Fuel stabilizers... red or green?

[Michael211_2000]

What's the difference between the red automotive Sta-bilizer and the green colored Marine Sta-bilizer? Both stabilize the fuel for about a year... I've been using the red stuff in my jetboat's fuel (a 454 BBC engine) AND my SeaDoo RXT's fuel without really thinking about the marine formula version.

Does the Marine formula do something the automative formula doesn't? I was under the impression that the green Marine formula was intended for 2-cycle boat engines... but I'm probably mistaken. IDK.

Thanks.

- Michael

 

[6KJR]

Im sure most just use the red stuff.. I used to. Just fill the tank and add however much you need and itll be fine. I dont even use it anymore, but others will vote against that idea.

 

[Rampage]

I use the green because it says for marine use!!

 

[TheChad]

If you read the bottle the Green stuff has like 2x the amount of additives as the red.

Because of the unique problem with Ethanol in the marine industry the green stuff was designed to offer more protection against Ethanol, separation and moisture in the fuel.

I have both on the shelf, but I use SeaFoam for both my boat and my jet skis. SeaFoam does ALOT more for your entire fuel system then Stabil does alone.

I run SeaFoam in my skis all season long, every 3-4 fill up's I add a full can of SeaFoam. My Boat gets 2 can's as it's a 34g tank, every 2-3 fill up's.

-TheChad

 

[Michael211_2000]

What's so unique about the marine industry then? Is it because some boats are left in the water year round (or for the entire summer season at least) in floating docks? Or is there something different about marine engines? This is what's got me confused on this subject.

ps. I never heard of the "SeaFoam" product before. I'll check Ebay and see what I can find on that. Thanks!

- Michael

 

[Michael211_2000]

Nada on Ebay, but Googled it and found their website. I'll look for it next time I go by my local O'Reilly's parts store. Thanks!

- Michael

 

[Rabid]

Tractor supply has a gallonof seafoam @ $49.99 that comes out to $6.24 a can for 8 cans. I tried to find a better deal online but the best I could find was around $7.91 a can for 6 cans on Amazon.

anyone else find any deals out there?

 

[TheChad]

I buy it by the can for between $5-$6 a can.

You have to buy it when it's on sale. Check all your auto parts stores, walmart, any/all farm supply stores, etc.

Around here it always goes on sales around winterization time.

I wouldn't pay more then $6/can for it.

-TheChad

 

[dsw222]

What's so unique about the marine industry then? Is it because some boats are left in the water year round (or for the entire summer season at least) in floating docks? Or is there something different about marine engines? This is what's got me confused on this subject.

Car engines are 4 stroke... most marine engines are 2 stroke (at least the older ones)

 

[TheChad]

What's so unique about the marine industry then? Is it because some boats are left in the water year round (or for the entire summer season at least) in floating docks? Or is there something different about marine engines? This is what's got me confused on this subject.

ps. I never heard of the "SeaFoam" product before. I'll check Ebay and see what I can find on that. Thanks!

- Michael

The marine industry is ALOT different from the auto industry...

As you mentioned marine engines typically sit for extended periods of time vs. auto's which typically are run constantly.

When E10 fuel was first put to market there were ALOT of issues with the ethanol reacting with the fuel tanks, fuel lines, gaskets/O-rings, etc.

You also are much more likely to have water introduced to the system/fuel in a marine environment, water in any fuel is bad but Ethanol just magnifies the problem.

You also have to consider the fact that in a marine environment if you have fuel/engine/mechanical problems out in the open water you have a much bigger problem than if you break down on the side of the road in your car.

-TheChad

 

[Michael211_2000]

Car engines are 4 stroke... most marine engines are 2 stroke (at least the older ones)

I thought about that, too... but reading the side of the Green Stabil bottle, it says for 2-cycle AND 4-cycle marine engines. If it had said for 2-cycle marine engines only, it would have made sense to me then. Oh well... I'm still using the red Stabil in my vehicles, generator, ATV, jetboat and SeaDoo, at least for now. I finished topping off my SeaDoo's tank with the last 5 gallons of 93 octane gas treated with red Stabil yesterday afternoon in fact.

Damn but gas prices have taken a huge JUMP since Thanksgiving, what's the deal!!!! :ack:

- Michael

 

[ak67sd]

What's so unique about the marine industry then? Is it because some boats are left in the water year round (or for the entire summer season at least) in floating docks? Or is there something different about marine engines? This is what's got me confused on this subject.

ps. I never heard of the "SeaFoam" product before. I'll check Ebay and see what I can find on that. Thanks!

- Michael

Marine engines are typically built with more compression and more exacting tolerances than automotive engines. Quite simply, on a boat or PWC i pin it to redline and hold it there for half an hour, or more getting around a lake... take you car and rev the motor to redline everytime you use it and hold it there for an hour... the difference will be obvious after the parts let go!

