Fuel Additives - Which one do you prefer.

[Little Ducky]

I see we got a new Marine fuel additive on the block from Chevron.

https://www.chevronlubricants.com/en_us/home/products/techron-marine.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwtYXmBRAOEiwAYsyl3HxXevhyHooGWdAcqfymYVlERdqGIatY9q0R-nDxP4-CXMuTvtx2KRoCnvwQAvD_BwE&mkwid=sIb8Vs0b1_327242576840_marine fuel treatment_p_c&mtid=744bv356395&slid=&product_id=#

I was a Star Tron user but after looking at the MSDS sheet there's really no additives in this product to make me think it does much. Where as the Chevron product calls out some interesting anti corrosion additives.

Chevron MSDS: https://cglapps.chevron.com/sdspds/SDSDetailPage.aspx?docDataId=507044&docFormat=PDF

Star Tron MSDS: http://www.starbrite.com/component/com_advlisting/fileId,4160/view,download/

What'cha think?

 

[scoflaw]

I'm a big fan of using nothing.

 

[markrsimon]

Any issues with using stabil throughout the entire season? Any preference on regular versus the 360 marine variation!

 

[northern]

We have had gas boats since 2000 and do not use additives. We fill the present boat in the fall 300 gallons and it start and runs well in the spring. The gas is non methanol so that probably helps. Depending on the time of year you buy gas it will depend on the additives. Winter car gas is more volatile than summer car gas. No ideas if this also applies to boat gas

 

[bbwhitejr]

With our '06 260DA-350 mag, I burned the cheapest gas I could find at the corner station.
Always treated it with the proper does of StarTron and never ever had an issue.

Bennett

 

[BillK2632]

I am able to use use non-ethanol fuel - no additives except Stabl for winter layup. I use the throttle to make sure the gas doesn't stay in the tank and age.

 

[Third Edition]

A Cat diesel mechanic is on our dock this past week with a 1000 hour maintenance. I asked him this question, and he says Star Tron. He also said that the diesel boats that have more strong exhaust fumes would not have that after running with Star Tron for a while.

 

[Ididntdoit]

I will say Chevron Techron is about the only "mechanic in a bottle" that's not snake oil

 

[Jeremygavin]

I have used Techron in my cars and equipment for a long time and I think it makes a difference. It is good to know they Make a marine one now. I will start using that.

 

[sbw1]

We buy non ethanol fuels treated with ValvTech from trusted marinas that sell lots of fuel. We fill our tank before going to Wisconsin and don't buy any e10 while boating on the other side of Lake Michigan. As soon as we return to Michigan we go straight to the gas dock.

 

[hottoddie]

Another vote for ValvTech fuel. I never add anything to the ValvTech sold at our yacht club and have not had any issue summer or spring start up. Oh ya in the NE we're stuck E10 and no options.

 

[scoflaw]

Seems no one is having any problems no matter what they do.

This is like an oil thread .. No?

 

[sbw1]

Seems no one is having any problems no matter what they do.

This is like an oil thread .. No?

I have seen issues with folks who buy gas at gas stations and fuel boats from cans. So no matter what is not quite true.

 

[WV 320 Dancer]

SeaFoam for stabilizer.... we sell 90 Octane with no alcohol at our boat club....

 

[B BARKER]

I have been using stabile for about 10 years now, I use the marine type and get it by the gallon I put it in chain saws, lawn mowers, pole saws weed eaters, generators, everything I have that has a small engine. I also have stored my Century Boat sometimes 2-3 years, one time around 5 years at the most without cranking it and I have never had one single problem with any of them cranking the next day or the next year. (KNOCK ON WOOD) I also mix it in with non ethanol gas. When I lay up my 390EC in the winter I fill up my tanks and mix it by the specs on the label with no problems, I have done it for 4 years now. I also use the valve-tech fuel in the boats......Non ethanol gas is the way to go !!!!!!

 

[scoflaw]

View attachment 68704
I have seen issues with folks who buy gas at gas stations and fuel boats from cans. So no matter what is not quite true.

That's exactly how I fuel the 2 boats I own. So are you saying the cans are contaminated ?

 

[ttmott]

That's exactly how I fuel the 2 boats I own. So are you saying the cans are contaminated ?

I'll help you out a bit here - Most commercial gasoline in the US has up to 10% Ethanol which is an alcohol. Ethanol like all alcohols is hydroscopic. Hydroscopic means that it readily absorbs water. Just about everything absorbs some water but Ethanol saturates at about 4.5% at room temperature which is high in comparison. After that saturation point the Ethanol/Water tends to drop out of suspension and being heavier than the gasoline will settle in the bottom of the tank; this distill ends up being a corrosive chemistry to many metals. Now, in boats the fuel tanks are vented; where is that vent? That vent is on the side of the hull and exposed to unusually high water content in the air, sometimes called humidity. Another interesting thing about fuel tanks is they breathe and they breathe in and out concurrent with the outside / inside temperatures. You have left an outboard plastic fuel tank vent closed and have seen the results right? So the end result is the fuel is now cyclically exposed to the water in the air and consequently exposed for absorption to the Ethanol and you can now see the end result. It is wise to maintain the necessary additives in the boat's fuel tank to keep the Ethanol in suspension and burned with the gasoline. However, it's your boat.....

 

[scoflaw]

I'll help you out a bit here - Most commercial gasoline in the US has up to 10% Ethanol which is an alcohol. Ethanol like all alcohols is hydroscopic. Hydroscopic means that it absorbs water. Just about everything absorbs some water but Ethanol saturates at about 4.5% at room temperature which is high in comparison. After that saturation point the Ethanol/Water tends to drop out of suspension and being heavier than the gasoline will settle in the bottom of the tank; this distill ends up being a corrosive chemistry to many metals. Now, in boats the fuel tanks are vented; where is that vent? That vent is on the side of the hull and exposed to unusually high water content in the air, sometimes called humidity. Another interesting thing about fuel tanks is they breathe and they breathe in and out concurrent with the outside / inside temperatures. You have left an outboard plastic fuel tank vent closed and have seen the results right? So the end result is the fuel is now cyclically exposed to the water in the air and consequently exposed for absorption to the Ethanol and you can now see the end result. It is wise to maintain the necessary additives in the boat's fuel tank to keep the Ethanol in suspension and burned with the gasoline. However, it's your boat.....

10% ethanol is all that is available to me. Hard to believe I've been doing it wrong for the past 45 years without a problem. FYI the separation takes quite a while to happen

Thanks for helping me out.

 

[JimT]

We have non ethanol fuel at my marina. I add Star Tron when I fill up the tanks in the late fall as that gas will sit until spring. Cheap insurance.

 

[sbw1]

That's exactly how I fuel the 2 boats I own. So are you saying the cans are contaminated ?

No. Had a neighbor with older outboards who bought e10 at gas stations to avoid being ripped off by marinas selling treated, nonethanol gas at higher prices. His engines stopped working and the fuel lines rotted out. His cans were also rusty, so maybe they were part of the issue. I believe the main thing was his motors were not designed for e10.