Comments on: Finds: STA-Bil Fuel Stabilizer

By: Old Donn

Old Donn — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 00:51:55 +0000

A little tip from my local auto parts expert. Add Sta-Bil every time you run your yard equipment all summer along with the season ending routine. No question about fuel system integrity then.

By: jeff

jeff — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 14:30:39 +0000

I’ve been using Sta-Bil on my snowmobiles for years. I always fill the tank to the top (to prevent condensation), Sta-Bil the gas, run the sled for awhile to make sure it gets into the carbs, and finally spray fogging oil in the cylinders. The Sta-Bil and fogging oil combo has never let me down. Some guys will drain the carb bowls just to be extra safe but I’ve never had a problem with leaving Sta-Bil’d gas in them.

By: Rick

Rick — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 13:04:19 +0000

I just used this last weekend on my dad’s lawn mower.. He bought it new last fall - Toro, walk behind with electric start, etc. He loved it.. he mowed the lawn twice and then stored it over the winter. When this past spring rolled around, the “Guaranteed to Start” Toro, well, didn’t.. We figured this must be covered under warranty.. As it turns out, it’s not. So $250 later for a full overhaul, oil change, carb rebuild, etc. And the lawn mower was good as new.

So this year we got a clue. After my dad mowed the lawn for the last time, I added some Sta-Bil, and ran it through the engine. I then followed the lawn mower’s manufacturer’s directions for winter storage and ran the lawn mower dry, and tried to start it a few more times ti make sure there was nothing left in the carb or the tank.

I’ll let you know how it goes next spring

By: Roscoe

Roscoe — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 03:44:37 +0000

So what’s the best fuel additive to use? We’ve got a lot of small engines in our shop to winterize, and I’m curious if any of the new high-end fuel treatments perform any better than plain ol’ Stabil.

By: Myself

Myself — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 23:21:31 +0000

But simply mixing Sta-Bil with the gas left in the can at the end of the mowing season isn’t the best plan, nor the most efficient. Try this:

After you’ve finished (what you hope to be) the season’s last mow, add a few drops of Sta-Bil to the mower’s tank and slosh it around a bit. Start the engine back up so the treated gas can move into the carburetor, which is the part you really want to protect from varnish and crud.

Then take the gas can up to the local gas station, dump its contents into your car’s tank, top off the car, and refill the can. Add a dose of Sta-Bil if you’re the forgetful type.

Put that full can right back in the shed where it belongs. If you’re the rememberful type (I just made that word up, I’m proud!), repeat the car ritual every month or two, ensuring that the gas in the can is always fresh. If not, at least you treated it.

Remember that in a power outage, gas pumps don’t work either, and Murphy’s law guarantees that your car will be on fumes when Edison goes kaput. Why leave an empty can in the shed when it could be part of your emergency plan?

Cold weather is a good time to check over your home and car emergency kits anyway. Swap fresh batteries into your standby flashlights, and use the older ones in devices that’ll run ‘em flat before they die of old age. Check the dates on your medical supplies, are the moist wipes still moist? Play with that radio a bit so you’re familiar with the controls. Spare tire fully inflated? Come to think of it, the new highway bypass which might be useful in an evacuation isn’t even on that ratty old map tucked behind the seat…