Stabil or ringfree

[MikeyL]

Stabil or ringfree - Should any of these be used on a brand new boat ? ....... - AND - He decided to use 93 instead of 87 recommended by yamaha. Should I even worry about that ?

LOL ...... Here we go again .......... LOL !
And some think me goin' fishin' is a waste of good time & energy ...... LOL !
I needed a good laugh today ....Y"all enjoy a most Blessed Friday ! Mikey Lulejian - Lake Oconee, GA

 

[motorboater]

Thanks. I thought the name had changed. I am going to start using this as well based on suggestions here and the previous forum.

I have been running non-ethanol gas which only comes in 93 octane around here. I am nervous to go to 87 octane (ethanol) with Stabil based on all of the known issues with ethanol. Am I wrong to thing it is safer just to avoid ethanol all together?

Sorry for the long-winded post to follow. I'm not suggesting that using 87 E10 in your boat will cause you any problems. This is just my experience with ethanol blends and the research I've done to support my decision to not use them...

Non-ethanol, at least where I've looked, only comes in 91 or 93 octane. The 93 Non-oxy Marathon fuel at the station down the street actually contains additives similar to Techron according to the datasheet I got from a representative of Marathon. He claims that additional additives are not necessary if using this fuel in engines designed to allow lower octane. Who knows about that...

But, after running 91-93 octane for 150 hours on the 240 I have no sign of carbon deposits showing on the plugs, no sign of insolubles such as carbon deposits in the oil, and no increased wear metals present in the oil which could point to detonation. I have my oil professionally tested by Blackstone Labs. I attached the two most recent reports and a pic of one of my spark plugs. Yes its still possible that a tear-down would show deposits on valves, pistons, rings, etc. which is why I'll start running Ring-Free just in case.

On my last boat I had to replace all the pressure-side components on a fuel-injected V8 after a decade of ethanol fuel use. In that case I had been using whatever the dealer put in the fuel when they winterized it (maybe nothing), and I wasnt very diligent about using any products during the season. I had fuel system problems on my previous BMW over time that were attributed to ethanol blends, and when I researched it I found loads of tech bulletins on these same problems.

So it has been all non-ethanol for me on my X5 and all my boats and small engines. I dont care that I pay more at the pump. I have proven that on my X5 the increased mileage covers the difference anyway so I dont think my cost is higher, and I wouldnt care if it was. On the boat I supplement the fuel with Marine Stabil and this year will add Ring-Free although I suspect it isnt necessary.

 

[OperationROL]

In my area, we have a line of gas stations, called Road Rangers, that are 100% ethanol free. We only fill up there if we are in town. Because we do haul the boat elsewhere and cannot be certain about other stations, we use Stabil a few times a year, since the boat could potentially sit without much use at some points in the summer (4 boys in baseball and basketball mixed with many rainy weekends). We have not used Ring Free, but don't see why not. None of these products can cause any harm to the boat, so I will treat it as cheap insurance.

By the way, we store our boat close to empty and use SeaFoam when we fuel it on the way home from storage. Seems to make starting those heavily fogged engines easy.

 

[motorboater]

You should store it full, preferably with non-ethanol fuel, and either way treated with a stabilizer. Regardless of what fuel you use storing it empty will allow condensation to form in the tank and eventually will cause problems.

 

[txav8r]

These

You should store it full, preferably with non-ethanol fuel, and either way treated with a stabilizer. Regardless of what fuel you use storing it empty will allow condensation to form in the tank and eventually will cause problems.

All true. But many Long term Yamaha owners use a different approach and sea foam is another way to combat condensation. Also, we have a cast membership and it isn't always one size
fits all. While hot and humid climates are obvious contributors to condensation buildup, huge temperature swings can also contribute to it as they have around the clock up north. Being aware if the challenges is the main thing, and manage the issues the way that best fits your environment and how you use your boat.

 

[MikeyL]

MotorBoater wrote a very concise and ACCURATE description and analysis. I'ld like to compliment him. Everyone oughta read TWICE what he wrote.

All I want to add is something VERY IMPORTANT !
There are TWO (2) very different types of Sta-Bil: REGULAR (pink) and MARINE (Medium Blue). The MARINE (Blue) effectively treats the effects of Ethanol - The Pink does NOT !
The "MARINE" does cost more, but you can purchase it for a lot less than West Marine at my most fav on-line retailer: AMAZON.
And the MARINE BLUE does go a LONG ways ! A 32 oz container of Marine Blue will treat against Ethanol effects for 320 gallons of fuel ! Hard to beat that !
http://www.amazon.com/STA-BIL-22240-Marine-Fuel-Stabilizer/dp/B001CAW2DK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1395415883&sr=8-3&keywords=sta-bil
Hoping this helps a lot of people get a better grasp of what's going on !@
Mikey Lulejian - Smoking BBQ pork butts over Southern Red Oak today on lake Oconee, GA

 

[OperationROL]

You should store it full, preferably with non-ethanol fuel, and either way treated with a stabilizer. Regardless of what fuel you use storing it empty will allow condensation to form in the tank and eventually will cause problems.

There have been many debates on this topic - whether to store full or empty. I have done both. Now I prefer to store empty and take the necessary steps to avoid condensation issues. That is where Sea Foam comes in. I don't like using that tank of "Bad" fuel in the spring. I notice performance differences and thus now chose to store empty and use fresh fuel in the spring. This works for me, but I get your point.

 

[motorboater]

Seafoam is good stuff. I use it too. I didnt know it would prevent condensation though.

 

[MikeyL]

Seafoam is good stuff. I use it too. I didnt know it would prevent condensation though.

Heck I dunno. But they claim so on their website.
Take a looksee .........
http://seafoamsales.com/sea-foam-spray/why-sea-foam-spray-works/
Hey ! Have a great BIG weekend - a Happy One ! Mikey Lulejian

 

[SCSTWG]

Since motorboater has served as my personal boat consultant to date, I will follow his advice on this topic as well.

 

[OperationROL]

Seafoam is good stuff. I use it too. I didnt know it would prevent condensation though.

Yeah, Sea Foam is a staple in my house. It does not prevent condensation, it absorbs and encapsulates the water and makes it safe to circulate throught the engine. One year I had issues starting Perfect Heaven as I was 'summerizing' her in the spring. I stopped by Hammertime Sports (My Yamaha Dealer) and told them about my issues. They told me to put a can of Sea Foam in the tank and they guaranteed it would start. I did, it did and I have been using it ever since. I do not even attempt to start it in the Spring without Sea Foam. I pick the boat up empty, put in a can of Sea Foam right away, drive a mile to the gas station, fill her with fuel, and drive about 10 miles home - enough time for the Sea Foam to mix and go to work. Once at home, I start her up as easily as I would during the season.

The truth is a 'full' tank of fuel does not fill the tank to the very top, so there is still space for condensation to arise. So, even if you store it full, I would suggest using a can of Sea Foam when pulling her out of storage.