Fuel stabilizer

[longrider]

For those of you who use seafoam as a stabilizer how much do you put in per gallon for a five months winter.  I have been using Stabil but am out.  I do have a new can of seafoam here though.

Warren

[scooperhsd]

I'm wanting to fill up with non-ethanol gas as a start (only 1-2 miles from home !) , but something like Stabil sounds like a good idea too.

[old2soon]

          Mine sat fer a bit over a year after my unload in Aug of 16. I had Marine Stabil in my tank. She did in FACT fire up and run on year old + alky enriched fuel and also idled. After filling with fresh 87 octane my old Phatt Ghurl was back rippin with the best of em. Color me SOLD on Marine Stabil. RIDE SAFE.

[matt]

Strongly suggest getting some stable.  Marine is good, can also add seafoam or other product with stable.  I usually start both when I figure be putting bike away soon. Sometimes getting one or two full tank fulls thru.

[Patrick]

I prefer Sea-Foam over Stabil [ but have not used the Marine stuff]. Been using Sea-Foam for over 40 years. Instructions are on the bottle, but, its kinda hard to use too much. An ounce per gallon is fine. I also prefer to store using non-ethanol. Add the Sea[Foam before adding the fuel, run to get into carburetors. To run the carburetors dry just prior to storage is your choice, most do.



The stabil that I have used has a definite shelf life and I consider it junk.  As said, the new marine stuff may be all right, but, I don't know.  The main ingredient in SeaFoam is Naphtha [sp] and is a stabilizer and cleaner. The stuff works.

[98valk]

stabil has a new technology whereas it emmits fumes to coat and protect the exposed areas of the tank.

seafoam is 1930s tech for marine outboard two-stoke engines. it has low temp solvents which solidify on the back of hot valves. reducing mpg and hp.
why use old SF when there are modern additives which work 1000% better? And cost the same and sometimes less.

[Alpha Dog]

         Mine sat fer a bit over a year after my unload in Aug of 16. I had Marine Stabil in my tank. She did in FACT fire up and run on year old + alky enriched fuel and also idled. After filling with fresh 87 octane my old Phatt Ghurl was back rippin with the best of em. Color me SOLD on Marine Stabil. RIDE SAFE.

Indeed marine stabil you can not go wrong.

[semo97]

I use both, I had an IS for four yrs. son bought it from me. He rode it a year and T boned a gal who pulled out in front of him. Bought the bike back from ins. co. for 250 they paid him 2k more then what I sold it for and I made 500 selling it to him. Bike had 42k miles. It lost no fluid in the crash no leaks. He filled the tank and put in seafoam and started it every week for a year. That didn't last any more so the bike sat for 4 years in a heated cooled garage under cover. We gathered up parts to rebuild, a titled frame was needed and forks and some other small items total out of pocket 1900. We spent 3 days removing and putting it back together. I drained what was in the tank which was just like new on the inside. Added gas and seafoam and it fired right up on second crank. Spit and sputtered a little and ran very well and very surprising. Carbs were not taken apart, still no leaks after 2 yrs. just a sync. I would say I am a believer in seafoam.  Runs very well. Good thing no plastic was tore up in the laydown and T Bone.

[Hooter]

At least half can of Sea Foam. I wouldn't run Stabil of any kind in a peddle car. To each his own, run what you will. I have non ethanol in all 3 bikes along with a 1/3 can of Sea Foam.

[oldsmokey]

Sta Bil 360

[Dave Ritsema]

I prefer Sea-Foam over Stabil [ but have not used the Marine stuff]. Been using Sea-Foam for over 40 years. Instructions are on the bottle, but, its kinda hard to use too much. An ounce per gallon is fine. I also prefer to store using non-ethanol. Add the Sea[Foam before adding the fuel, run to get into carburetors. To run the carburetors dry just prior to storage is your choice, most do.



The stabil that I have used has a definite shelf life and I consider it junk.  As said, the new marine stuff may be all right, but, I don't know.  The main ingredient in SeaFoam is Naphtha [sp] and is a stabilizer and cleaner. The stuff works.

Agree with everything here. Ditched Stabil long ago for Sea Foam and have never had a problem with the Valkyrie's, F6B, Gold Wing, Snowblower, Lawn Mower and now my Jeep. 

[cookiedough]

I put both stabil and seafoam in a full tank of 91 octane running it of course the last run of the season, if not 2-3 times out before putting bike up.  I would if had to guess never measuring about 4-5 ounces of seafoam and 2-3 ounces of stabil combined, either one or both is fine. 

