Fuel Additives

[speterson1011]

I have been using Startron fuel ethonol treatment for 6months now and have no complaints. I have a fuel water separator and a cleanable inline fuel filter. Never have any problems with the engine bogging down or problems of that nature. Just curious what everyone else is using? Stabil? Seafoam?

 

[jtexas]

Re: Fuel Additives

Interesting that startron is called "ethanol treatment" -- all it can do is enable the fuel to dissolve more water than it otherwise could, which theoretically delays or maybe prevents it from separating. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but it can't do anything to alleviate any of the other problems ethanol is famous for causing (degrading rubber fuel system components, for example). If it performs as well as it claims to, it ought to be pretty good -- all the other gas-drying products I know of really just alcohol (mostly methanol or IPA) -- you might as well just add more ethanol to your tank.

I been adding Seafoam to E-10 gasoline for years, never had a problem either.

You'd think that with 10% alcohol, E-10 would eliminate the need for any kind of treatment -- too bad it doesn't work that way.

 

[Daviet]

Re: Fuel Additives

I use Sea-Foam in everything from cainsaws to my vehicles.

 

[yoster]

Re: Fuel Additives

Interesting this comes up now.


I just bought my first boat as a married man. It's a 16' "Ruffneck" (built in Africa) Bass boat with a 1997 115hp Evinrude.

Bought the boat off the guy knowing the motor wasn't running right. Took it to the mechanic and he rebuilt all the carbs and did some other work on it; runs like a champ now. The next big problem I had was the fuel tank. The boat had sat for 2.5 years in Fresno, CA, where it gets over 110 at times in the summer. The gas was all varnished. The fuel filter was full of it.. like tar!! The guy tried blowing out the tank, that helped but after I filled it back up it still had a ton of this tar stuff in it. I ran it at the lake with a new filter and it did fine, but didn't take too long to get the filter pretty full of the stuff.

My plan was to just keep changing the in-line filter until it was all out, which would be annoying to say the least.

I was at Wal-Mart the other day to get the marine version of Stabil. I came across this StarTron stuff. It claimed it would "restore old fuel" and "break down varnish where it can then be filtered out or safely burned."

So I figure, why not, I'll give it a try. Got home and applied about 1/3 of the bottle (says you can't over-dose.. lol. It's a 20 gallon tank w/15 gallons in it).

I left it for 4 days, came back, and woaaaah nelly. The color of the gas itself changed from a darkish brown color to almost clear!!!!! Pulled the boat into the driveway and ran it.. the varnish tar stuff was now teeeeny tiny pieces. One week later, it's gone altogether. So long story short, this saved me the trouble of pulling and flushing the tank.

Now, I'm not stupid, so I'm still running two filters in-line JUST in case, until I've ran several tanks of fuel through the boat. But I have to say, I was jumping for joy when I saw the tar/varnish had broken down because it was stressing me out. The wife was NOT happy that I had purchased a boat that needed a bunch of work done to it (we have our first child on the way; and still need to buy all the furniture). So needless to say I was quite pleased with this little $8 bottle.


I can't comment on how it is for everyday use, my situation was extreme so it might not make sense for the everyday boat owner, I don't know.

 

[modernrocketry]

Re: Fuel Additives

I have recently been using Techron that is purchased from Chevron gas stations. (Black bottle)

My son has a little 3.5 HP tohatsu that lives in the lazarette of our big boat all year -- then in late summer, I pull it out so that he can fish and I expect it to run great after a year of abuse.

We change the plug, add the fuel additive and start it up. It's rough for a while (about 10 minutes) but then it smooths out and runs fine.

 

[df909]

Re: Fuel Additives

I've been using this stuff called Extreme Fuel Treatment from Syntek Global. It does a bunch of things and it keeps fuel fresh. I had a 5-gallon can of gas that sat for over a year, used it in my lawn mower, and it ran fine.

 

[54fleetwin]

Re: Fuel Additives

I hate Ethanol fuels.

They absorb water and produce less power than straight gas.
Therefore your mileage goes down and you have to use more fuel.

Where's the benefit?

 

[jtexas]

Re: Fuel Additives

I hate Ethanol fuels.

They absorb water and produce less power than straight gas.
Therefore your mileage goes down and you have to use more fuel.

Where's the benefit?

You wouldn't be asking that question if you were a senator from Iowa or Illinois or Nebraska or Kansas...

 

[54fleetwin]

Re: Fuel Additives

You wouldn't be asking that question if you were a senator from Iowa or Illinois or Nebraska or Kansas...

True that.

Refining ethanol takes more power than refining gas.
Ethanol drives up food cost.
Ethanol produces less power=less MPG=more fuel bought
Ethanol absorbs water, something no boater wants
Ethanol wrecks older fuel systems not designed for it

Need I say more?

Sorry guys, I am from a state that refomulates its gas for winter.

 

[speterson1011]

Re: Fuel Additives

Thank you everyone that was very helpful. I've researched more into Seafoam and it just seems to be a more reliable way to go. As for Ethanol I hate it. I found a Marina that provides no ethanol in gas or at least very minimal for $3.29 a gallon. I'm going to try and fill a whole tank up of it next time and just see if I notice any differences. I've heard I should notice a little bit of a difference at least but you never know