Gasoline stabilizer
Racer
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 336
Likes: 0
Stable is designed to prevent varnish build up in carbonators of things like lawn mowers. the gas that sits in the carbonator when in contact with air will form varnish deposit on the floating choke and prevent it from choking off the air when starting the first time in the next season. making the lawnmower hard to start. Modern engine don't have floating chokes.
its not necessary to add this to your C5, but if it makes you happy, do it.it will help the economy.. this is like those who change their oil every 2000 miles whether it needs it or not. Engine design has come a long way in the last 15 years, many people are still living in the 70's when it comes to maintenance. We designed this car to go 100,000 miles before changing plugs.. we designed an Oil life monitor to tell you when its necessary. and this monitor has very little to do with mileage. WE designed this car to be very user friendly, easy to work on with little maintenance required... many people feel its necessary to do things they did back in the 70's as if we don't know a thing about design. Get out of that old school mentality. More is not necessarily better.
its not necessary to add this to your C5, but if it makes you happy, do it.it will help the economy.. this is like those who change their oil every 2000 miles whether it needs it or not. Engine design has come a long way in the last 15 years, many people are still living in the 70's when it comes to maintenance. We designed this car to go 100,000 miles before changing plugs.. we designed an Oil life monitor to tell you when its necessary. and this monitor has very little to do with mileage. WE designed this car to be very user friendly, easy to work on with little maintenance required... many people feel its necessary to do things they did back in the 70's as if we don't know a thing about design. Get out of that old school mentality. More is not necessarily better.
Stabil is for storing fuel long term.
Very necessary for storing fuel.
Once the fuel/ethanol goes through phase separation your fuel delivery system is screwed. A lot of work to fix that mess. With ethanol in fuel, storing with stabil is way more new school important rather than old school.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,789
Likes: 894
From: Northern Illinois
Oldtimer
I hear you on the old thing.. IM also Old, Ill be 69 next month. After I left GM I came here to give back. If you have read any of my post over the years here, IM always trying to get people out of their 1960's mentality. Maybe this will hit a nerve here is a common thought process from the 60's.. Do you remember this? OH you have to trade or sell your car before it get 60,000 miles on it. car salesman use this number back then to dramatically reduce the trade in value, life expectancy of a cast iron motor back in the 60's was 60 to 100 K. the LSX was designed to effortlessly do 200K with many already enjoying their C5 with 400K +. I keep saying this is not your grandfathers 1960 Buick. there are many brand new cars that sit for 8 to ten months before someone buys them. The fuel system is sealed for EPA reasons but also it keeps air from contaminating the fuel. you even get an emission warning if the cap is not on tight.
There is nothing wrong with getting old as long as you are a progressive thinker. how many old people do you know that wont try to learn how to use a computer, or a smart phone, or to even text or email. most of us would be in bad shape if we all of a sudden lost the ability to access the Interweb. Or our smart phone.
There is nothing wrong with getting old as long as you are a progressive thinker. how many old people do you know that wont try to learn how to use a computer, or a smart phone, or to even text or email. most of us would be in bad shape if we all of a sudden lost the ability to access the Interweb. Or our smart phone.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 831
Likes: 0
From: Albuquerque NM
It's a shame that additives like Sta-bil and Techron were always put into the gas when it was being processed and now you have to pay four times as much for the gas and have problems with it without these additives. I remember when you could start a car after sitting for several years and it ran fine. Gas wouldn't start to varnish until about five years. 
WellSaidNever had an issue with the vette, have had it parked for a few months at a time before and had used stabil, always have stabil in the GN when its parked for up to a year. BUT, I had stabil in my ATV and it has sat for two years. Before attempting to start it, I siphoned the old gas out, put in fresh, pulled choke, pushed start and couldn't even hit the throttle! Throttle was stuck inside the carb! Local dealers quote was $1300 to fix damage
Dealer said they use marine stabil for the ethanol and they have seen problems with motorcycles and ATVs that sit for 3 months because of the junk gas
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 166
Likes: 1
From: Naples, FL -/- Oxford, England
The real problem in 2013 is the ethanol content of gas, in which water is soluble.
Whether or not we needed Stabil in the past, we do need it now for long term storage. But note that there is a specific new formula which states on the label that it is for gas which contains ethanol.
Why risk expensive damage for a few $$$
Whether or not we needed Stabil in the past, we do need it now for long term storage. But note that there is a specific new formula which states on the label that it is for gas which contains ethanol.
Why risk expensive damage for a few $$$
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,841
Likes: 19
From: CLT, North Carolina
If I'm going to let one sit I only do it with ethanol-free fuel but I also have a climate controlled garage. We have a Shell dealer nearby with an ethanol-free premium pump. If you're concerned about the life of the fuel you can always remove the cap and smell the fuel from time to time. I woudn't do it everyday though, the pressure you release is the lighter aromatics needed for cold start-up.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,841
Likes: 19
From: CLT, North Carolina
I think I would go with the engineer's suggestion above. Today's fuel systems are extremely complex being comprised of a huge number of parts made from a variety of different materials. The engineers designed and tested all the parts of your fuel system and if they are concerned about introducing a foreign substance that would be enough for me.
Is Sta-bil still OK for lawnmowers?
Is Sta-bil still OK for lawnmowers?
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,789
Likes: 894
From: Northern Illinois
Oldtimer
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Joined: Nov 2010
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 3,212
Likes: 167
From: Rochester Hills Michigan
I like draining the gas (running till empty on mower or generator) then add some stabil or seafoam to drip its way into bowl and sit in it and clean any residual varnish or jets debris over storage. Necessary for generators which sit many years...