilizer.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: bigbird_1
What about Seafoam?
The label says it's also a fuel stabilizer.


Seafoam seems to do too many things to be really good at any one.

 

[doitmyself]

Originally Posted By: Donald
I am unsure of why Sta-Bil makes a marine formula or what the difference is. Lets say my boat sits over the winter in a garage next to my JD tractor. Why does the boat need the marine formula but the JD tractor only need the original Sta-Bil?


Read my response in the small engine forum "Petcocks for OPE" thread.

The blue formula might have a tad bit more cleaner/corrosion protection, but you use it at 1/2 the dose of the red, maybe making them close in actual additive use.

I think it is mostly a marketing gimmick in response to all the negative opinion about E-10 in the boating world. There is a perception that the blue stuff is better for E-10. My talk with Gold Eagle's tech. implied that both work well with E-10, but the blue is more economical.

 

[Donald]

I decided to buy a couple of the one shot containers of stabilizer that stabilize and deal with the E10. Each container does 5 gal. I will do 10 gallons for my generator. In 6 months I will dump the gas into my Suburban and go again. I also label all the gas cans and engines as to what they were last run with and when.

 

[VicL]

I have stabil (red), seafoam and MMO in my shed for my lawn mower. If you check user reports here at BITOG you will see that they all have fuel stabilizing properties. In general I think I have a slight preference for the MMO - mostly because I also add it to my motorcycle tanks, and the price is just too good. But I tend to rotate the three as additives for my mower during the year.

Vic

 

[Errtt]

I usually use Seafoam, but this will be my first year using MMO for the lawn equipment as well as for other applications.