Fuel Stabilizer for winter storage, Do's, Don'ts, Would use, and wont's

I'm a Stabil believer. Friends at church always bringing me mowers or small engines to get running. It's 99% gummed carburetors from letting ethanol based gas sitting in the carburetor over the winter.

 

I would fill your tank as full as you can because if you leave it on less than that the condensation collects on the top of the tank. Then it is like a little rain forest in there. 4 or 5 months of winter storage probably won't be too bad, but longer would start troubles. The Sta-bil is not a bad Idea. Would use in small engine stuff or run them dry. Humid conditions make it worse especially Down here in Florida. My old GMC Van gets condensation on the inside of the roof. I opened the side door one day and leaned in to get something. When I shifted an engine block the water rained down on me like wet leaves on a tree. It's like parking on a wet sponge here.

 

The Seafoam has worked great for me over the years in the lawn tractor/weed-eater/chainsaw/car, I actually keep a few cans on the shelf.

 

Was surfing at Roadkill and happen to come across this https://m.roadkillcustoms.com/fuel-stabilizer-prevent-ethanol-damage/ not a real scientific test but the guy did cover a lot of parameters with interesting results, not with Stabil but another fuel conditioner. Don't know how much difference there is between brands, but wow, fuel can really screw up some stuff and evaporation rates of the ethanol based stuff was way out there.

 

The years I used Stabil my 70 Camaro and 87 Grand Nat’l would not start for a long time. It’s junk. I only use it on my John Deere.

 

I had the same experience as COPO when I used Stabil in my 1969 Camaro. After using the Stabil the car did not run right for quite awhile after.

 

I don't think that you can go wrong with either Sta-Bil or Seafoam....

 

You guys can keep using that sh!t.

 

It took 2 tanks of gas before my car ran right after using Stabil. Never again