Stihl engine oil and Stabil

[Quattro Pete]

According to their site, their 2-cycle engine oil already contains fuel stabilizer.

However, I will be storing regular gasoline in a gas can and I want to add Stabil to it so it lasts longer. I will only mix it with the Stihl engine oil once I pour it into the leaf blower's gas tank.

So, will it cause any problems that the gasoline will contain both Stabil AND fuel stabilizer present in the engine oil?

Sorry for the newbie question - I've never owned anything with a 2-cycle engine in it before. Owner's manual doesn't mention anything about using Stabil. I suppose I should ask Stihl this question directly.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Heh... Stihl says not to use any gas more than 90 days old, regardless if it has Stabil in it or not. I guess they don't believe that Stabil works... what is your experience? How long is too long for gasoline storing?

 

[Johnny]

For my 2-cycle equipment I never have more than a 30-day supply of gasoline. For my 4-stoke stuff, usually a 60-day supply.

 

[bepperb]

I try to keep my 2cycle gas fresh, but I do use stabil and a 2cycle oil that claims to contain stabilizer. I sometimes go over 90 days.

Hasn't caused my snowblower/weedeater/4hp outboard to grenade yet...

 

[IndyIan]

If you start off with higher octane gas I would think you would be fine in storing it for a while without stabil. I assume 87 octane is fine for the blower so if you start at 91 then how long does it take to degrade to 87?
I typically get 5 gallons of 91 at a time and never worry about how old it is, as I go through it in a couple months or up to 4 or 5 months. If I find really old stuff in the back of the shed it gets dumped into my car or atv (they have large tanks)for disposal, but that doesn't happen to often.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Stihl recommends 89 octane. I'll probably just be buying 1 gallon at a time, so hopefully I'll go through it within 90 days, although the blower only has a 0.5qt tank, so that's 8 tanks of gas.

If I get a lawn mower, I'll go through gas quicker.

 

[ksJoe]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
what is your experience? How long is too long for gasoline storing?


My mower (w/ honda GCV190) started first pull this season, with last season's gas still in the tank.

The only small engine gas I don't keep stabil in all the time, is the jet ski when we're using it a lot.

 

[kkreit01]

I didn't know about the "90 day thing". I use gas for 12+ months in my Stihl trimmer -- with Stabil. It runs fine. It typically takes me more than 1 season to go through 1 gal. I do use 89 oct. My trimmer is 15-20 years old.

 

[another Todd]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
If you start off with higher octane gas I would think you would be fine in storing it for a while without stabil. I assume 87 octane is fine for the blower so if you start at 91 then how long does it take to degrade to 87?
I typically get 5 gallons of 91 at a time and never worry about how old it is, as I go through it in a couple months or up to 4 or 5 months. If I find really old stuff in the back of the shed it gets dumped into my car or atv (they have large tanks)for disposal, but that doesn't happen to often.


Higher octane fuel does not degrade any slower. It is true that as fuel ages it loses octane, but it still degrades and slowly turns to varnish to gunk up things. I have used Stabil in the past, and fuel souring is slowed way down. Fuel will still be good a year later. Now I use PRI-G instead of Stabil. It is also important to realize, that fuel stored in a tightly capped container will last longer than fuel in a vented container, with or without stabilizer.

 

[Jim 5]

The good thing is, leaf blowers are always set on cruise control at full throttle, unlike a line trimmer. I use 4 tanks of gas in my leaf blower for ever 1 tank in my line trimmer.

If your yard is of reasonable size, you should use up the gas mixed with one 100ml container (the small one) of mix oil pretty quick. I have used 8 month old stihl white bottle (synthetic) mix gas and it worked perfectly. Probably not the best policy though. I usually just dump it in a nearly full tank of gas in one of my cars if I'm not sure how old it is.

My BMW never objected to this, and I doubt yours will either. Otherwise, you can put it in your mower when the tank is half empty.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Jim 5
My BMW never objected to this, and I doubt yours will either.

Heh... my BMW seems to object to everything, even a dirty look.

Right now I'm trying to troubleshoot an oil leak and a coolant leak. The thing sits in the garage most of the time... maybe I just don't drive it enough.

 

[Jim 5]

As for the coolant leak, the plastic tanks on the radiator are suspect in those years.

What are you driving if not the 530?