Fuel conditioner and storing your 350 for the winter

[Tomster]

With the instability of the ethanol blends, what is everyone using to stabilize their fuel for a relatively long term storage due to the instability of gas these days?

I've talked to a few mechanics and the rant is that the blended gas starts to become unstable in as early as a month.

I never realized how bad the issue was until I had to teardown my carbs in my boat. Stabil makes an ethanol stabilizer, but that is not as effective as the standard stabil in regular gasoline.

Your thoughts please.

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[Tomster]

http://www.fuel-testers.com/ethanol_engine_precautions.html

http://www.fuelsystemguide.com/what-is-the-best-ethanol-fuel-treatment/

:shrug:

 

[GJarrett]

Non ethanol gas is available in my area. For the winter I fill up my boat with non ethanol and also add in the Stabil for extra protection. The gas burns clean as new the next spring. If your area does not have non ethanol gas, it might be worth checking if you could drive to a local marina and see if their boat fuel nozzle can reach to the ramp or parking lot so you could fuel up at a marina? Just an idea.

 

[Blue Raptor]

One word: Sta-bil

 

[Tomster]

Non ethanol gas is available in my area. For the winter I fill up my boat with non ethanol and also add in the Stabil for extra protection. The gas burns clean as new the next spring. If your area does not have non ethanol gas, it might be worth checking if you could drive to a local marina and see if their boat fuel nozzle can reach to the ramp or parking lot so you could fuel up at a marina? Just an idea.

Absolutely, I agree. However I was kinda making the point for my brothers up north who will be potentially throwing the cover over the car for 4 months or longer.

My boat story simply opened my eyes to the instability of ethanol blended gas. The kicker is that ethanol formulated stabil isn't nearly as effective in ethanol fuels as the original stabil in non ethanol fuel.

YMMV, just something to think about

 

[tbillet]

We have non-ethanol 91 octane and Sunoco GT100 fuels available in my area. In PA, my car will go under cover at the first salt/cinder event and not emerge until April.

With non-ethanol or premium race fuel, would you still recommend a Sta-bil product for 4 months?

 

[btown93]

FWIW I contacted Ford Performance, and they said NO to any fuel stabilizers. I have always filled up my tank and used STA-BIL in my previous mustangs and have had no issues. I am still on the fence for what I plan to do.

 

[barstowpo]

Do some research on phase separation. This is inevitable in alcohol blended gasoline. No product will prevent it. If you can, obtain a non-alcohol fuel and use a stabilizer if you wish.

 

[J-nod]

I stored my Mazda without running it for a year (to the day.) Full tank with Sta-bil and it started right up and ran through that tank of gas with no issue. DI engine.

 

[Strokerswild]

Do some research on phase separation. This is inevitable in alcohol blended gasoline. No product will prevent it. If you can, obtain a non-alcohol fuel and use a stabilizer if you wish.

This.

Ethanol is some evil stuff, especially when it's left to sit for any length of time. In the cars/bikes that sit idle all winter, I always switch over to non-ethanol gas for the last couple of tanks in the fall, and add a stabilizer (I use Ethanol Shield) for good measure. Never an issue.

While we're on the topic, in small gas engines (mowers and such) I use nothing but non-ethanol gas and installed an inline fuel shutoff so I can run the carb dry before any long term storage. I haven't had a carburetor issue in over a decade.

 

[stshoo]

My dad has stored his cars every winter for years and we just filled the tank full of non-oxygenated gas and that was it. Tanks were always clean inside and cars started up right away in the spring. I never use fuel stabilizer in cars or lawn equipment when i lived up north.

 

[lenFeb]

FWIW I contacted Ford Performance, and they said NO to any fuel stabilizers. I have always filled up my tank and used STA-BIL in my previous mustangs and have had no issues. I am still on the fence for what I plan to do.

Resurrecting old thread from 2016.
This is interesting response from FP regarding fuel stabilizer additive.
I think gas tank in our cars is plastic made? So, I don't think storing car with 93 ethanol for a couple of months do any harm.

 

[dom418]

I’ve had good luck with Sea Foam

 

[WildHorse]

However I was kinda making the point for my brothers up north who will be potentially throwing the cover over the car for 4 months or longer.

I have my car stored from October to May. with 94 E10. Zero stabilizers, zero problems. This Ethanol is evil BS is just that, BS. All cars need to meet E10 specs since the mid-80's, and E15 specs since 2001. Your cars were built to handle it, including storage. Also if you're storing a car for a stupid long time, no stabilizers in the world will help. It's on you to figure something out.

 

[Nfs1000f]

I have added Sta-bil to blended gas going on three years now when I store my car for up to four months. I have not detected any performance issues and it always fires right up the 1st time each year.

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