That being said, higher compresson/performance engines are more picky when it comes to fuel quality, using a red stabil when fuel sits too long helps it out....arguably fill the tank before storage, run stabil through it, but siphon it out and use that gas in your car and put fresh fuel in before using it again!

ak

 

[Michael211_2000]

... arguably fill the tank before storage, run stabil through it, but siphon it out and use that gas in your car and put fresh fuel in before using it again!

ak

Yeah well I think that's just a little over-the-top for my tastes and where I live. My last run on the lake was the end of October, and I ran it a few times on the trailer in November before winterizing it... by next May I'll be ready to at least start it on the trailer again, if not head to the lake with it. Winter only lasts about 3 to 4 months in this part of Texas. The tank is full of 93 octane fuel + appropriate dose of Red Stabil pre-mixed in 5 gallons at a time... I've even stuffed a heating pad element inside the hull beside the engine and plug it in on freezing nights. I think it'll be just fine come next May.

Besides, I don't run my boats to the redline very often if at all. 1/2 to 3/4 throttle is just fine for my cruising needs. But that's just me, the harder you push your equipment the greater the probability of something flying apart and making a nice big BANG!

Thanks for your comments on this subject though. Regards and have a fantastic Christmas ya'll!

- Michael

 

[ak67sd]

Yeah well I think that's just a little over-the-top for my tastes and where I live. My last run on the lake was the end of October, and I ran it a few times on the trailer in November before winterizing it... by next May I'll be ready to at least start it on the trailer again, if not head to the lake with it. Winter only lasts about 3 to 4 months in this part of Texas. The tank is full of 93 octane fuel + appropriate dose of Red Stabil pre-mixed in 5 gallons at a time... I've even stuffed a heating pad element inside the hull beside the engine and plug it in on freezing nights. I think it'll be just fine come next May.

Besides, I don't run my boats to the redline very often if at all. 1/2 to 3/4 throttle is just fine for my cruising needs. But that's just me, the harder you push your equipment the greater the probability of something flying apart and making a nice big BANG!

Thanks for your comments on this subject though. Regards and have a fantastic Christmas ya'll!

- Michael

Just goes to show that everyone has different applications! It really has nothing to do with your geographic location, unless you never get below freezing and don't store the engine for more than a few months, or tastes. It's the composition of fuel. I agree for everyday pleasurecraft that aren't pushed to peak what you suggest is just fine or you take it easy on the first tank. That is what i do with my current boat and pwc. Filling the tank for storage is to reduce condensation, removing and refilling is to put fresh fuel in with little risk of running varnished fuel through.

When i used to have racing engines (2 stroke) they wouldn't run well at all on the fuel left after 4-6 months...it had to be fresh and primed. You don't win races at half throttle, but that's just me. :auto:

Happy Holidays!
ak

 

[Michael211_2000]

Well I could be wrong but I kinda doubt very many of us on this forum are racers... that's why I think it a bit extreme to drain a perfectly good tank of high octane fuel after only a few months (4, maybe 5 at most) of storage presuming the fuel was good quality and properly treated when it went into the tank. I always make my fuel purchases from the same exact station so I know the quality is good.

It's true that I could use the 15 gallons of fuel in my lawn mower come next spring, or something... but why? My pickup engine is FAR more expensive than this Seadoo's engine, so if it's not good enough to run in my Seadoo I'm sure not putting it into my vehicle!

I've never had an issue with fuel so long as it was good when I purchased it to begin with. And with gas prices rising, 93 octane fuel is too expensive to run in a lawn mower even if it's 4 or so months old! LOL!

I have many doubts in life, but I have no doubt that the 15 gallons of treated fuel in my SeaDoo will be just fine by the time temps warm up and I'm ready to use it again. Of this, I'm confident. Of other things, not so much....

- Michael

 

[Rabid]

aviation gas

Has anyone run the aviation gas in the doos. I know the motocrossers like to run that stuff in their bikes.

 

[Rampage]

Has anyone run the aviation gas in the doos. I know the motocrossers like to run that stuff in their bikes.

aviation fuel is 100 low lead gas.. I would not use it...us racers usually use VP-110 for 12:1-13:1 compression or I would use VP100 (aka StreetBlaze 100) Oxygenated with ethanol

 

[fractus]

Avgas 101

Avgas in the 70's was available in the following octane ratings. 80/87(RED) 100/130(GREEN) 155/145.(PURPLE) Then 100LL "low lead"(BLUE) came to be when they did away with the 80/87. Jet fuel (JP4 and JP5 STRAW COLOR)
If you look at a mogas (auto gas) octane rating sticker on the pump it will say 91octane or the like with little writing under it "Using RM2 method" or similar. Avgas is on a different scale and really can't be compared apples to apples.
80/87 is measured in lean/rich mixture settings hence the two numbers. Selling avgas and jet fuel for 10 yrs I'd have people coming with cans to fill their cars, bikes, boats or the like. I could not pump it directly into their vehicles as there is no "road tax" in the price; hence the cans. Things may have changed as I see some stations carry racing fuel and the like.
In the favor of Avgas; it evaporates relatively clean, leaves a dye mark and no gum-varnish, and no stink like mogas. I would think that is from the extra refinement of the crude.

 

[Rampage]

My ski says to use reg unleaded gas, so thats all I'm putting in mine LOL