Fuel Stabilizers / Fuel Treatments - Which one and why?

[Little Ducky]

There are so many Fuel Stabilizers and Treatments on the market all claiming one thing or another. Which one do you use, which one do you avoid? ...... and why.

I've been using Sta-Bil Marine because it's conveniently carried at the fuel dock.

 

[superwa]

I use Seafoam quite often

 

[bbwhitejr]

In 2013, we bought our ‘06 260DA. I started out using Sea Foam and if used as recommended, it was way expensive. Soon thereafter, Startron came highly recommended. I used it as recommended for the next 4 years with never an issue with fuel. I burned the cheapest 87 octane I could find at the corner station with never an issue.

Bennett

 

[B BARKER]

I have 153 Gallons on each side I have always put 32oz in each tank and fill em up with non-eth gas. Stabil Marine is what I use. I have done the same in my century runabout for 28 years and never had a problem with either one....8oz in this one......

 

[KevinC]

+1 on the Startron I use it on every fill-up. It's readily available at Walmart and a small bottle is under $10 and will treat and stabilize 128 gallons. I still like seafoam in high doses when cleaning small engines like lawn mowers.

-Kevin

 

[CNYBoater]

I used Sta-bil at end of season for wintering the boat. In spring I put in Startron for the recommissioning, and at fueling I put in SeaForm. I guess I don't have a favorite all around, but I do like those three for those specific instances. I also use Non-ethanol fuel, mostly 91 Octane as that is the most common in my area. Occasionally I'll stop at a Fastrak station which carries the non-ethanol fuel in 87 Octane but its not that much cheaper than 91.

 

[sbw1]

There are so many Fuel Stabilizers and Treatments on the market all claiming one thing or another. Which one do you use, which one do you avoid? ...... and why.

I've been using Sta-Bil Marine because it's conveniently carried at the fuel dock.

What you use depends on where you boat. West Michigan's marinas sell non ethanol gas and many of them treat their fuel as well. So there no need to add anything during the boating season. Even if you choose to purchase gas at a gas station and purchase non alcohol gas, there is no need for an additive if you burn it during the summer. Even during storage with non e10 gas you can probably be ok without an additive, although we put Stabil in our boat during the lay up period. It is a good product. Where you store is important too. Inside heated storage provides a more uniform temperature which means little or no condensation issues.
I store a tractor in a unheated pole barn during the winter with non e10 fuel in it and have no problems with it in the spring time. However, I'm not suggesting that is a good practice. However, it does suggest that using a good source of fresh fuel goes a long ways toward preventing problems when you regularly use your equipment.

 

[northern]

We use nothing. Boat is left full in fall and starts and runs in the spring without problem. We make sure we use non E10 fuel gas.

 

[sbw1]

We use nothing. Boat is left full in fall and starts and runs in the spring without problem. We make sure we use non E10 fuel gas.

I have had just one fuel issue in some 40 plus years of boating in Michigan. It happened when work got crazy and I did not boat enough to go through a tank of fuel for one summer and discovered crud in the fuel filters the following summer. The boat ran ok on the old fuel but the filters worked overtime. I changed them out twice and then used the normal amount of gas during the summer. All was well at the end of the season. This was prior to e10 which we have never used in a boat. Had this been a fuel tank full of e10 it would have been another matter altogether.

 

[KevinC]

Merc does not recommend storage with a full tank of gas if there is ethanol in use. If I remember correctly they recommend 1/4 tank with extra stabilizer.

-Kevin

 

[Happy Dayz]

if you use non-E gas .... is it good to add something like Seafoam seasonally to keep parts clean? or just not worth it?

 

[CNYBoater]

I use Seafoam at every fill up, and extra when storing for winter with a full tank of fuel (30 Gallons). I have a 2-stroke Carbureted Outboard and never use fuel with ethanol. My manual states to store with a full tank if not e-gas. SeaFoam's Website states you can not over treat the fuel so I don't mind putting another bottle in before storage. A lot thicker exhaust cloud, and very blue in color that first firing in spring on the hose though.

 

[sbw1]

We are still doing nothing to treat our non e10 gas. We continue to have absolutely no current issues.

 

[SCORPIO]

This could end up like the motor oil debates, turning into a pissing contest. I'l throw in my two cents anyway. I use Sta-bil marine with good results. It' readily available, not too expensive and it seems to work. Startron is mostly naptha, a strong solvent. That' fine for cleaning out gunk but doesn' do much for oxidative breakdown or ethanol phase separation . As to the enzyme claim, I'm very skeptical of that. As a person with extensive biology background, I don't see any enzyme putting phase separated gas back together. It' a free country so use what ever you are happy with.

 

[Craig]

I use K100 with E10. Never had a problem.