Fuel stabiliser

[sandspider]

Hi folks

 

I run a mixture of 2t and pure petrol tools (none expensive!), and I run them all on super unleaded petrol (E5). Sometimes they sit for a while unusued (weeks or months), so I drain them down and run them empty before storing them. But it's a bit of a faff - if I put fuel stabiliser in the petrol, can they sit unused for as long as I need then fire straight up? Does fuel stabiliser work on 2 stroke and 4 stroke fuels, without affecting mix ratios or anything? Is it still needed if I'm not using E10 petrol? The petrol can sit around for a while too, months - I'm not a heavy user (domestic only).

 

And what's a good one to try if so? Plenty on ebay & Amazon, but if anyone can recommend a decent (not overly expensive) one that would be good. Briggs and Stratton, as I have at least one of their engines?

 

Thanks.

[Macpherson]

Hi, I've been using it for quite some time in any small engine 2 and 4 stroke, the brand I favour is Ethanol shield but I've also used Briggs and Stratton's Fuel Fit and can say that these definitely do what they claim, ie keeping the fuel stabilised for up to several years.... and much longer in my experience.

 

It's a complicated subject but you can get a handle on it with a bit of personal experience of using plus a good bit of reading.

 

I also managed to get many of my more informed customers to use the stuff and so I can see the difference between their engine probs and others who don't bother... who know what the immense cost of using crap fuel has been globally since the introduction of this rubbish, cheers.

 

[Steven1210]

Why not just run alkylate fuel?

 

 

 

For the little use it would take the faff out of it.

 

Granted, it costs more, but saves you having to drain and buy stabilisation products.

 

 

[Bunzena]

I think it's very difficult to get a hard and fast answer to this question.

 

I recently saw a small test run by a UK motorcycle magazine, where they tested E5, E10 and 'no ethanol' fuels - with and without stabiliser.

At the end they concluded that there was no clear differences in how the engines ran or started across the sample.

 

I switched to Aspen a few years ago - and I had one piece of kit [a Stihl Auger] start third pull after sitting for three plus years with the same fuel in the tank.

I did once use fuel stabiliser in a petrol mower over the winter and that was a *&%$£ to start in the spring.

 

So who knows.

 

I do wonder if there's a correlation between careful owners that are more likely to use a stabiliser - and it's that that gives a false impression?

[Macpherson]

48 minutes ago, Steven1210 said:

Why not just run alkylate fuel?

 

 

 

For the little use it would take the faff out of it.

 

Granted, it costs more, but saves you having to drain and buy stabilisation products.

 

 

 

Ok, know this is a site where we're mostly talking about saws, but the effects of this fuel on all IC engines really can't be underestimated.

 

While you can run your saws etc on Aspen and pass the cost on to customers it remains the fact that it's simply not financially practical for most folk to run other stuff on Alkylate... Genies, bikes, outboards, any small occasionally used IC engines, all classic machinery and of course your car..

I believe diesel also has an amount of Ethanol now added, so really any machine that you seldom use [ meaning weeks, not years ] will in some way be really quite quickly be exposed to potential damage by stale fuel that has now an affinity for the H2O which quickly makes it corrosive to many materials... this water previously would have laid at the bottom of the tank not mixing with the 'fuel' causing annoying rust and not much else.

 

So to prevent endless new problems in my fleet of wee engines that often tend to lie about for months, I use fuel stabiliser religiously.. really no cost as £8.50 ish will treat around 150L. cheers.

 

B3C Ethanol Shield Fuel Stabiliser 118ml | Toolstation

WWW.TOOLSTATION.COM

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Triple antioxidant fuel stabiliser eliminates then prevents ethanol related problems, promoting easy engine starting. Protect machinery from the corrosive effects of ethanol blended fuels...

 

[Stihl123]

i run aspen in all saws and smaller stuff. as i was the same, i have stuff that can sit for months

love the fact i can leave stuff for months and then grab it and use it no issues

 

for everything else that uses more fuel, i use E5 and put this in it 

Hydra LMA-20 Petrol Additive & Stabilizer for all 2-Stroke and 4-Stroke Engines

WWW.EBAY.CO.UK

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Petrol fuel stabilizer for all 2 and 4 stroke engines, prolongs the shelve life of petrol by stabilising it during storage. Hydra LMA-20 contains octane boosters which improve combustion and...

 

 

 

[pleasant]

The official line from companies such as briggs and stratton, honda etc is e10 pump fuel has a shelf life of around 30 days before it rapidly deteriorates. E5 is around 6 to 7 weeks. I sell briggs and stratton fuel fit and have for years since the introduction of e5. It does work and will prolong the fuel life, although if used with e10 then the doseage should be increased by 25% more than the dosage for e5, although you cannot overdose using it...will not go as far if you do.

 

Aspen is fine in 2 strokes if you have used it since day one in your machines, but not recommended for use in diaphragm carbs that have previously been used for protracted periods on pump fuel. In your 4 strokes aspen will be fine irrelevant what you have previously been using.

Edited January 27, 2023 by pleasant

[Muddy42]

Or run 1/2 a tank of alkylate through before long term storage? I am also a big fan of carb disassembly, cleaning and carb kits.

[sandspider]

Thanks, all.

 

I have ordered some B&S fuel fit and will see how it goes.

 

Nowhere round me seems to sell Aspen, but everywhere sells petrol - even the E5 goodness. I might consider Aspen in future new kit, but don't want the faff of converting existing stuff (long coniditioned to petrol) to use Aspen and suffering broken fuel lines etc.

[pleasant]

7 hours ago, sandspider said:

Thanks, all.

 

I have ordered some B&S fuel fit and will see how it goes.

 

Nowhere round me seems to sell Aspen, but everywhere sells petrol - even the E5 goodness. I might consider Aspen in future new kit, but don't want the faff of converting existing stuff (long coniditioned to petrol) to use Aspen and suffering broken fuel lines etc.

If you have an hour to spare, check out your local esso stations. A large number of them (but not all) sell thr esso premium unleaded, which is ethanol free, so no need for a load of stabilisers or aspen anyway.

 

A quick google may well tell you of your nearest ethanol free esso station. I will check, but even if ethanol free, they do put e5 of the pumps so I believe

 

Whose "E5" is really "E0" ethanol free? - Page 1 - General Gassing - PistonHeads UK

WWW.PISTONHEADS.COM