Upper Cylinder Lubricant (UCL) mitigate corrosion?

[kschachn]

Based upon a completely unplanned, uncontrolled, non-scientific experiment with a sample size of just me, yes

I posted this a while back. I believe it is the Marine Sta-Bil or the combination with MMO that is effective.

Ethanol Fuels & Carb Deposits

Thanks for the response.

 

[Roberts9156]

I’m not really surprised at the variety of answers here because small engines are so resilient. But still not sure if it’s a potential positive or maybe even negative.

Question came up because I (barely got) started an old neglected snow blower this year and vowed to put it away in a better state. Changed oil, used E0 treated with red Stabil and Lucas UCL and ran dry. Didn’t want to mess with spark plug to fog because the wire seemed kinda brittle.

 

[Ride_Red]

I’m not really surprised at the variety of answers here because small engines are so resilient. But still not sure if it’s a potential positive or maybe even negative.

Question came up because I (barely got) started an old neglected snow blower this year and vowed to put it away in a better state. Changed oil, used E0 treated with red Stabil and Lucas UCL and ran dry. Didn’t want to mess with spark plug to fog because the wire seemed kinda brittle.

I started using an upper cylinder lubricant after reading on the small engine forums about the weak valve springs in small Honda engines with plastic cams. One of the common failure modes is varnish buildup on the intake valve from old gas. The intake valve would stick open, causing the the engine not to run. The common remedy (after unsticking the valve) was to use a little TCW-3 oil and Stabil in the gas to help lubricate and clean the valve stem and preserve the gas. Since I've started using both, I've had no problems whatsoever with starting my mower in the spring nor starting my generators after 1+ year of storage.

 

[maraakate]

I live in an EPA nonattainment area, and we've had RFG since the 1990s. My lawn mower is 34 years old, my garden tractor is 26 as is the snow thrower, I have a 30 year old car and one that's 26 and I've never used a stabilizer nor a UCL in any of them. I do not always empty our the seasonal gasoline in my OPE and yet everything is running fine. What is different here that I don't see all these terrible problems I'm supposed to see with E10?

Mostly FUD. But you have been getting lucky if you're not draining it at the end of the season or using a stabilizer. May depend on where you live. Around here gas will good bad quickly.

I've been using E10 in all my equipment and bikes for 15+ years. The only thing I've used is sta-bil marine and I drain the tanks and carbs at the end of the season anyways. And by drain I mean actually drain. Not run it until it stalls because there will still be fuel in the bowl. E10 is not the issue, the lack of aromatics is the real issue but everyone wants to blame ethanol. If you got o-rings going bad on your carbs or your aftermarket float valve swells up with E10 that's because it's just aftermarket parts. It's not even a viton thing.

If you're getting away with doing nothing then props to you.

 

[Mechanician]

I’d guess those may be the differences. I don’t store a lot of fuel at any one time and it does sit for less than a year in the equipment.

I keep a 5 gallon steel Jerry Can of reserve fuel for my generator, treated with the red Sta-bil.
I use only the same type E-10 available that you have, from a high volume station.
I tag it with the date when filled, I pour it off into my regular (CARB compliant) 5 gallon can, and have used it after 2 years with no problems in my OPE.
The Jerry Can seals tightly, the steel surface inside is still bright and shiny with no corrosion.
CARB compliant gas cans are a PITA to use, but they not only seal the vapors in - they seal the moist air out.