Stabilizer

J

JeffP

New Member
Jan 18, 2007
15
Rancho Murieta, CA
Hello, have you guys used the Penzoil Marine Fuel system Stabilizer & Cleaner?
It says keeps the fuel fresh. Usually I use a different brand.. Didn't know if these stuff is recommend.

Going to use my boat probably one more time for the year and then cover it for winter and do my maintanence.
 
JeffP,

My guess is that if it is approved for "marine use", it's o.k. Also, Penzoil is a reputable brand, so o.k.

I have not used the product. I use Stabil, and swithced to their new "marine" stabilizer.

Others may have used the product.
 
I used Sea Foam for years, my marine mechanic convinced me to try a product called
2 + 4....he claims it offers a better fuel stabilizing package than Sea Foam.
 
I have used the Briggs & Stratton Fuel Stabilizer for years in the boat and in my 60's muscle car. I buy it at my lawnmower/snowblower repair shop. It can keep gas fresh for 24 months. I know it's true because I've put it in my home portable generator gas that gets run only a few times per year, and it fires right up.
 
I too have used Stabil for 8 years with no problems so far. I just picked up 2 more bottles tonight at Walmart.
 
Jeffp,
I use only the 'Star Tron" enzyme additive for my customers. It seems to do a better job of stabaizing the fuel ,especially over E-10 from breaking down. Remember ethanol will start to break down directly into water in about 2 weeks of sitting time. I just got another service from Crusader regaurding fuel stabalization and how often to do it.
Brad
Pflieger Marine Services
I do sell the Star Tron inexpensively on my web site www.marinediscounters.com
 
This is a different application all together, but I've used Sta-Bil for years during layup of any motor. This week, I got my son's Yamaha motorcycle (TTR-90) out of storage. I started it and it ran for 20 minutes before the intake valve stuck and the piston slapped it. When I dismantled the head, and inspected the valve, the varnish/gunk was apparent on the valve and stem. The bike was put away with Sta-Bil that was run for 1/2 tank through the system and fogged with marine fogging oil.

My mechanic says he sees similar results with Sta-Bil all the time.
 
I have been using it on diesel for about 8 years and on gas for about 4. I winterize in the nieborhood of 400 boats a fall. We use the Star Tron on our customers at every fill up to reduce the likelyhood that the ethanol will break down into water. I will have it on my web site soon in quarts and gallons which will lower your cost even more.
Brad
www.marinediscounters.com
 
Thank you, for that matter, if there are products you guys use often or have a hard time finding, please let me know. I will put them on the site at a serious savings to you. That is, after all why I started marinediscounters.com, to help out boaters like myself.
Brad
 
Re: Fuel treatment/Stabilizer

410 Dancer: twin 3116 CAT diesels, 350 hp each. Fuel capacity, 175 gals. each side. Never a problem starting engines. Been using appropriate maintenance amounts of "ValvTect", Biogaurd, Fuel Microbiocide every time boat is fueled. Label says "kills bacteria & fungi, breaks up sludge & slime, prevents bacteria plugged filters, prevents bacteria caused corrosion." Question: When winterizing engine, should I use just the "ValvTect", or, should I add the Diesel Fuel Supplement, "Cetane Boost", by Power Service PS. The front Label says, "ULSD Antigel Formula, Boosts Cetane for Faster Cold Starts, Keeps Injectors Clean with SlickDiesel for Maximum fuel Lubrication." The much more extensive back label includes, "disperses water in diesel fuel" and "does not contain alcohol of any kind". And there are other listed benefits. I am sure there are members who are very familiar with this product. (Walmart carries it). Storage is Baltimore, Maryland, Inner Harbor, in the water, generally Dec 1st through April 1st with ambient temperatures in the mid to upper 30s to 40s, occasionally below 30 and sometimes lower for short periods. (Sorry for perhaps impropery intruding into this forum)

Thanks

"Court Ship"
 
Re: Fuel treatment/Stabilizer

It won't hurt to and the cetain boost stuff. It may not be necessary but it won't hurt.
Brad
 
With respect to diesel fuel and jjssas's post, I don't agree with generalized answers like: "It won't hurt to and the cetain boost stuff."

