Stihl Ultra fuel stabilizer works GREAT!

[indiansprings]

We got the string trimmers out this morning, they have been sitting since the end of mowing season last year. I about crapped when I realized we had not emptied the fuel out and run them dry for the winter. We have a Stihl 90R, two stihl 80's a 76 I bought new 25 years ago, a old, old 80 with bicycle type handle bar from the 70's and a Husky pos 123L.
Every one of the trimmer's started up and run great, just tried it to see if they would run of the old fuel, I know it was a bad idea, just had to see if they would. The fuel stabilizer in the Ultra must be dang good as we just run 87 octance el cheapo gas and Ultra. Kind of gives you a nice piece of mind to know they won't gunk up.

 

[howellhandmade]

87 octane with or without ethanol? If there's a fuel stabilizer that will make it safe to do that with ethanol/gas that's a scoop. Used to leave gas in my lawn trimmer and blower all winter but not anymore.

Jack

 

[jbighump]

+1 on the ultra

just a couple weeks ago i fired up the fs45 and troybilt blower with last falls fuel took a coulple extra pulls but everything runs like a top!
this was 10% ethanol 93 octane and stihl ultra.

fwiw the mower fired up the same day with last falls gas and a good dose of stabil i call bs on the ethanol deteriorating quickly

 

[Showme]

Every place I look in Missouri has ethanol. I'm not sure it it's state wide but I think so.

 

[Harzack223]

I usually buy the 87 octane gas with 10% ethanol, I use the stihl ultra and over the winter some saws sit. After a few months they start right up and are ready to go. I really like that stuff and will use it everytime.

 

[fsfcks]

Some Missouri stations that sell 91 octane sell it without ethanol. All 87 and 89 in Missouri is 10% by law.

 

[Andyshine77]

If the fuel is stored in a good container it will last for much longer than one would think, especially during the low humidity winter months. The big issue with 2 cycle engines is moisture. This is not to say a fuel stabilizer is a bad thing, it's just not all that it's cracked up to be. Moisture is the real problem with alcohol laden fuel.

 

[howellhandmade]

If the fuel is stored in a good container it will last for much longer than one would think, especially during the low humidity winter months. The big issue with 2 cycle engines is moisture. This is not to say a fuel stabilizer is a bad thing, it's just not all that it's cracked up to be. Moisture is the real problem with alcohol laden fuel.

I was thinking the same thing. It's easy to mistake correlation for causation, and there have been plenty of cases of OPE wrecked by bad gas. If you play Russian roulette and don't die that doesn't mean there was no bullet. Might be interesting to store fuel samples mixed with different oils in open containers during the humid summer months and see what happens. If the fuel mixed with X turns cloudy and separates while the Ultra mix stays clear we'd better bow down.

Jack

 

[JasonBmac]

I've had good luck with a number of stabilizers for over-winter.... STabil, the Canadian Tire house brand of the same, and a couple others have all allowed some of my lower value 2 cycle engines to over-winter with gas and start easily come spring...

I use them in about double the ratio on the bottle, and they work great for me.

One winter we had no snow, didn't get to use the blower. The next year, it showed only minor balkyness, with 2 year old fuel (stabilized, regular, non-eth) in the tank.

J

 

[Meatco1]

Rather than worry about how long my fuel has sat, I fill up a 5 gal container with gas (10% ethanol), then use it to fill a 1 gal container with mix for chainsaws. I keep this up for a month. If after a month there is still fuel in the 5 gal can, I pour it into the truck, and refill the 5 gal. container at my next pit stop.

No worry’s about “how old the fuel is”, no tossing out old fuel, & I don’t have to buy any stabilizer either. Just fill the 5 gal can at the first of the month.

Works for me!

Richard

 

[JasonBmac]

I'm just a homeowner, so I buy about a gallon of gas at a time, 2 if I'm on a "project". I add stabilizer before I fill the can.

At home, I mix 2L of mix at a time, using a 2L pop bottle for mixing, and then put it in my mix jerry. That's usually enough for 3 evening's playin'....

But some machines, like the weedwhacker and the snowblower, I just leave the old fuel in'em. It's stabilized, and they'll run next season.

Stabilizer is alot less necessary for me today than it was a few years ago (I've become less ignorant), but it's still cheap insurance. As much as I like reviving dead machines, I don't like killin' 'em.

J

 

[jdemaris]

The fuel stabilizer in the Ultra must be dang good as we just run 87 octance el cheapo gas and Ultra. Kind of gives you a nice piece of mind to know they won't gunk up.

I wouldn't automatically give all the credit to the fuel stabilizer.

I started up a car and a rototiller this spring that both had gasoline in them that is six years old. Each had one dose of Stabil many years ago and both still start and fine. I'm not advising that anyone do it on purpose, but gas often can last much longer then generally expected.

I've got a 1979 280ZX going on its 7th year with a full tank of old gas. Hasn't been on the road since that last tank fill, and it's hard to drain the fuel out to change. So, every year I get thinking maybe I'll put plates on it, burn up some gas, and put some fresh gas in - but so far haven't done it. Maybe this year I'll have to cut a fuel line to drain it. Note that this car never had any stabilizer added until last fall - when I started getting nervous about it.

 

[7sleeper]

This gas discussion is kind of annoying. How many change the gas in their lawnmower in spring after sitting at least 1/2 year? How many add stabil to it? How about all the other gas driven tools? I haven't had any problems in the last 25 years. Sometimes the gas sites for one to two years. Maybe our quality over here is better but I doubt it.
I only mix my 2 stroke for what i need, but I don't run around with the rest trying to get ride of it.

Good luck to all and don't forget your ppe!

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