My 1986 Mercury Capri 4 cylinder is carburetted and it was suggested I use some Startron fuel enzyme treatment to remove the ethanol from the gas for better operation and performance. The car sits for extended periods of time and a tank of fuel will last me about 4-6 months. I've always just used Sta Bil and it seemed ok, but the idea of removing the ethanol seemed better to me. Shortly after dosing and filling my tank with fuel, problems started. If ran for a while, it would start to stall at intersections or whenever it would have to idle. As the fuel level in the tank got lower, the problems worsened. Soon it wouldn't even start most of the time, and when it did, it would sputter and misfire very badly. To eliminate the chance that the carburetor or fuel filter were bad, I removed the carburetor and fully disassembled it and cleaned it and replaced the fuel filter. I removed no dirt from either of them. They were already clean and in great working condition. I did notice, however, that there was a very large amount of water droplets in the air horn and on the throttle plate when the car would run. So here's my theory- Since the car sits a lot, moisture builds up in the fuel system. Previously, the ethanol in the fuel would bond with the water and it would just carry it with the fuel and burn it. Since I added an enzyme treatment that supposedly removes the ethanol, the water would no longer have anything to bond to and would come through the fuel system as pure blobs of water. I have noticed too that the fuel boils really easily now too, which also leads me to believe it is saturated with water. Would I be correct in my theory? Should I just go back to using Sta Bil in the fuel? How does that Startron stuff actually work?
Startron enzyme treatment- problems.
- Thread starter ethangsmith
- Start date
- Status
Use Stabil, and fill up at top tier gas stations that are newer or have newer tanks.
I have used gas at Esso and it started to give me carbon problems, then I used Redline Fuel System Cleaner and got misfire codes.
Just use the conservative approach and drive the thing a bit more.
I have used gas at Esso and it started to give me carbon problems, then I used Redline Fuel System Cleaner and got misfire codes.
Just use the conservative approach and drive the thing a bit more.
No additive can "remove the ethanol from the fuel".If it did,you would have 10% less than you started with (E10).So pump 10 gallons of gas in your tank,put the Star Tron to it,and now magically you have 9 gallons of gas and the few ounces of StarBrite StarTron additive in the tank instead.These additive usually mention they counter the negative effects of Ethanol,but what do they use to do it? A petroleum product,maybe Iso Alcohol (great,more Alky)? The Feds have no idea that every time they come up with some bright idea about messing with fuels,the additive market comes up with all these miracle products mainly designed to cost people more per-gallon,make outrageous claims,and really does nothing for the environment (the supposed Govt reason for the fuel tampering to begin with).
I see you live in Pennsylvania and none ethanol fuel is still available up there. I am originally from Pa and still have friends up there. Some stations still sell it. I have used Startron and Sea Foam and had great luck with it in my atvs that get staored for long periods. You way overdosed the fuel with the Startron though. It requires very little dosages. I like Sea Foam the best, but it is pricy and it is 1 ounce per gallon to stabilize. I dont have any luck with Stabil. It is good for about a month. I wont even waste my time on it. The red stabil is junk and the blue/green stuff is so exspenve, you mise well use the Sea Foam. I am in Florida, we have no choice but to buy the Ethanol or pay about .75 more a gallon at a Marina for non ethanol.
Never thought of that. If this stuff supposedly did "eat" the ethanol, it would either leave some other compound in the tank, or my fuel level would start to magically drop. So I guess I should maybe just stick to Sta Bil- Does that stuff actually work???
Originally Posted By: Panzerman
I see you live in Pennsylvania and none ethanol fuel is still available up there. I am originally from Pa and still have friends up there. Some stations still sell it. I have used Startron and Sea Foam and had great luck with it in my atvs that get staored for long periods. You way overdosed the fuel with the Startron though. It requires very little dosages. I like Sea Foam the best, but it is pricy and it is 1 ounce per gallon to stabilize. I dont have any luck with Stabil. It is good for about a month. I wont even waste my time on it. The red stabil is junk and the blue/green stuff is so exspenve, you mise well use the Sea Foam. I am in Florida, we have no choice but to buy the Ethanol or pay about .75 more a gallon at a Marina for non ethanol.
