Fuel stablizer question....

[highsider]

Is it better to drain the gas out of your bike, or to put fuel stabilizer in a full tank? I am hoping to run a track day in February, and I wondered if the fuel stablizer (Sta-Bil) is not the best stuff for use on the track?

[Ducrappy]

Originally posted by highsider
Is it better to drain the gas out of your bike, or to put fuel stabilizer in a full tank? I am hoping to run a track day in February, and I wondered if the fuel stablizer (Sta-Bil) is not the best stuff for use on the track?

I've never drained my tank, and always use fuel stabilizers. I've never had a problem, though I've also never owned a bike long enough to see if not emptying the tank will aid in rusting the tank from the inside.

What I do is put the Sta-Bil into the tank when its rather low, ride to the gas station, fill up with 93 octane, then ride it back and park it (I do this as an attempt to mix the stabilizer thoroughly with the fuel). Then I top off the tank so there is no room for condensation to build up. Some people also use Dry Gas, though I've seen information somewhere that showed the Dry Gas just holds the moisture in suspension within the tank and never burns off, it just stays in the tank creating a mess. I am not however going to say this is the truth, just something I read somewhere.

EDIT: The only adverse effect I've had from using the Sta-Bil is a strange smell as it burned with the fuel. I've never noticed any sort of performance issues like sputtering or backfiring.

[benVFR]

I did all kinds of riding with stabilized fuel last winter with no issue.

I was basically adding stabil each time I filled up. I never knew whether or not I was going to be riding. It all depended on the weather. So after a while I was just riding around with fuel with stabilizer in it all the time. I'd just keep adding it at each fill up under the assumption that it would snow and stop my riding for a while.

Didn't seem to cause any issues at all.

I prefer this strategy, as draining everything for sure seems like more work, and then you have firmly commited yourself to staying off the bike.

[cexley]

I have heard that a few months of sitting is not long enough for
the fuel to brake down any way. How true is this? I have never used any stab-il, and never had issues. Fill up then Sitting for 3 months tops. Start up in spring and ride. No problem

[hohum]

full tank of gas, add sta-bil, ride for a few minutes to allow it to get into the fuel lines/carbs, and yer done.

if'n ya feel like it, top it off with fuel after the brief ride. full tank is a non rusty tank.

cheers,
chris

[legalspeed]

I think it matters a lot if you are running traditional carbs, the needles tend to gum up because there is little fuel in the float bowls, you have to evap a lot to gum up your fuel tank resevoir. I know the needles in fuel injection are issues too, I'm not a mechanic by any means, so I use the stabil, fill 'er up, and don';t worry.

I should think you will burn a little off riding around before your track day, the rest will be gone by 11am assuming you ride it hard in the morning sessions.

Use the stabil, forget the worrying.

[Ducrappy]

Originally posted by cexley
I have heard that a few months of sitting is not long enough for
the fuel to brake down any way. How true is this? I have never used any stab-il, and never had issues. Fill up then Sitting for 3 months tops. Start up in spring and ride. No problem

This might be a great arguement if Sta-Bil had a $200 price tag per ounce, but this shit is cheap. Why chance it? Fuel will start to degrade after a few months. If it sits too long, the shit will smell like terpentine and will wreak havock on your fuel system (ie stuck floats in carbs). Don't chance it. Sta-bil works wonders Its easier to pour some of this shit in your tank at the end of the season than it is to have to flush your fuel system if the fuel goes bad in the spring

[mikeb]

good point tim. i just put some in the vfr last weekend but forgot to top it off. i'll have to do that this weekend.

[RandyO]

Originally posted by cexley
I have heard that a few months of sitting is not long enough for
the fuel to brake down any way. How true is this? I have never used any stab-il, and never had issues. Fill up then Sitting for 3 months tops. Start up in spring and ride. No problem

Gasoline begins to deteriorate the minute you pump it. How soon it affects the combustion in your vehicle depends on tuning, compression, etc.

[Stoneman]

I've always just topped the tank off with the manu's recommended fuel and added stabilizer. No problems so far...

