I use it in classic cars, boat & jet ski for winter storage.
Fuel Stabilizer
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,112
Likes: 3
From: Kingston, TN
St. Jude Donor '06
Never needed any for winter storage or MUCH longer. Just started my car hauler that had been sitting for 2 years due to a major problem. Started in a few cranks and ran fine after a few moments.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 58,061
Likes: 7,146
Army
I say $5 worth of stabilizer is worth not having to possibly rebuild a carburetor, etc.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 38,897
Likes: 1,926
From: Washington Michigan
I've garage-stored my "toys" through the 6-month Michigan winters for over 30 years without fuel stabilizers, and have never had any sort of fuel system issues. 2-cycle engines seem to be more likely to have problems without stabilizers. 
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,012
Likes: 10
From: Fairfield County CT
I've used StaBil for years on just about every gas-powered vehicle or tool. However, I forgot to add a bit to my chain saw when I last used it about 9 months ago and this past weekend it started after just a few pulls.
The chain needed sharpening, but the bugger ran OK!
The chain needed sharpening, but the bugger ran OK!
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,078
Likes: 101
From: Riverhead New York
I'm on the "Not Necessary" side on this issue. Winter storage is not enough time for Fuel to go Bad. As for the issue with small engines, outboards, lawn mowers etc. all you need to do is run the Carb. dry for winter storage. The Passageways in these engines Carburetors are so small that the residue left behind by evaporated Gas, (commonly called Varnish), clogs the fuel flow. I always do my first run of the season on my small engines with just a small blast of Ether. Al W.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 3,921
Likes: 46
From: So Cal
My toys have had to sit for the last two months due to road access problems and it sounds like my concern is not well founded. I've just been very careful to put the vehicles in rotation driving them at least monthly in the past. As always, thanks to all for the thoughts
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,743
Likes: 0
From: Hawaii
I'd never do that with my gas power tools though.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 901
Likes: 2
From: Deptford, NJ
I agree with John Z. I have been storing both the 2001 and the '64 from November to May in my non-heated garage over the winters in NJ with no problems, and no stabliazer. Good luck so far, I just top off the tank to prevent unwanted moisture.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,817
Likes: 21
From: Somerset, NJ
I never use it in any of my collector cars. About the only place that I use it anymore is in my electric generators that I have for emergency since I may not use them for a long time. Some aren't used for years. I put a little in my snowblower also.
Pro
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 634
Likes: 3
From: Mill Valley CA
The guy who rebuilt the carbs on my 54, Bob Kunz, strongly recommended that I run racing gas in my 54. He claimed that the 3 carb 6 cylinder 53-54 corvette would run better on racing gas. He also told me that racing gas takes a lot longer to go bad than pump gas.
My 54 barely ran when I purchased it - the gas had gone bad from the tank forward. I had to restore the gas tank, change the fuel lines, and rebuild the carbs. Based on this experience, I now only run racing gas in my 54.
I'm not going to claim that my 54 runs like a scalded rabbit. But the car does run better than any 53 or 54 that I have been in so far.
Russ
My 54 barely ran when I purchased it - the gas had gone bad from the tank forward. I had to restore the gas tank, change the fuel lines, and rebuild the carbs. Based on this experience, I now only run racing gas in my 54.
I'm not going to claim that my 54 runs like a scalded rabbit. But the car does run better than any 53 or 54 that I have been in so far.
Russ
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 225
Likes: 3
From: Vancouver B.C.
fuel and time
gasoline over time will lose it's volatile components .. high octane just lasts longer than regular gas so unless the vehicle sits for more than 6 months
stabil should not be required..[I'll assume even owners of 63-64 250 hp mtrs use premium fuel..] regular gas in weedeaters and other small engines which sit unused for long periods are another story as per previous posts.. i have a outboard that sits for 10 months between seasons and for $5 stabil goes in the tank every time it gets parked away..
stabil should not be required..[I'll assume even owners of 63-64 250 hp mtrs use premium fuel..] regular gas in weedeaters and other small engines which sit unused for long periods are another story as per previous posts.. i have a outboard that sits for 10 months between seasons and for $5 stabil goes in the tank every time it gets parked away..
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 10,340
Likes: 664
From: Beverly Hills (Pine Ridge) Florida
Don't know if you guys north of the border are using Ethanol diluted fuel, like most of the US.
If you are, then the deicer is already in the fuel (it is the Ethanol).
Having had a 50 gal. tank of gas (4 cycle boat) turn into orange jelly over a 6 month span, I firmly believe in using Stabil.
A tad of prevention would of been well worth it.
Plasticman
Last edited by Plasticman; Nov 15, 2007 at 09:43 AM.