I only used a few ounces of the Startron, not the whole bottle. And I'm glad I didn't! I'll bet the car would never run! There is some non-ethanol gas still around up here, but it's getting rarer and rarer every day. The closest gas station to me with "pure gas" is a 20-25 minute drive, and they are really expensive. Plus, wouldn't ethanol free gas open me back up to the potential of water-in-the-fuel problems?
I see you live in Pennsylvania and none ethanol fuel is still available up there. I am originally from Pa and still have friends up there. Some stations still sell it. I have used Startron and Sea Foam and had great luck with it in my atvs that get staored for long periods. You way overdosed the fuel with the Startron though. It requires very little dosages. I like Sea Foam the best, but it is pricy and it is 1 ounce per gallon to stabilize. I dont have any luck with Stabil. It is good for about a month. I wont even waste my time on it. The red stabil is junk and the blue/green stuff is so exspenve, you mise well use the Sea Foam. I am in Florida, we have no choice but to buy the Ethanol or pay about .75 more a gallon at a Marina for non ethanol.
I only used a few ounces of the Startron, not the whole bottle. And I'm glad I didn't! I'll bet the car would never run! There is some non-ethanol gas still around up here, but it's getting rarer and rarer every day. The closest gas station to me with "pure gas" is a 20-25 minute drive, and they are really expensive. Plus, wouldn't ethanol free gas open me back up to the potential of water-in-the-fuel problems?
Try the stabil marine. There is a place south of Lititz that sells E0, but it is very expensive.
http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=PA
http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=PA
There is a lot of information about how Star Tron works on their (mystarbrite.com) website. I first became interested in Star Tron after reading this article - http://motorcycling.speedtv.com/article/gearbag-star-tron-fuel-additive/
MolaKule
Staff member
It doesn't say anything about removing Ethanol.
It says:
Quote:
Eliminates and Removes Ethanol Fuel Problems
Star Tron breaks down this excess water and sludge to sub-micron size allowing it to be safely burned away during normal engine operation.
Therefore Star Tron prevents phase separation and fuel gelling, eliminating ethanol fuel problems.
It says:
Quote:
Eliminates and Removes Ethanol Fuel Problems
Star Tron breaks down this excess water and sludge to sub-micron size allowing it to be safely burned away during normal engine operation.
Therefore Star Tron prevents phase separation and fuel gelling, eliminating ethanol fuel problems.
Last edited:
I use the stuff in my boat. Marine Stabil is also good.
So wait, this stuff is supposed to FIX water and moisture problems??? I wonder why I am having such issues with it in the car then. I've even gone over the ignition system (Duraspark distributor with an MSD 6A box) and spark plugs and everything turned up fine. It almost has to be a fuel quality issue. The fuel seems to boil in the line leading to the carburetor really easily too.
Your last tank of gas could have had water in it from condensation in the storage tank or leaking underground pipes. I'd siphon out the old gas and put in fresh gas plus the additive of your choice. I know the owner of a local shop who sells some of the Startron stuff with no complaints back from his customers.
If you remove the 10% ethanol, where is it going?
I'd clean the system with a tank or two of in tank cleaner, like Regane or Techron.
Then use StaBil for storage.
Don't drive it enough to get the cleaners through? You have to compromise and settle for second or third best.
I'd clean the system with a tank or two of in tank cleaner, like Regane or Techron.
Then use StaBil for storage.
Don't drive it enough to get the cleaners through? You have to compromise and settle for second or third best.
Star Tron seem to have a certain ability to remove gum and varnish from the fuel tank and fuel system.