It is important that you know what your needs are, what you are adding and why. It is also important that if you mix chemicals or additives that you understand the chemistry well enough to be sure you are not creating more problems than you are curing due to incompatablilty.

1.Microbiocides kill or inhibit fungus and bacteria that develop in the presence of water.
2.Stabilizers retard the breakdown that occurs when fuels is stored for a long period.
3.Cetane improvers are needed to enable quicker starting when using USLD which has a lower cetane than LSD
4. Lubricity improvers are needed to replace natural lubricity removed during the removal of sulfur when refining USLD.
5. Antigel additives lower the wax formation or gel point for diesel and mayy be needed in cold climates.
6. Moisture dispersants allow water to be absorbed by the additive which is soluable in diesel fuel. With the water in solution, bacteria/fungus cannot form.

Everyone should evaluate their own situation and manage their fuel as they see fit for their temperatures, use, lack of use, storage, etc. However, you need to understandwhat you are treating the fuel for and be careful with multiuse additives. For example, don't add 2 chemicals with the same or overlapping purposes, and it is easy to do with everything available today for diesel treatment.

Diesel does not breakdown and form "varnish" nearly as fast as gasoline and ethanol is not an issue for us diesel users. I do not use stabilizers and I keep diesel fuel for up to 6 months with no ill effects.

I do use Power Service Products additives. Their Diesel Kleen with Cetane Boost is a particularly good multi purpose product and I use it with every tank full od fuel. They also have a good biocide and I use it in maintenance doses with every fill up. Once a year I shock my tanks and add Power Service Diesel 9-1-1 which is a dispersant for both water and microbial chains.

Even though PS Diesel Kleen is a cetane improver and does contain a lubricity enhancer, I have recently started using Stanadyne's Lubricity Enhancer on the recommendation of our local Cummins dealer who is experiences a number of infector failures and leaking pumps due to USLD.

By way of qualification, I'm located in the south and we do have humid storage conditions. Almost all fuel distributors now treat diesel for antigelling and cold weather before the fuel is delivered to your retailer. I have not needed antigel products for several years and have stopped using them, unless they are included in a combination product I'm using.
 
Re: Stabilizer & Alcohols

I'm sorry to have to depart from the heard here, but I really would like to call the readers to caution about the use of ethanol as a fuel additive.

Manufacturer's recommendations must be respected on this material. :thumbsup:

Additives should not be judged nor assumed universally safe for use based on the label or from dockside advice! While yes, ethanol is missive in water and will prevent water, in solution or in native state from; icing and clogging and or damaging hoses, pumps and working parts, it can be corrosive on some "O-Rings" and otherwise fuel resistant plastics. Long term exposure can have adverse effects on little things that can bring your engines to an unexpected halt.

For instance, alcohols are not recommended in Cummins diesels as an acceptable fuel additive.

As for the chemistry of ethanol, it doesn't break down in to water ... it is missive in water meaning it dissolves into water and ads it properties to the resulting solution. This happens almost from the moment water and ethanol are combined and is not subsequently affected by age alone other than evaporation. Ethanol will leave solution though the process of evaporation if the water solution is at the surface. But, but nearly all of us know that water is heavier than gasoline and diesel fuel and water is to be found on the lowest cranny of our tanks. Water doesn't dissolve as readily into gasoline or diesel (water can become emulsified), but if the ethanol concentration is sufficient, it will dissolve into the fuel taking water molecules with it and suspend them. Thus, ethanol will allow water to be dissolved into the petroleum based fuel where it will remain ... unless it freezes out as ice crystals or the ethanol escapes in some other way (like heated off in hot diesel tanks.) Ethanol will lower the freezing temperature at which water turns to ice and serves to prevent ice crystals from forming at temps below -32 deg. F..

Ethanol will boil off to a gas at about 180 deg. F and will form a gas in hot fuel lines in diesels and cause problems if used in high concentrations.

Understanding what ethanol does and why it works will help you understand if you needed it and if so refer to your engine manufacturer to determine if you can use it safely in your engine or your fuel tanks.

Bob Vila cautions home DIY's to measure twice and cut once .... on boats research three times and act once.:thumbsup:

Chad
 
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