Sta-Bil

[Mayfield]

Anyone use Sta-Bil? I have used it for decades in lawn equipment, boats, motorcycles, etc.

Haven't used it in my Rotax 912 ULS.

Any comments, facts, anecdotal info?

Thanks folks

Jim

 

[Sv.grainne]

I found it doesn't help much. Just get some ethanol free fuel.

 

[MikeBoyette]

Mix some avgas in with your fuel.

 

[Aerofoam]

Anyone use Sta-Bil? I have used it for decades in lawn equipment, boats, motorcycles, etc.

Haven't used it in my Rotax 912 ULS.

Any comments, facts, anecdotal info?

Thanks folks

Jim

I make my own, it's BHT dissolved in warm diesel fuel.
It's better known as a food preservative, but it's main function to that end is as an antioxidant which prevents spoiling of all sorts of things.
It got bad press along with BHA in the late 70's, but it turns out BHA IS bad, but BHT can be taken as a supplement !!!
Anyway, my cheap gasoline lasts over a year with it and no air space in the container....

 

[GyroChuck]

Mix some avgas in with your fuel.

How much Avgas to auto fuel. Ethanol free fuel here costs $6.20/gal and the place is not close to the airport.

I have fiberglass tanks. They have been coated at the factory to resist ethanol. But still advise to use non-ethanol fuel nor avgas.

 

[Mayfield]

Thanks.

Thus far, I have been unable to find E0 gas except in 5 gal cans at $12 a gallon.

I burn 100 LL in my Gobosh because of the fiberglass fuel tank. Change the oil every 25 hours.

My TAG has a cross-linked polyethylene tank so no problem with ethanol. I try to burn gas within a couple of weeks but if I don't fly for awhile, it would be nice to not worry about fuel deterioration. Thus the Sta-Bil question.

Thanks again

Jim

 

[MikeBoyette]

Not quite sure of the ratio. I just knew guys I flew with that had success. I ran 100LL in my 670 with Amsoil Interceptor and had no problems at all. The two times I used auto fuel my engine took a crap. So after that stuck with the combo of avgas/amsoil. I have gone almost a year and avgas still smells fresh.

 

[Abid]

Ethanol free fuel is better but it can still evaporate tremendously and leave brown junk residue that plugs carb jets and needles.
If you are not going to fly for over 2 months. Best is to take the gas out and out it in your car and fill with some Avgas and run the engine 10 minutes to get carb bowls filled with Avgas. It will last just fine for up to a year

 

[Sv.grainne]

I see one location in Phoenix that sells E0, lots of places outside the Metro area.

 

[Sv.grainne]

I use E0 in my mowers, chainsaw, and emergency generator. Haven't noticed any degradation going on 6 months when left in topped off.

 

[MTO Flyer]

I see one location in Phoenix that sells E0, lots of places outside the Metro area.

Most E0 in Arizona is 87 octane based on what I have found.

 

[Sv.grainne]

90 widely available here but I'm burning 93 with ethanol. Fly most ever day.

 

[Sv.grainne]

Bartlett lake marina Scottsdale advertises 91 E0

 

[bell206]

I make my own, it's BHT dissolved in warm diesel fuel.
It's better known as a food preservative, but it's main function to that end is as an antioxidant which prevents spoiling of all sorts of things.
It got bad press along with BHA in the late 70's, but it turns out BHA IS bad, but BHT can be taken as a supplement !!!
Anyway, my cheap gasoline lasts over a year with it and no air space in the container....

Is that why you go by Aerofoam?

 

[Aerofoam]

Is that why you go by Aerofoam?

Aerofoam is my biz. We design and build unmanned aircraft.
And launching systems...

 

[GyrOZprey]

I use no-ethanol 91 octane - available at local fuel stations - Nusser Fuels - I paid $ 3.85/gal last week.

I use it in my Polaris Ranger UTV and Hustler lawn mowers, and Honda generators also. (It is the only grade - with no ethanol currently available locally) ...When the local little fuel company sold out - the no ethanol 87 grade for mowers was no longer available!

In the gyros I also add SEAFOAM - like Stabil it is fuel preservative and also carb cleaner /injector cleaner! When I started in gyros - a TX Rotax IRMT recommended SEAFOAM additive - & promised I'd never have any fuel-related carb issues./gunked-up carbs! Even when having to use some ethanol-blends when traveling XC in the gyro ...adding Seafoam will keep the carbs/injectors nice & clean- gunk free!

After winter I drain the left-over fuel out of the gyros and use it up in the mowers/ranger! If the fuel has sat a few weeks - I can also add a bit of octane booster!

When flying XC in gyro - in my spare fluids bag I have a bottle of rotax oil ,seafoam, octane booster and the silicone spray for the PR belt as well as Decalin for when I have to fuel with 100LL!

 

[Smack]

Just drain the fuel from the tanks / float bowls.

 

[Sv.grainne]

Works to a point. I did that for years with my 2 stroke dinghy engine, had to rebuild carb every time back!

 

[j4flyer]

100LL is stable for 5 years. The fuel we get at the pump in most western states goes back after two weeks. I drain my tank and carb on my dirt bike before storage. I use 100LL in all my lawn equipment. I also use seafoam to aid in keeping the lead flushed. I’ve found my carb problems ceased when I began using 100LL.

 

[GyroRon]

JIm, I believe that even though the pumps will have a tag or sticker on them that states " This gasoline MAY contain up to 10 percent ethanol " that sometimes it doesn't have any ethanol in it. Especially the 93 octane premium gas.

It might be a pain in the butt, but if you have time, you can always take a water bottle with you to the gas station and test the fuel out of the pump to check. You might find some non ethanol gas that is marked as normal ethanol laced gas...

Here is a link to a way to do the test.

You would have to probably pump a gallon or two of gas into your car or truck to get rid of any lower octane fuel out of the hose before your getting the premium gas, assuming the station you stop at is the type that has one hose / noozle for all grades of fuel. And you might have to drive to several stations before finding one that has non ethanol...

And obviously, just cause you found one that today has non ethanol... You would need to test for ethanol again next time you come if their tanks have been refilled since you bought fuel last.