Thread: Gasoline additives, stabilizers and E-10

I just took my Generator in for service and the mechanic asked me if I was using the gasoline stabilizer. Yes, I said since the gas will often sit in the tank for 30-60 days before completely being used. He said that no longer applies and is what caused the carbeurator to gum up. The stabilizers were for the older gasolines but with E10 that has been sold for the past 2 years, you should not be adding any of these. They do more harm than good. Plain gasoline as E10 is completely stable for 2-3 months without additives as long as it remains dry. To keep the gasoline dry, always keep the tank full when in storage.

Opinions?

I always fill up my gas can in the spring for the year's mowing season. That gas will last me all spring, summer, and early fall. I haven't had an issue yet.

Rule of thumb we went by in the Navy was one year for above ground storage, two for below ground.

Originally Posted by Neutron

I always fill up my gas can in the spring for the year's mowing season. That gas will last me all spring, summer, and early fall. I haven't had an issue yet.

Uh... big, big difference. Take that same gas and put it in most cars, and you are going to have problems.

Yes, injectors will foul much faster than carb jets. But I quickly understood what the mechanic was telling me. The bad side of this is I was checking out my generator for the impending TS Fay and possible power outages and now it's in the shop.

I normally fill up my cans in the beginning of the Hurricane season and did so in July. The gas in the generator tank was in there since I last ran it for 4 hours last February. The gas in the cans is w/o stabilizer so it should be good.

Originally Posted by snathanb

Uh... big, big difference. Take that same gas and put it in most cars, and you are going to have problems.

I cant agrea on this as I have in the recent past had vehicles that sat with regular unleaded for over a year and half and had no problems firing up and running down the road.

For the OP I'd contact both the maker of the fuel stabilizer and any of the fuel makers about this and get their thoughts on it.

Originally Posted by Van

I cant agrea on this as I have in the recent past had vehicles that sat with regular unleaded for over a year and half and had no problems firing up and running down the road.

And what model vehicle was it? I sure wouldn't put stale gas in my vehicles.

89 escort gt, 66 chrysler newport, 86 bronco 2, 86 mazda 626, 77 dodge maxi van all of which at one point or another had sat for 9 - 16 months un used with gas in the tanks and had no problems.

Originally Posted by Van

89 escort gt, 66 chrysler newport, 86 bronco 2, 86 mazda 626, 77 dodge maxi van all of which at one point or another had sat for 9 - 16 months un used with gas in the tanks and had no problems.

In other words, nothing even relatively modern, much less fuel injected. Some modern cars won't run well on even regular unleaded, much less after letting it degrade over time.