Hoppy, we’ll just to have to agree, to disagree, for tonight! I’ve got some “grass fed beef” to put on the grill right now!!! Seeya my friend, Scott
dont cook it past medium rare!
but - how can i not have ethanol problems if i dont use fuel stabilizer???
Hoppy,
As T Price has pointed out, the ethanol/water product is not Stabil or a fuel stabilizer.
It’s Startron. An enzyme solution that somehow (Proprietary info) treats the water (brought into tanks by E10) and prevents water separation. This allows all the fuel in your tank to burn, and inhibits water collection in your tank.
I presume if you are very active in your boat use, and burn fuel often (nee–don’t leave old E10 in your tank for weeks or more) you will likely never see the benefits of Startron. You will consume away your fuel in a very short period of time, and hence “don’t need” startron.
All I know is the guys at Hanckel’s that take care of my engines recommend it’s use. They say there’s no downside, and they say if you add a little to much to your tank it won’t hurt anything. It will burn away with the fuel. They, like your family doc, are interested in the preventive care of your motor. The less ethanol/water in the tank issues they see, the better.
Ringfree, stabil, and startron each have specific uses. They are easily confused and often misidentified as “stabilizers.”
It sounds like you don’t require startron in your tanks.
dss - you win! thats the point i was trying to make to him. if you use your boat often enough those type fuel additives arnt needed. i know tons of people that dont add anything to their fuel, but they all use their boats constantly. i add fuel 2-3 times a week so it is always fresh in my tank.
people that are very casual or infrequent boaters should absolutely use it. actually, i work part time at a place that sells both and i sell a lot of it. i recommend it all the time - when its needed. in applications where you dont need it, i dont recommend it.
Water is a lot worse in a fuel injected engine then a carburated one. The fuel in your boat may have been put in there yesterday, but one has no clue how long has it been in the gas stations tanks. It’s pretty cheap insurance to use startron. There’s a reason the certified technicians reccomend it every fill up.
Ranting and raving and going on like you allways do Hoppy in the off topic area is one thing, but I don’t think it’s much appreciated when someone is asking a valid question concerning thier boat or motor.
Russ B.
Psalm 55:22
T2B -
i think you’re a tad off base here. water is bad for any motor, period. would you disagree?
now - startron, stabil, or any of the treatments are good, i never said they weren’t. i simply said that not every boat needs the stuff. if your boat is used constantly, there isnt much need for it.
as far as your comment about old gas at gas stations and the obvious concern you have with it, let me aaks you this - do you put startron in your car?? i would bet not a chance.
Hoppy, that is kind of what the guy at WM told me but it is not uncommon for my boat to sit for several weeks at a time and with a 86 gallon tank there is always a lot of gas in there. However he did say it can not hurt and is good insurance.
Sea Pro 210cc
Yamaha 200 4 Stroke
Dodge 1500 4x4 HEMI
Alright you guys seem to be really smart about all this and i am a new boat owner, I got a flats boat with a 1999 2 stroke yamaha 60 I come to fish Charleston a bunch but live in the mountains and run it fresh water a bunch so since I know nothing, do I need to add this stabil and if so when? I am not smart about what to do but I am totally comitted to learn how to prevent problems and do what i can. I bought a container of the stuff should I add it and if so when, I add Oil to the gas when I fill her up, do you add the stabil then…later…HELP! Thanks
If it swims throw a fly at it!
if my boat sat for longer than 2-3 weeks between tanks i would use a stabilizer - EVERY TIME! if you use it a lot and are constantly running the gas out then no, i wouldnt spend the money. if you typically use it infrequently, but say say are going on vacation and plan on using lots of gas, or fishing offshore every week during the season, i wouldnt add it then either. but, once you get back into a normal pattern of irregular or infrequent use, start adding it again.
BTW - we recommend startron and not stabil. and if you do use stabil make certain ITS THE BLUE MARINE FORMULA, NOT THE RED STUFF!!
Boaters are now faced with a new problem - ethanol fuel. For years, gasoline contained MTBE, an additive which controls the fuel’s octane properties. The additive is being phased out, and now much of the nation’s fuel supply is a blend of 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline, commonly referred to as E-10 fuel.
