How long will gas last in storage with Sta-bil?

[twinjayhawks]

I did a Google search for this and found:

"I am a firm believer of STA-BIL Fuel Stabilizer.
I was a head mechanic in a power equipment repair and sales business for 10 years.
In my own experience my portable gasoline powered generator had been sitting in a shed for 4 years. I brought it out after Hurricane Irene and it started on the 4th. pull of the recoil cord, thanks to Sta-Bil! As each gasoline can is emptied I automaticly install Sta-Bil before refilling them. All of my personal power equipment has Stabilized fuel in it.It has payed off. I keep 2 bottles of Sta-Bil on hand at all times. Thank you Sta-Bil Fuel Stabilizer!"

Can gas really last that long? I have gas in my generated with Sta-Bil for at least 2 years. I was thinking of dumping it out today but decided to ask here first.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I like the new Marine formula. Its a black color and cost about $6 for enough to treat 100 gallons. It takes like 1oz for 10 gallons of gas so the container looks small compared to the old school red stuff but its been top notch for us in the marine industry. Its formulated to work with todays crap gas with that ethanol in it.

Phase separation is a issue and this has seem to slow it down greatly. Another big issue I see is not keeping the tank full. It really makes a difference on how much moisture via condensation it taken on.

Chris

 

[MHarryE]

Several years ago I returned to the north and first thing bought a couple snowmobiles. One of them wasfull at the season end so I added Sta-Bil, shook it up good, and stored it. The other was virtually empty so I just stored it. Start of the next year the one with Sta-Bil started fine cold, but at the first stop I couldn't restart it. Wife and I rode double home to get our trailer. When we got back it started up so I rode it home. Next day same thing. Started fine real cold, but wouldn't start after being stopped for 15 minutes. At work the next day I asked our snowmobile guru about it. He said that even with the Sta-Bil the easy vaporizing hydrocarbons evaporate out. Cold for some reason it starts but warm, not hot, it won't go. He said my solution would be to drain the Sta-Bil'ized fuel, fill it with fresh, and my problem would be solved. It worked. I used the old fuel up by dumping a couple gallons in the tank each time I filled up (12 gallon tank). Learned my lesson - run low at the end of a season, Sta-Bil for the little remaining, and fill with fresh for the first ride of the next season. Snowmobiles and the like are the only things you can get non-alcohol fuel for here in MN so ethanol was not a contributor. I only run off highway premium non-alky at 50 to 75 cents extra per gallon in my snowmobiles.

 

[two_bit_score]

Is Sea Foam as good as StaBil for treating stored gasoline?

 

[oldballs]

There are some other threads on TBN about Stabil that are good. Some comment on the shelf life of an opened bottle of Stabil vs the unopened bottle itself. My experience is that I routinely add the red Stabil to stored gas. I routinely store 10 to 20 gallons of regular gas in various 1 gallon to 5 gallon containers. With so many small engines from 3 thru 18 HP, that get used in varing frequency, I just add the Stabil to all the gasoline just in case something sits for several months. Even using Stabil, I date all storage containers and make sure they don't go unused for more than 3-4 months. I never "dump" old gasoline! It gets poured into my truck when necessary. As to your Generator gasoline, you might just siphon it (not to many gallons I hope), and feed it to a vehicle in one gallon amounts to dispose of it without hurting anything. Let's hope the carbueretor on the generator is okay after sitting that long. Cheers...Mike BTW I always store gasoline/diesel fuel outdoors.

 

[Sutol]

I d that unleaded keeps for about a year then starts going off.

Leaded on the other hand will be good for years.

 

[murphy1244]

I have never had luck with a stabilizer. I just run it dry then add a shot of oil in the cylinder pull twice and store.Fires up all the time.

 

[s219]

If you can get real gas, Sta-bil does help. But with Ethanol-blended gas, which is what most of us get nowadays whether we want it or not, I think it has a shelf life of 8-10 weeks. I try not to keep any Ethanol gas around more than a couple months.

I do pass by a station out in the western part of the state during ski season, and they do not sell Ethanol blends there -- only pure gasoline. This year, I plan to stock up on some of that gas for my chainsaws, since it will allow me to have a couple tanks ready to go without worries about any ethanol issues. I'll put Sta-bil in it, and figure it's good for at least 6-8 months.

 

[Combustix]

Well I will let you all know next spring. Didn't get much use out of the boat this summer and still had a half tank of stabilized gas. Added more sta bil and topped off before storeing for the winter. Though I have a station nearby that has regular unleaded with no ethonal. Was thinking of taking out in a few weeks and just running in the driveway as I need to do an oil change.

 

[lostcause]

I d that unleaded keeps for about a year then starts going off.

Leaded on the other hand will be good for years.

i think they stopped selling leaded fuel here around the time i started driving - that's two and a half decades ago.