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Location: San Ramon, Seattle, Anchorage, Reykjavik
2,254 posts, read 2,740,564 times
Reputation: 3203
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Anecdotally I'd say 'no'. If the car sat for years then maybe. But even 6-12 months doesn't seem to require it. I have a lot of cars in various locations that get driven rarely. Never has gasoline been the issue. Batteries? The bane of my existence. Gas? No.
Do I need to add a gas stabilizer if I rarely drive my car? It sits for months on end. Highest octane Chevron is the only gas the car has ever seen.
I would because it's cheap insurance and better safe than sorry.
I've used Sta-Bil for years, and even months later in a snowblower or lawn mower the sukkah starts right up.
I'd rather spend a few bucks on Sta-Bil than a few hundred on a de-gumming job.
Stabyl, and also Seafoam do a good job. But I would at least start the motor for 15 minutes, or just drive the car for a few minutes every other day during the cold winter.
Stabyl is OK,although I think its possible to use too much and that causes problems too. I once put stabyl in a commercial mower for the winter and it would not start come spring, had to take it to the shop, they said something was clogging fuel injectors.
Location: San Ramon, Seattle, Anchorage, Reykjavik
2,254 posts, read 2,740,564 times
Reputation: 3203
Think of it this way. Many cars at new car dealers sit for months. Do they put stabilizer in the tanks of these vehicles? No. After they recharge the battery they start right up.
Another anecdote - I left an old Volvo sitting at the airport near my house in Alaska for 2 years. After a quick charge of the battery the car started right up and drove fine. Now, this is coastal Alaska so it rained pretty much every day the car sat there. No matter.
Stabilizer was great back in the day when gasoline was of rather iffy quality. I just see zero need for it today if the car will sit less than a year.
Stabyl is OK,although I think its possible to use too much and that causes problems too. I once put stabyl in a commercial mower for the winter and it would not start come spring, had to take it to the shop, they said something was clogging fuel injectors.
What I do with my chainsaws is to pour the fuel out of the tank leaving a few drops inside, pour a little fuel stabilizer, and then start the motor and let it run out of fuel. Sometimes I just fill the tank with some of the pre-stabilized chainsaw fuels that are designed for long term storage.
The fuel stabilizer does not gum-up the injectors, but it is possible that your mower was gummed already (?).
6 months is a long time. I would it use up as much as i could and get the tank empty as i could.
An empty gas tank it the perfect home for condensate leading to........RUST!! Keep it full 100% of the time then add a bit of stabul to the tank for good measure.
"Do I need to add a gas stabilizer if I rarely drive my car? It sits for months on end."
Since stabilizers are sooo cheap, add some.
Need to? i don't know.
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