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- Sep 7, 2024
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As the title suggests, stabilizer in fuel means it will last forever, right? Read on.
Do you just dump a best guess amount of stabilizer in the fuel tank(s) or fuel cans? Do you think "more is better" will make fuel last longer? It does not. Follow the direction on the product container.
Is the fuel "new" that was in the ground tanks at the station when you purchased it? Probably not.... The only advantage is that it has had less oxygen/air exposure to prevent rapid breakdown. It still breaks down in the ground tanks and during transport.
Was it still new when you used it out of a fuel can that has been sitting for a couple of months? That only means the fuel was only "new" once upon a time.
How long can fuel sit in a fuel tank of a typical mower, especially in summer heat? A week, two weeks, a month?
Over many years, I have used/tested just about every proclaimed fuel stabilizer only to find out that:
1: Ethanol fuel will "phase separate", chemically split in just a couple of months and loose volatility pretty quickly.
2: Non-Ethanol fuel tends to last much longer with and without stabilizer.
3. Any fuel that is exposed to air absorbs humidity and eventually forms water droplets in the fuel; Ethanol fuel just does this at a faster rate.
I will not suggest the "best" fuel stabilizer because some work better than others in different regions and weather conditions. That just turns into a never-ending debate, so I suggest keep your fuel as fresh as possible and use what works for you.
Just never assume that you buy fuel in January and expect it to still be good when August rolls around. All fuels are a perishable commodity, and the market is experimenting with different fuels all the time to limit the longevity so they can sell more on a daily basis. In many areas of the country/world they have "Winter or Summer blend" fuels so the mixture is constantly changing.
My experience has been to run the equipment dry at the end of a season, then pull the carburetor and clean the bowl and the rest of the carburetor before putting it back into service when the next season comes.
I will also not claim newer fuel injection equipment will not be any better, because it just adds more complexity to cleaning or keeping the fuel system clean.
If anyone has not experienced fuel stabilizer turning to gel from aging, you have been lucky, because it will happen with equipment left sitting for exceedingly long periods.
Do you just dump a best guess amount of stabilizer in the fuel tank(s) or fuel cans? Do you think "more is better" will make fuel last longer? It does not. Follow the direction on the product container.
Is the fuel "new" that was in the ground tanks at the station when you purchased it? Probably not.... The only advantage is that it has had less oxygen/air exposure to prevent rapid breakdown. It still breaks down in the ground tanks and during transport.
Was it still new when you used it out of a fuel can that has been sitting for a couple of months? That only means the fuel was only "new" once upon a time.
How long can fuel sit in a fuel tank of a typical mower, especially in summer heat? A week, two weeks, a month?
Over many years, I have used/tested just about every proclaimed fuel stabilizer only to find out that:
1: Ethanol fuel will "phase separate", chemically split in just a couple of months and loose volatility pretty quickly.
2: Non-Ethanol fuel tends to last much longer with and without stabilizer.
3. Any fuel that is exposed to air absorbs humidity and eventually forms water droplets in the fuel; Ethanol fuel just does this at a faster rate.
I will not suggest the "best" fuel stabilizer because some work better than others in different regions and weather conditions. That just turns into a never-ending debate, so I suggest keep your fuel as fresh as possible and use what works for you.
Just never assume that you buy fuel in January and expect it to still be good when August rolls around. All fuels are a perishable commodity, and the market is experimenting with different fuels all the time to limit the longevity so they can sell more on a daily basis. In many areas of the country/world they have "Winter or Summer blend" fuels so the mixture is constantly changing.
My experience has been to run the equipment dry at the end of a season, then pull the carburetor and clean the bowl and the rest of the carburetor before putting it back into service when the next season comes.
I will also not claim newer fuel injection equipment will not be any better, because it just adds more complexity to cleaning or keeping the fuel system clean.
If anyone has not experienced fuel stabilizer turning to gel from aging, you have been lucky, because it will happen with equipment left sitting for exceedingly long periods.