I have seen Valk riders put in the full small metal bottle (guessing 16 ounces or is it 12 ounces?) of seafoam but see no sense in using that much.  As said,  1 ounce per gallon should be plenty enough so I would say 6-7 ounces tops of seafoam.   I heard stabil 360 marine is BEST over just plain old red colored stabil and I would agree.  I have had a HUGE bottle of regular red colored stabil go bad on me if not used up in a year or two having chunks of crud in the stabil liquid so had to toss it. 

I once used too much stabil apparently in my small gas push lawnmower and would not start the next spring.  A small 12 or so ounce push mower gas tank only needs a 1/2 ounce or less and I put probably an ounce in there so do not over-do it. 

[Steve K (IA)]

SeaFoam is all I use also for storage.  Instructions on can say one oz. per gal., but you can't use too much.
I go to the gas station, with my measuring cup and funnel and pour in 8 oz then top off the tank to mix it up and go for a 3 to 5 mile ride to make sure the mixture gets into the carbs before parking it for the winter. 

[old2soon]

      Much like oil and tyres EVERYONE gotz their own idea of what werx. If it works fer you and yer happy and yer M/C fires up after hibernation it's ALL Good. Goin from memory here-NOT a good thing at my age-BUT-Always a but-doesn't SeaFoam contain alcohol? And that is JUST a question NOT a condemnation. And if Anyone is interested I am having my coffee as I post this!  RIDE SAFE.

[Dave Ritsema]

stabil has a new technology whereas it emmits fumes to coat and protect the exposed areas of the tank.

seafoam is 1930s tech for marine outboard two-stoke engines. it has low temp solvents which solidify on the back of hot valves. reducing mpg and hp.
why use old SF when there are modern additives which work 1000% better? And cost the same and sometimes less.

Interesting you should say that, as their statements are exactly the opposite.
https://seafoamsales.com/sea-foam-case-studies-gdi-revival/

[98valk]

stabil has a new technology whereas it emmits fumes to coat and protect the exposed areas of the tank.

seafoam is 1930s tech for marine outboard two-stoke engines. it has low temp solvents which solidify on the back of hot valves. reducing mpg and hp.
why use old SF when there are modern additives which work 1000% better? And cost the same and sometimes less.

Interesting you should say that, as their statements are exactly the opposite.
https://seafoamsales.com/sea-foam-case-studies-gdi-revival/

there is zero independent testing. how do we know if the carbon wasn't caused by the low level use of the sf and only the high dose cleans what the low dose put there? bottom line it is not approved by leading manufacturers for valve cleanness. only top tier products are approved such as techron and others. https://toptiergas.com/

I could be wrong and what I have read over the yrs could be wrong.

[RudyF6]

I prefer Seafoam over Stabil and have used both over the years, but like others I haven't used the marine formula. I like Startron the best now - been using it for several years on a recommendation from a friend that rebuilds CBX carbs (they're a major pita to work on). Bikes and everything else seem to start up quicker after storage since using it vs. the others.

[¿spoom]

I think from what I always read in this type of discussion, is that both Seafoam and Stabil do indeed, work. That pretty much leaves the type of fuel being stored and who's doing it as the real variables. Some folks seem to use such mass qtys. of stabilizers that perhaps they are almost replacing the fuel instead of treating it. That's still a lot less expensive than tearing apart a carb(s) later. I notice Sea Foam recommends adding 2½ times the amount per gallon than Stabil, so perhaps that's a monetary consideration as well. Personally, I keep using Stabil because it's never failed me, so I have no SeaFoam experience to compare to. I do keep SF on hand and use it to thin the oil as part of a small engine oil change or in one case a sluggish valve in a 5HP tiller that was popping at higher RPMs (also, in crankcase oil). I'm assuming the valve was sluggish and floating on return sometimes, because it stopped before the first 10-15 minutes of no-load use. Then I changed the oil back to straight oil before actually using the tiller.
My storage technique may be as important as the chosen product. I use non-alcohol gas with label dosage Stabil all season long in my small engines, and run them out at the end of the season.  I stay nearby and at the first hint of an, "out of gas stumble" I immediately dump in a pre-poured oz or two of Stabil in the tank so that it keeps running. After another minute or so to make sure the heavier mix is throughout the carb, I shut it off, change the oil, and store it. Next season I fill it with my fresh no-alcohol/minimum Stabil mix and off I go.