Ethanol presents several problems to boaters. The immediate impact of the formulation is a loss of horsepower and fuel economy. Early indications show drops of 3-5 % in of both categories. The loss of range sounds small, but adds up on boats that are often already stretched to the limit in terms of fuel needs. Additionally, ethanol is a very effective solvent, and has a tendency to dissolve old coatings of varnish and dirt in existing fuel systems. This can lead to plugged fuel filters, and other mechanical problems.
The added amounts of particles associated with ethanol fuel may warrant upgrading filter systems. Many engineers are now recommending that boats using ethanol fuel need to use 10 micron filters. Pre-E-10 systems will likely be using 28 micron filters. Manufacturers such as Yamaha have been quick to respond to ethanol fuel use by introducing replacement 10 micron filters.
The corrosive nature of ethanol can affect fuel lines and other components, causing them to crack and fail. Many older boats will require replacement of all fuel hoses and possibly other system components. Especially affected are boats equipped with fiberglass tanks. Many older vessels must have the fiberglass tanks replaced prior to using E-10 fuels, or face certain engine failures.
Water in E-10 fuel is another problem that boaters must deal with. The introduction of water on E-10 fuel can be disasterous. E-10 can hold up to four teaspoons of water in suspension per gallon. Once this saturation point is exceeded, the solution separates and the gas floats on top while the ethanol and water mix on the bottom. This event is called “phase separation”. Ethanol fuel can absorb enough water to reach it’s phase separation point
THANK YOU!!! I’m, a DUMA$$, THANKYOU!! Again, HOPPY, now get on “THAT” and try to spin a wheel!!! Seeya, Scott
Hoppy is right on base
if you are running your engine on a constant basis, you have no need for additives. you are constantly changing out your gas and it never has time to sit up. If on the other hand, your boat has a built in tank and you go a few months between fuel ups, you probably should add some sort of conditioner. My 1720 KW gets such great fuel mileage with the 90 Yammie. I take atleast one long trip a year to burn fuel and do treat it.
Do any of you naysayers see “all the posts” about E-10 problems??? I’d like to help my fellow fisherman try to prevent some of them if possible, not just assume it’s no big deal. Seeya, Scott
quote:
Originally posted by Mixed NutzDo any of you naysayers see “all the posts” about E-10 problems??? I’d like to help my fellow fisherman try to prevent some of them if possible, not just assume it’s no big deal. Seeya, Scott
jesus boy, when will you see the light and get a clue??
no one has said not to use a stabilizer. what people are saying is that there are situations where it is and is not needed. we’ve tried to identify those situations where it is and is not needed. personally i dont like to spend money that i dont have to. gas is expensive enough without spending more money dumping additives in it where they arn’t needed. and dont tell me that a few $$ in additives are a lot less than time at the shop getting ethanol related work done.
you are assuming that just b/c the gas has ethanol in it that it should be stabilized. that isnt the case. i believe i asked you this question before and you dodged the question so i’ll try again - which stabilizer do you run in your vehicle and i’m assuming you put it in every time you fuel up?
congratz
and dont tell me that a few $$ in additives are a lot less than time at the shop getting ethanol related work done.
That’s exactly what I’m saying! You asked someone else the ? (not dodging). I run pure gas only in my truck! Drive out of my way to do so. BOY!
still avoiding my question i see.
Scroll up!
you had to go back and edit. i call b/s on the pure gas. lets put a hypothetical twist on it - in the event that you couldnt get “pure gas” for your truck and had to put ethanol in it, would you add stabilizer?
MN
the facts prove hoppy is right…the quoted article says if it sits for two weeks or more it is recommended to use star tron
here is another factor that is probably more important than using star tron…do you do a sea foam treatment every 200 hours…if not carbon is building up on your motor and your engines life span is being deminished…if you are going to be zealous do it based on facts…not emotion…
hoppy
the answer is no…we do not use star tron in our vehicles…nor do we use sea foam…carbon build up is way worse than water intrusion in the fuel system…once carbon gets on an engine it does not easily come off…carbon creates resistance on the moving parts of your engine…thus eventually causing catastrophic failure…
Sorry on the edit. I don’t know how to get the “quote” thing to work without editing. Hoppy, the answer is no. I would only put enough E-10 in my truck to get me to the nearest pure gasoline no B/S. purposeone, I do use seafoam, (probably more than recommended), and know the dangers of carbon buildup.