keith417 Posted June 20, 2022 Share Posted June 20, 2022 Chatting with a friend last week who owns motorbikes and variety of petrol driven garden equipment and he mentioned the use of a fuel stabiliser in all his machines to avoid clogging-up during long period of non-use (e.g. over winter). In fact, anything over a month of non-use. Talked about other folks he knew that had had to have major repair work done on engines, especially carburettor, when stabiliser additive not used. Has anyone experience of this, particularly now we are having to use Super unleaded? Recently had problems with start up and tick over and cleaned out carburettor in my Triumph Herald but this started almost immediately after I'd filled up with petrol and suspected dirt from the petrol station's tanks. But perhaps not. My friend has recommended System Guard by Motorex or Sta-Bil from Gold Eagle Co. USA. Any other recommendations or comments on these ones appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosbif Posted June 20, 2022 Share Posted June 20, 2022 At the end of the season, October, each year I do nothing about the petrol in my 13/60. Over winter the car hardly gets used and I have not had any problems since I got it in 2015. I use E5,98. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobPearce Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 My Spitfire did perhaps four outings in six months over winter. The GT6 sat in the garage all that time having repairs done. The Vitesse has gone nearly three years since it was driven anywhere. All three start and run fine on the petrol that's been in their tanks all that time, with no additives, although I do expect to need to put new fuel in the Vitesse once it's ready for the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 My engine has a raised CR, to the most I dare, 10.5:1. A few years ago, after winter layover, it knocked, but a fill up with fresh abolished that. Since then, I add some stabiliser to the tank at the end of the season. This minimises the amount of additive needed to the small quantity of remaining fuel, but there should be enough to thoroughly flush through the system by running the engine. Since than, no spring knocking! John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Arnold Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 12 hours ago, keith417 said: My friend has recommended System Guard by Motorex or Sta-Bil from Gold Eagle Co. USA. Any other recommendations or comments on these ones appreciated. I used to have problems starting my Briggs & Stratton powered garden machinery. It often took at least 20 pulls of the cord on the rotary mower! Since a friend pointed me towards the same company's "Fuel Fit" additive it starts on the second, or even the first, pull. Another friend later told me that "Fuel Fit" is basicallly pure aeroplane fuel - althouigh I do not know if this is really true - but I haven't needed to use it in my Vitesse yet!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith417 Posted June 22, 2022 Author Share Posted June 22, 2022 Thanks for all the comments so far. Much appreciated. It doesn't seem as though this is a major problem for anyone. I'm still in two minds about whether to use stabiliser or not. So far this year it's been running smoothly. However, worth bearing in mind if issues do occur. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slimboyfat Posted June 23, 2022 Share Posted June 23, 2022 There really is a lot of guff on the tinternet about petrol. Fuel stabilizers, E10, octane boosters, super unleaded, blah, bloody blah! We have a sizeable collection of motor vehicles some of which sit around for some considerable time. The only time any of them have been treated to anything other than the cheapest forecourt fuel is if I'm venturing out onto a track in any of them. Never had any issues with fuel other than one filling on the RBRR in Scotland when we did it in the WC PI a few years back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted June 23, 2022 Share Posted June 23, 2022 "aeroplane fuel" is just high octane. Used to be able to buy 102 octane at Silverstone. But there is no point in using higher octane fuel than what the engine is built for, compression wise. No extra performance except what comes from greater compression. And high octane ingredients are more volatile. So just "aviation spirit" will not preserve the fuel Myth, busted John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted June 23, 2022 Share Posted June 23, 2022 9 hours ago, Slimboyfat said: There really is a lot of guff on the tinternet about petrol. Fuel stabilizers, E10, octane boosters, super unleaded, blah, bloody blah! We have a sizeable collection of motor vehicles some of which sit around for some considerable time. The only time any of them have been treated to anything other than the cheapest forecourt fuel is if I'm venturing out onto a track in any of them. Never had any issues with fuel other than one filling on the RBRR in Scotland when we did it in the WC PI a few years back. This. The only time any of the fleet get anything other than the cheapest I can find is before going on track. Only problem I’ve had was in rural France where the (probably rarely used) petrol pump was doling out a generous measure of water. Didn’t stop it, but it did make some very threatening noises. Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosbif Posted June 23, 2022 Share Posted June 23, 2022 1 hour ago, Nick Jones said: Only problem I’ve had was in rural France where the (probably rarely used) petrol pump was doling out a generous measure of water. They must have run out of cheap plonk to mix with the petrol. 😃 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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