Sta-bil in the fuel tank??

[Frog123]

Just ran into a big head ache with my ATV. I hadn't really ran it since the first week of Jan. I couldn't get it started yesterday. The gas in the tank had apparently gone bad, possibly had water in it from condensation, and had probably gummed up the carb. I finaly got it started it after I charged the battery, changed the spark plug, drained and flushed the tank then refilled it with some 94 octane with a little gas dryer added. After I got it started I sprayed some Gum Out carb cleaner in it while it was running. It now idles and runs smoother than it has in a long time. I don't use my atv much during the off season and was wondering about adding a product like Sta-Bil to the fuel. It suppose to stabilize the fuel and protect the fuel system from gumming up. I can't say that I've ever heard of anyone using it around here. The label says that it is suppose to be safe for all two and four stroke engines.

[markc]

I personally have never used it since my vehicles are used several times each week, year round.  However I had a friend who owned a lawnmower shop and swore by the stuff.  Now, I know he was selling the stuff so he had some $ to gain from a sale, but according to him, if your vehicle is going to sit up for a period longer than 10 days, add the stuff to the tank.  

He said it should be used in all gasoline engines to prevent them from ruining when the gas went bad.    If I was going to let my atv sit up for months like you did, I think I would have drained the old gasoline from the tank first.  Sounds like you lucked out by getting it to start at all.  I know motorcycles usually need a carb rebuild if they sit up with gas in the tanks for several months.
markc

[DirtyHarry]

I have used sta-bil for years in my mowers, and would use it in my quads if they were to sit for very long. I even put it in any gas I have sitting around that is not going to be used for a while  

[The Pistoleer]

I use it a lot.  In my chainsaw gas mix, mowers and ATVs.  For my lawn mowers I generally start adding it around the end of August to the gas can.  Since here in Wisconsin we never know when we are going to stop mowing the grass.  I don't use my chainsaws much in the Summer so I feel better knowing they are protected.  Before I started using it about 20 years ago I had a snowblower I put away with gas in it.  It wouldn't start in the Winter and when I took it in they told me the gas had gone bad and gummed up the carb.  They told me about Sta-bil and I haven't had a problem since.  I mix it with every tank of gas for the ATVs just for peace of mind.

[panman]

Like others have stated,its the best protection you can get for a gass run moter.Been useing it for years and have not had a failure starting any gass motor.I also put it in my gass cans when i fill up.I live in a very small town in VT.-pop 67.,Sometimes the gass sits in the cans for 3-4 mos [Gen,atv,mower,chainsaws,you name it,itll start.]pan.

[boondocker]

Sta-bil is a good thing as it keeps the gas from gumming up the carb , it doesnt keep the gas fresh. Run it after you add it to get thru the system. As far as 2 cycle gas if I am not using it fast, I add it to the truck or lawnmower and mix fresh next time. You should see what old gas does to 2 stroker jugs and pistons.Had to rebuild many over the years for customers when i was in the business.  Also use higher grade gas in them as low grade has alcohol added which is not a good thing on 2 srokers.  Believe me its there, had a test kit. Boon

[Paladin]

I don't use stay-bil, but the place I work putts it into everythig we set up. (4 wheelers,mowers, trimmers, etc) seems to work for them. I suggest using premium fuel and when you store your unit, shut the fuel off and run the carb dry. this is the prosedure we use with the stay-bil  good luck

[jgalar]

Sta-bil works OK, but you are better off draining the carb. You should have a drain screw on the float bowl. The idle and off idle circuits are extremely small and easily plugged up.

[Maryland Hunter]

I use it in the ATV, mowers and all lawn/yard equipment. I hadn't started the generator in two years, and pulled it out the other day, started first pull. I never drain any fuel anymore from anything. I add the Sta-bil right to the gas cans when I fill them up. Works great.

MH

[marylandeer]

I use it in all of my stuff that has a gas engine except for my vehicles which never have enough gas in them. I put it in my Atv's and lawn equipment and have never had a problem with any of them started even after sitting for a few months. I really think it's some great stuff.   

[jpsmith1]

Use it in every can of gas I bring home.  I keep between 5 and 15 gallons on hand almost all of the time.  I never drain gas, just park it and it's ready to go in the spring.  ATVs, saw, weedwhacker, mowers, whatever.

I didn't use it in ONE batch of gas, just one.  It was last summer and HOT AND DRY, so my grass didn't grow and I didn't need to trim much, so the weedwhacker sat.  I finally needed it, and it started but wouldn't rev...gummed carb.  That was the final straw.  Never another gallon of gas without Sta-bil.  I'm a believer.

[ShadowMover]

Amen to using Sta-Bil I put it in every gallon that goes in a can, and in the spare fuel tanks on the old truck.  I had to learn an expensive lesson twice. Here is the short version. Old gas, the stuff that smells like old paint or a little 'off' will form a gum in the engine when run. Even a slight residue left in a tank, carb or fuel line is enough. Putting a gallon of gas into a tank with gummed up gas won't prevent the gumming. Flush the tank and gas lines, filter, and carb, using fresh gas or Gumout. In my case it was a Ford 390 dual fuel pick-up that I ran on propane 'all the time'. The engine never used oil, and was tight as a new one.  I had a spare gasoline tank on the thing full of gas. It had gotten old and smelled funny. I had to make a quick trip to help out my daughter and burned some of the old gas on the way home. It ran fine, so I didn't worry about the old gas smell. The next morning the cold engine wouldn't start and was backfiring through the carb. It had glued the valves to the guides and bent the push rods !! I didn't understand at first, but an engine machinist took one sniff of the heads I put on the counter and said, "Bad Gas". He told me he had seen it a lot.  Then I did it AGAIN with the residue in the empty tank a few years later. I hope you guys can learn quicker than I did.

Put a date on the can with a piece of tape.  Time flies. You won't believe how old the gas is until you read that date you put on there 'yesterday'. Drain or run carbs dry before storage. 

[Cement Man]

I first learned of it many years ago when I was a fireman.  We kept the gen-sets on the fire engines ready to start at all times by using Sta-bil.  My snowblower, with 2 cycle mixed fuel, has never failed to start (immediately) from year to year when I used it.  Same with my 4 wheeler and boat motors.  When I neglected to use it, I have always regretted it and had to pay the piper!  It is great stuff.

[azshooter]

If you turn off the fuel petcock when you park it, no gas will flow to the carb and it will not gum up.  The gumming up is from gas evaporating from the carb only to be replaced by more gas flowing from the tank.  I have had my ATV parked for 4 months before with no sta-bil tuened on the gas and it started right up.  I do use sta-bil now by the way.  The ATV's seem to run better when using it.

[jpsmith1]

That only half works.  You also should drain the gas from the bowl or run it dry even after shutting it off.  The remaining fuel in the bowl will evaporate and cause you a problem.  Been there, done that. 

[GregP42]

All I can say is it works, I used it in motorcycles when I still rode and I still use it in my generator and my old car that might get run once a month. When I started using it back when I rode bikes I never had to rebuild the carbs again after a long winter layover.

Greg

[JD11]

I use it in everything that's going to not be used during the winter, Honda gen., chainsaw, etc.  If you've ever smelled gas in a small engine that's gone bad it smells exactly like some kind of paint varnish.