Fuel Stabilizer Lingo Lesson

Posted: October 1, 2011

Do you know what the terms on that bottle of stabilizer mean?

By: Grid Michal

No single two-stroke oil can be used in all snowmobiles, PWCs, outboards, chainsaws or weed eaters. There are different operating temperatures that require oils to burn at different temperatures. Generally, when a novice finally understands that he needs a fuel stabilizer to protect his investment, he’ll look for the one that covers the most territory. It’s understandable but not necessarily right. Let’s look at what’s on the bottle labels and discuss stabilizers’ ­application.

I know what it’s like to have a partial tank of E10 and then have the opportunity to purchase non-ethanol. That’s cool if you are going to burn it all the same weekend. If you aren’t, how will you stabilize it? Mixing ethanol and non-ethanol stabilizers seems to create more problems in the engine’s fuel systems than it cures. Stick with one type of fuel and one type of stabilizer.

Adding a brand of stabilizer a friend recommends may be harmful to your engine, because it has different fuel and operating characteristics. Err on the side of the stabilizer that does less rather than more. You want it to stabilize fresh fuel for a year. If it’s for non-ethanol or diesel, you want it to have a formulation that doesn’t promote marine growth in the fuel and will make water miscible. If it’s for ethanol fuels, you want it to stabilize fresh fuel for a year, prevent phase separation and keep the water miscible. If the label swears it will do everything for everybody under all circumstances (and I’ve seen those types on the market), head for the simple labels instead.

Bottle Lingo:  “Contains petroleum distillates” 

what it means: Almost all stabilizer bottles have this phrase. Distillates are a great solvent for keeping parts clean and shiny, things such as carburetors, intakes and injectors. The phrase, however, is put on the label mainly so doctors know how to treat you if you run out of beer and start nipping at the plastic containers. Aside from that, petroleum distillates are a good thing.

Bottle Lingo: “Contains alcohol” or “De-ices and removes ­moisture from fuel” or “Prevents carburetor icing and fuel freeze-up”

what it means: If you live in an area where non-ethanol fuel is still offered, that is good. However, if you are forced to use ethanol-based fuels, adding alcohol to alcohol only exacerbates the phase separation of water and makes the combustion process hotter, essentially giving the fuel a higher rating than E10, and virtually ensuring internal engine damage.

Bottle Lingo: “Ethanol gasoline treatment”

what it means: That’s all it does. No magic, no sleight of hand. Well, some of the claims are real but a stretch. It keeps water in suspension, and it prevents phase separation. And that’s how you want to protect your ethanol-based fuel.

Bottle Lingo: “Marine fuel stabilizer”

what it means: That’s all it does, plus what the distillates do to clean components. Some will offer water-removal capabilities. That’s fine in non-ethanol fuel. No drama.