Didn't know if this post should go here or in the general forum but, like for a lot of us, motorcyling is a seasonal thing in my part of the world. Living in the midwestern U.S. means that your bike is put up and not ridden for at least several months a year, maybe as much as 4 or 5 months depending upon how well you can tolerate cold weather riding. As most riders (and car drivers) of vintage machines bemoan the ethanol blended fuel available nowdays, its' use, by itself, is bad enough, but when you have to leave your bike sit for a good part of the year, it sort of compounds the potential for fuel related problems. I, like I would assume a lot of people do, I use a fuel treatment intended to add to ethanol gas to reduce or hopefully eliminate those problems. Although, there are many various brands of products, I usually use Sta-Bil brand fuel treatment. A small amount of this product, will treat many gallons of fuel. My question is, is there any downside to using these types of products? I usually stick very close to the recommended dose of treatment to gas, but, again, is there a downside to overdosing with these kinds of products? I don't know that there are any petro-chemical engineers here, but does anyone here have any info on whether there are any negative effects of these products use? Maybe it's just my imagination, but it seems like I can tell a difference in the exhaust smell when Sta-Bil is being used in the fuel.
Fuel treatment product use
- Thread starter quawk
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lazyeye6
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I have used Seabright because I like the smell better. Most recently I have been using Star Tron because the name sounds cool and I like the
colors on the container. IMHO anyone who doesn’t use such products in alcohol laden gasoline is just asking for trouble.
colors on the container. IMHO anyone who doesn’t use such products in alcohol laden gasoline is just asking for trouble.
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I have used Stabil in stored vehicles for many years. In one case a motorcycle was stored for TWO YEARS with "normal" E10 pump gas/Stabil added and it started for the first time in two years as if it had been running yesterday. I store all our vehicles for typically 5-7 months per year and with Stabil they start with no issue at all. The two year thing was actually accidental - I didn't mean to store it that long - it just happened. I assume other fuel stabilizers are equally effective but Stabil is the only such product I have experience with. I never search out non-ethanol fuel; all vehicles get "normal" pump gas.
concours
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5 years (unplanned) in my Mercury outboard. Bastidd started, ran & idled as it should.
Mart UK
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My old car was off the road for over 2 years. Standard petrol with about half a tank / 5gals in there. No additives. Started right off and ran fine.
Fortnine did a YouTube video a year or two ago and it would put me off buying the additives, if I'd ever experienced a stale fuel problem. On one of my bikes I know I won't be using, fuel tap off, I fill the tank, to reduce the chance of condensation rusting. To avoid evaporation damage in the carbs, I drain the carbs and kick the bike over a few times to the clear carbs of fuel, before I put the bike away. Early this year it stood 3 months after which it coughed into life fine and ran well.
My problem is I will ride my Commando in the winter, so I don't mothball it. I suppose I could get caught out one day, if we have a long cold damp spell.
Fortnine did a YouTube video a year or two ago and it would put me off buying the additives, if I'd ever experienced a stale fuel problem. On one of my bikes I know I won't be using, fuel tap off, I fill the tank, to reduce the chance of condensation rusting. To avoid evaporation damage in the carbs, I drain the carbs and kick the bike over a few times to the clear carbs of fuel, before I put the bike away. Early this year it stood 3 months after which it coughed into life fine and ran well.
My problem is I will ride my Commando in the winter, so I don't mothball it. I suppose I could get caught out one day, if we have a long cold damp spell.
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concours
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Ethanol laced fuel with change all that.
Hang on to the good ole days as long as you can
marshg246
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Similarly, I do these things to avoid E10 problems.
1) Turn off the fuel taps a short distance from home, so the carbs are nearly dry once parked. If I think it might sit a month or two, I drain the little remaining from the bowls in the next 2-3 days.
2) If the bike is likely to sit longer, I make sure the tank is nearly full. The water that ethanol can attract is from the air, not the gas.
3) If the bike is likely to sit a really long time, then I remove the tank and drain it completely and put it in my car.
I have never used any gas additives. I figure that in some situations they may have value, I've just never seen the need for the that value.
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Don't know what is available in the US or other foreign countries.
But here in Sweden we can buy Aspen fuel. Available in 95RON, 98RON and 102 RON. Not cheap, but I've had no problem with starting a bike after 6 years filled up with that stuff.
Use it for last 2 or 3 fillings in the autumn. With a dozen bikes, chain saws, movers, generators and other stuff saves a lot of time. No hassle with draining tanks and carbs.
A synthetic fuel made from LPG. Initially made for chain saws as exhausts are less toxic.
But here in Sweden we can buy Aspen fuel. Available in 95RON, 98RON and 102 RON. Not cheap, but I've had no problem with starting a bike after 6 years filled up with that stuff.
Use it for last 2 or 3 fillings in the autumn. With a dozen bikes, chain saws, movers, generators and other stuff saves a lot of time. No hassle with draining tanks and carbs.
A synthetic fuel made from LPG. Initially made for chain saws as exhausts are less toxic.
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I’m going to find out what Victor Mature put on his hair and mix it with my petrol.
Victor Mature, there's a blast from the past.
What do the different numbers and RON stand for?
marshg246
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Interesting! Do you have to make carb settings or jetting changes?
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Octane rating - Wikipedia
marshg246
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I stabilise my fuel by setting the tank down on the floor of the garage.
marshg246
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Appears to be a US company US: https://www.aspenfuels.us/
If their advertising is true, sounds like great stuff however at $34.99+Sales Tax/gallon at the dealer near me - I don't think I'll try it.
Jonez69
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One plus for Aspen fuels! I run it in all my power equipment, mower, snowblower, trimmer etc. They also offer a pre-mix for 2 stroke like the trimmer and leaf blower. My retailer sells Aspen4 and Aspen2 for around $26-28 for 1.3 gallon jug. I did top off my bikes with Aspen4 for winter storage this fall, but I also run 100LL that I purchase locally from my small town airport. The reason for topping off tanks with the Aspen was to use up what I had on hand. I am selling my house and no longer need my lawn equipment. Av Gas will store much longer than pump gas, so I don't use fuel stabilizers anyway.
