Generators and StaBil and Ethanol (oh my!)

[KyDan]

Just when we thought we had this generator and gas and
long term storage figured out there's this.

My son has a muscle car. GTO cherry under 10K miles.
He only drives it in dry summer weather.
He uses stabil like many of us in our generators and
lawn mowers and boats and motorcycles.

This spring he got the car out and it started and ran
but was under powered and had a rough idle.
(Rough is a relative term- he has a semi race cam
in it.)

Long story but the jist of it is he looked online and
the hot rod muscle car crowd has found that ethanol
separates from the gas during storage.
Apparently StaBil doesn't prevent this.
He said he siphoned a lot of it out and put some in a
jar and you could see 2 layers in the gas.
He gave it to his buddy to burn in his daily driver and
now only puts a small amount in his GTO so he can
burn it on short trips. He basically buys a couple gallons
each time he takes the car out and tries to park it close
to empty.

I have not googled this subject but let the discussion
begin!

[herk7769]

I have actually heard about this before, but did not think about the implications to the RV world.

The discussion came up among "boat people" who winterize their boats. They put them away with full gas tanks for some reason and a discussion about additive separation was what I "over heard." That must have been what they were talking about.

[papap]

Ethanol attacks water and a boat tank is vented. so if you put it away empty it attracks more water into the tank. Stabil does make a marine Ethanol treatment now.

[KyDan]

FYI the GTO is late model, last year they were made.
So it has sealed fuel system, unlike a boat that is vented.

[TheSasks]

Use Seafoam. It is one of the most used products out there and it plain works as advertised. FYI Stabil in the bottle only has a shelf life of 2 years max, so if he had the bottle of stabil laying around for any time it was probably bad to start with. When I used to use it I only kept it for the year I actually bought it, but I use seafoam for everything now from adding a can to the gas tank every 10k to a fuel stabilizer to doing the though the brake booster vacuum line clean up.

From your last post I am now assuming it is the Aussie GTO with the Vette style fuelie small block, so ya it shouldn't have any issue running ethanol blend fuel.

http://www.seafoamsales.com/how-to-u...treatment.html

[GrowingGoatee]

I don't know the ins and outs of how these additives work. But I use sea-foam and Phase Guard 4 in everything. Phase 4 for storage over 30 days, and the sea-foam in the spring for cleaning the systems. I've stored fuel for over a year and never had issues with any of my equipment, generators, or vehicles. Some which is pretty old. I buy them at Fisher Auto. I've also used the sea-foam after it's sat on the shelf for 2 years plus, with no ill effects.

[TheSasks]

Originally Posted by GrowingGoatee

I've also used the sea-foam after it's sat on the shelf for 2 years plus, with no ill effects.

I was talking about the Stabil having a shelf life not Seafoam. BTW seafoam is a very good stabliizer and can be used to store fuel for up to 2 years.

[GrowingGoatee]

Originally Posted by TheSasks

I was talking about the Stabil having a shelf life not Seafoam. BTW seafoam is a very good stabliizer and can be used to store fuel for up to 2 years.

I know, just giving my experience with what I use.

[KyDan]

Originally Posted by TheSasks

From your last post I am now assuming it is the Aussie GTO with the Vette style fuelie small block, so ya it shouldn't have any issue running ethanol blend fuel.

He has issues with ethanol.
Here's his specs.
Note the HP listed is actual dyno tested at the rear wheels.
364cu in 6.0L LS2 aluminum block and heads pushrod v-8
Replaced from stock - L92 heads, valves, springs, rockers, ceramic coated
headers, 3" dual exhaust, L76 intake manifold, mild livernois cam, .040
stainless cometic head gaskets to keep the compression up, ARP head bolts,
3.91:1 gears in the rear, Hankook drag radials out back.
Compression is around 10.9:1, and the engine currently makes 540Hp.
0-60mph in 4 seconds, 0-100 in under 9 seconds.

[TheSasks]

Originally Posted by KyDan

He has issues with ethanol.
Here's his specs.
Note the HP listed is actual dyno tested at the rear wheels.
364cu in 6.0L LS2 aluminum block and heads pushrod v-8
Replaced from stock - L92 heads, valves, springs, rockers, ceramic coated
headers, 3" dual exhaust, L76 intake manifold, mild livernois cam, .040
stainless cometic head gaskets to keep the compression up, ARP head bolts,
3.91:1 gears in the rear, Hankook drag radials out back.
Compression is around 10.9:1, and the engine currently makes 540Hp.
0-60mph in 4 seconds, 0-100 in under 9 seconds.

Petty impressive machine Dan. IMO Seafoam would work well for that machine, those late model small blocks are monsters. Alot of marine people rely on it with their high $$ machine.