Just be sure to run the bike long enough to get the stabilized fuel through the carbs/injectors. I usually just take like, a 5 minute rip around the hood to be safe...

[richw]

Yes stabil

Yes to 1 to 2 oz of oil per gallon

Also the alchohol in modern gas is dry gas
yes blahblah ethanol vs methanol but it will suspend the moisture

If your really finicky make sure the bike is HOT before final put up

Shut off gas tank run the bike till the bike stops. no gas no problem.

Then in the spring spend $500 and a tow to diagnose mysterious starting problem

[PatSV650]

Just my $.02...

If it uses gas, put Sta-Bil in it!! I put the stuff in the fuel for the mower, snow blower (that thing sits for at least 9 months), generator, weed wacker .... etc... blah blah blah.

My father just spent about $150 at a shop having the carb on his quad un-gummed..... geuss he shoulda put fuel stabilizer in it!

From what I understand, it only takes about a month for fuel to degrade.

[Stoneman]

Originally posted by PatSV650
Just my $.02...

If it uses gas, put Sta-Bil in it!! I put the stuff in the fuel for the mower, snow blower (that thing sits for at least 9 months), generator, weed wacker .... etc... blah blah blah.

My father just spent about $150 at a shop having the carb on his quad un-gummed..... geuss he shoulda put fuel stabilizer in it!

From what I understand, it only takes about a month for fuel to degrade.

I do the same. But it takes a lot less than a month for fuel to degrade. Usually, the higher the octane, the quicker it is to degrade...

Also, avoid the temptation to go out and start your bike every once in a while during storage. Bad, very bad. Pull the battery and let it sit...

[legalspeed]

Originally posted by richw
Yes stabil


Then in the spring spend $500 and a tow to diagnose mysterious starting problem

Couldn't you just turn the valve back on?

[StumpyNB]

Just a side note, don't drain the tank, your inviting condensation and rust. Best bet is to full it to the neck.

[SSearchVT]

I use Stabil in all the toys and tools put away for the winter. It is cheap insurance. If you are worried about a track day early in the year try this.

Like mentioned before, put the stabil in the tank at the gas station, fill up and ride home. This gets it all mixed in, and into the fuel system. In the spring, syphon the stored gas out (as much as you can), and use it in the lawnmower, splitter, etc. Fill the bike with new 93 or better. Hope this helps. Good Luck...

[Stoneman]

Originally posted by SSearchVT
Like mentioned before, put the stabil in the tank at the gas station, fill up and ride home. This gets it all mixed in, and into the fuel system. In the spring, syphon the stored gas out (as much as you can), and use it in the lawnmower, splitter, etc. Fill the bike with new 93 or better. Hope this helps. Good Luck...

Wow! I've always just run the tank of treated gas through come spring. Then I usually mix some injector/carb cleaner additive with the next tank of gas and run that through...

FYI-Only put the high octane stuff in if the manufacturer says to, or if you're engine was built to run it. Almost everything I've ever read about gas/octane says that generally the higher the octane the quicker it is to degrade...

[SSearchVT]

Stoneman, The first post was a concern about using the Stabil laced old fuel on track day, that's why I suggested syphoning it out and replacing it.
I also run the old gas and stabil through the toys and tools in the spring with some drygas in it. I am usually more concerned about the sand left in the road then overall performance of the bike or car.

[Tarmac]

Here's a pretty good HowTo for storing a bike....Ducati dealer but applies to all.

http://www.bcmducati.com/article.cfm?id=62&type=15

[Stoneman]

Originally posted by SSearchVT
Stoneman, The first post was a concern about using the Stabil laced old fuel on track day, that's why I suggested syphoning it out and replacing it.

I understood that. I've just never heard of syphoning it out like that. I guess I shoulda said something more akin to, "...the little amount of Sta-bil you'll use will have no ill effect as far as use on the track is concerned..."

It's like, what? 2 ounces to every 5 gal. for storage? I use about half that (1 ounce per 5 gal.), and that seems to do me fine too...