Or could it be that your fuel tank has a lot of water in it, and that Star Tron help it circulate out, together with the gas?
I have of course tried ST, both in petrol engines and diesel engines, and if you want to see some results, I guess you will have to do at least some 400-500 miles.
To etgangsmith: have you tried changing your fuel filter?
Or could it be that your fuel tank has a lot of water in it, and that Star Tron help it circulate out, together with the gas?
I have of course tried ST, both in petrol engines and diesel engines, and if you want to see some results, I guess you will have to do at least some 400-500 miles.
To etgangsmith: have you tried changing your fuel filter?
Fuel filter is brand new. The old one had some tan sediment in the bottom of it, so I just put a new one on.
I too am beginning to wonder if the Startron took all of the water that was accumulating in the tank and sent it through the system. It's certainly possible!
I too am beginning to wonder if the Startron took all of the water that was accumulating in the tank and sent it through the system. It's certainly possible!
Originally Posted By: ethangsmith
Fuel filter is brand new. The old one had some tan sediment in the bottom of it, so I just put a new one on.
I too am beginning to wonder if the Startron took all of the water that was accumulating in the tank and sent it through the system. It's certainly possible!
If there was that much water in your tank-----you may have just saved yourself from replacing a rusted out gas tank----water settles in the bottom of the tank and eventually rusts thru. Bet it is not easy to find a gas tank for an 86 Capri
Fuel filter is brand new. The old one had some tan sediment in the bottom of it, so I just put a new one on.
I too am beginning to wonder if the Startron took all of the water that was accumulating in the tank and sent it through the system. It's certainly possible!
If there was that much water in your tank-----you may have just saved yourself from replacing a rusted out gas tank----water settles in the bottom of the tank and eventually rusts thru. Bet it is not easy to find a gas tank for an 86 Capri
I can get reproduction tanks since it is the same tank the 79-85 Mustang 5.0L cars used, but they are not easy to get and can be quite expensive. Not to mention having to drop the old tank and put the new one in- I'm sure the lock rings on the sender and other stuff are rusted fast, as are the fuel tank straps and hardware. Not something I'd like to do! So in that respect, if the Startron did in fact scavenge all the water and shove it through, it did save me some grief!
Yep. I bought mine at NAPA and followed the "double dose" instructions on the back of the bottle.
Is it actually feasible that the Startron really is gathering the accumulated water in the fuel tank and sending it through the system???
Is it actually feasible that the Startron really is gathering the accumulated water in the fuel tank and sending it through the system???
I've heard it's "impossible" to overdose with StarTron......sure, that 6 (or was it 8 oz?) bottle "says" it'll treat 150 gallons....but I just went ahead and dumped the whole bottle into a 14 gallon tank......I didn't notice any drive difference though 
I read somewhere though, the "IsoHEET" is soon to be the new additive of choice......something to do with ethanol "sapping water" out of the fuel, or something.......or even from the air (humidity....?), tank after tank with 10% ethanol and supposidely condensation starts building up or something.....and so the IsoHEET is supposed to help dry it up, with the IPA dose.....(which is also contained in Seafoam, Berryman's B-12 CHEMTOOL, among others.....)
But yea....no adds can "remove ethanol" - most simply just are a "lubricity agent" at best....since ethanol-laced fuel is inherently "dry"....they add some lubricity back to the fuel.....
I read somewhere though, the "IsoHEET" is soon to be the new additive of choice......something to do with ethanol "sapping water" out of the fuel, or something.......or even from the air (humidity....?), tank after tank with 10% ethanol and supposidely condensation starts building up or something.....and so the IsoHEET is supposed to help dry it up, with the IPA dose.....(which is also contained in Seafoam, Berryman's B-12 CHEMTOOL, among others.....)
But yea....no adds can "remove ethanol" - most simply just are a "lubricity agent" at best....since ethanol-laced fuel is inherently "dry"....they add some lubricity back to the fuel.....
- Status