Captzeos

Just a thought I have here.
On my Zero turn mower I have a fuel line shut off. Each Winter I just shut it off and run the engine till it uses up all the gas and shuts down. Never had a problem in 10 years of doing so. The thought was if you pulled your pump fuse or relay and ran your engine till it used up all the fuel from the pump to the engine and shut down. Would this be sufficient enough for winter storage? My thought would be still that even with a full tank of gas there could be moisture and gum over the few months that it would be sitting even though this gas has Top Tier additive in it. The other question is: If during those few months of less driving conditions with going out only on nice days as many as possible for short runs, but still never really using up a lot of fuel. Would you still need to use Sta-Bil in your tank? All response will be kept in Strict Confidence! (just kidding)

randy ransome

Star Tron is better than Sta=Bil.

zachaeous

I live in Southern Illinois and I never really put my cars in storage. I have added Sta-Bil to the fuel when the weather turns and have never had any problems. I am able to drive my Corvettes during the winter when the ice and snow are not flying.

Adding Sta-Bil to the fuel tank when it is at about 1/4 tank and then filling up the tank and running the car with the new mixture, this will get the mixture into the entire fuel system.

I use it in my emergency generator also. It has a shutoff as well and i do the same as you did on your mower.

mrlmd

Why would a fuel injection system get "gummed up" like a carb would if left sitting a long time? There is no exposure of fuel to the air, no vaporization taking place in a closed system, so no "varnish" would form. I have left diesels for 5-6 months and one for five years sitting with no fouling of injectors and they always started. I have left fuel injected cars sit too for extended periods with no problem.
It would be more important to fill the tanks with fuel to limit the size of the air pocket in the tank to reduce condensation of the moisture which may be in the air, then to try and empty the fuel lines. I doubt you would empty the lines anyway by just pulling the fuse to the pump. The engine is not going to suck the fuel from the lines.
Maybe it's just me, but I have not used that stuff in either cars, boats, motorcycles, lawnmowers, nor tractors and altho it sounds theoretically beneficial, I have not had any problem not using it. What I do like though is Berryman's B12 Chemtool (~$3 a can) with 1 oz added/gal of fuel to the tank, to keep carbed engines free from any gumming up. Add to my motorcycle, the lawnmower and boat too, every 3 or 4 tankfulls, keeps the carbs nice and clean. Not needed in a FI engine but it probably wouldn't hurt and maybe (?) keep injectors clean too.
I also have a gas generator that sat unused for 7 years until Hurricane Hermine came through Sept 2. Filled it with gas and it started on the second pull. This I did run 'till the carb was empty and I drained all the gas out of the tank when I first got it, and after I used it a few days for the storm, I again totally emptied the carb and tank, waiting to refill it 'till I need it again. That works much better than stabil or startron and you always have fresh gas.
With what you are doing, it makes no difference of you take it out for a ride - just don't do a quick around the block, take it out 'till the engine and everything warms up. You don't want to leave a lot of moisture lying around, you want to get rid of it.

Captzeos

Well, my tank is pretty much full right at the moment. I do have some Sta-Bil sitting around, but thought I would get a general consensus of the forum before dumping it in the tank. Thanks Zachaeous for the response.

Captzeos

I haven't seen Star Tron on the market here, but that may be because I haven't been looking for it. Any reason why you have a preference?

leadfoot4

It very well may be, but Sta-Bil is far more readily available. FWIW, I've been putting Sta-Bil in the cars that I've stored for winter, since the late 70s....

Anthony@RWHP

Even if you pulled the pump fuse/relay, it doesnt use all of the fuel in the line. Once the pump loses power, the fuel system loses pressure. We service and clean injectors all day long from these things, I can't tell you how many injectors we've had come through here that were treated with sta-bil that had flow and stiction issues.

Captzeos

Thanks Anthony,
I guess what I'm wondering about after reading your reply. Is do you feel that Sta-Bil is more of a problem than help?
I just now noticed you left a link to fuel-injector-cleaning. I will check it out.

DDaaryl

Personally I prefer to fill my vehicles with ethanol free marine gas 90 octane before I put them in storage. I also ad a bottle of Techron. Used stabilizers in various boats but not in my vert.

2K14C7

For what it's worth. I had my 2002 C5 for 14 years and stored it for 3 months every year. I filled the tank and hooked up a battery tender. I never added any fuel stabilizer and never had any issues at all.

Dave concrete

I own about 60 pcs of equipment that about 3/4 of them I winterize from roughly early Dec to march. Each one I simply add stabil to whatever gas is in tank, start them and run them to they shut off. Been doing this for 30 years and never a issue at all in Spring. On 2 cycle I dump fuel, start motors and run full throttle till they try to stall and thats it. We always treat fuel with Stabil in 2 cycle. I also remove plugs and put couple drops of oil on top of valves or cylinder to coat.

Dave concrete

I usually add some sea foam, bottle of techron, Stabil, and plug her in.

449er

[QUOTE=randy ransome;1593748348]Star Tron is better than Sta=Bil.



[/QUOTE
As a faithful user of Stabil products in my boats & cars for years with no issues, can you tell me "how" Star Tron is better than Stabil?

jcgunn

That is a GREAT idea!

mrlmd

And I don't use either of those and have no problems and I would like someone to PROVE to me that they accomplish something, other than the marketing hype and anectdotes that they actually work. Like side by side simultanious tests with and without the additive to see of there's any difference over time.

449er

Do you actually store your car/boat for months at a time without any use? Unless you are using non-ethanol fuel, which many of us don't have access to, your statements are ridiculous

mrlmd

Yes I do, and what is ridiculous is how you can discount my results and insist on anecdotes and advertising that this stuff actually does any good. If I don't use it and have no problems with fuel in my vehicles not used for many months, then how can you say if you do use that stuff and have the same results, that it is better? You can't.

v8srfun

Premium fuel does not need fuel stabilizers so if you are putting the proper fuel in your car you will be ok.

449er

If the premium fuel that you are using contains ethanol, it most certainly does need a fuel stabilizer