Do they chemically neutralize ethanol?  I recently purchased a garden tool that requires gas with 10% or less ethanol.  If I add Sta-Bil to, say, 15-20% ethanol fuel, will it neutralize the ethanol?

Get the real deal to start with.

https://www.pure-gas.org

Then add a stabilizer.

Sta-Bil is last on my list for fuel stabilizers.

no, they don't "neutralize ethanol"

it slows down the process of the gas going bad.  easiest way to explain it.  also has methanol in it which I think grabs the water that's always present in gas, so it stays in solution and doesn't settle to the bottom of the tank/float bowl/etc and cause problems.

I use it to try to keep gas in storage, whether it's in an engine or fuel system or in a gas can, from going bad AS FAST as it would otherwise.  

started using it after fighting with carb problems in my roadrace motorcycle that was stored over winter.  once I started using it, had ZERO problems in the spring.  every gas can now gets the recommended Sta-Bil double shot when I fill it with 91 no ethanol.  

roughly the same time frame, I became a homeowner and started accumulating lawn tools.  the few times I didn't put Sta-Bil in the can when filling, then left gas in the tool, the next time I grabbed it to use it was a bitch to start.  I'm looking at YOU Craftsman string trimmer.  long gone. all Stihl now.


eta: try to get gas that has no ethanol.  I use 91 no ethanol but it usually comes from pumps with dial a mix, one hose for all the variants of gas available.  when I think of it, I run 2-3 gal into the car then put gas in the 5gal cans, to flush the possible 10% or 15% from the hoses before I fill the cans.  but, honestly, I haven't noticed any difference.  the car doesn't sit long enough for it to matter and it's rated for e85 anyway.  when I travel and 93 no ethanol is available I put that in and I notice an immediate improvement in throttle response.

No, typically they address one of the issues that ethanol can over time absorb water from the air and allow that water to pull into the fuel, leading to corrosion issues and fuel quality degradation.  The additive usually has anti-corrosion properties to counteract that, as well as a chemical that would help disperse water in the fuel so it can more easily carry through the combustion process.

Get non ethanol first.

I had a few carburetors gum up when using stabul through off season.

I now use clear gas (e free) in my small engines, and have a regimen to run everything at least once a month.  Typically I add fresh e free as well.

My neighbor buys ethanol-free gas for his mower, blower, and string trimmer. I put Sta-Bil Storage in the regular pump gas I use for my yard tools (both standard and 2-cycle) and have never an issue with any of them starting or failing to run.

I've read on here numerous times that I shouldn't use Sta-Bil because it will ruin the engines, especially 2-stroke. But I've never had a single issue in over a decade of using it (mower, string trimmer, backpack blower, chainsaw). I've also never drained the fuel for winter when the tools don't get a lot of use. I do, however, keep them clean and change the spark plugs, filters, and oil (on the mower) every season.

StarBrite Star-Tron, is a very good product.

I’ve went back to Sta-BIL (blue).  Neighbor has owned a boat shop for 40 years and that’s what they use.  They probably winterize and store 400 boats per year.

Just use an airtight can and then you don’t have to worry about ethanol or STA-bil

If using e-free and it sits lease than a year I don't use sta-bil. Think seasonal use.


I have a 97' Jeep that had 2 year old e-10 in it and it ran perfectly fine. Ran most of it out and filled it with e free and it ran about the same.

I have had good luck with PRI G

It prevents phase separation;
Ethanol is hygroscopic  when it reaches a saturation point ethanol and water sink to the bottom of the tank.


ETA: check out k-100  it's awesome.
https://k-100.com/

That's what my mechanic recommends, then every third tank fill straight non ethanol.  Around here non ethanol is more expensive than 91 octane.

I have 12 wavian cans and use stabil with 87 pump gas. Once a month I dump a five gallon can in my car and then top off the car and fill up the can, adding stabil to the can.

Haven’t had an issue in the five years I’ve been doing this.

This is the way.  You can't overdose your fuel with this stuff.  To test it out, I poured heavy into two gallons of non-ethanol 91 octane.  Half mix, half straight gas.  Let both batches sit for 12 months, and then checked them.  I was skeptical. Results?  Zero evidence of varnish.  Zero yellowing.  Mixed up the straight gas and then ran all two gallons through my pro saws.  ZERO issues.  Carbs clean.  No gumming.  No evidence of performance issues.  I don't care what YouTube reviewers say, product made a believer out of me.  I dose all of my 2 stroke mix with this stuff now.  Straight gas too.  If it's in a jug, it gets dosed.  Period.  Threw my Stabil in the trash.

Newb here, I bought a motorcycle and I use the pure-gas app to run ethanol free fuel. The stations I use have a separate nozzle for the fuel. I do add, on occasion, Fuel Med RX.

Nothing helps ethanol.   Even additives for pure gas don't help that much.  E0 in a full good can does a lot.

A good video:

Came to post this....

Buy real gas, if there was some magic additive, the manufacturers would, or probably are, already adding it.

I've been adding Seafoam to all my gas cans when i fill them for almost 20yrs.  I leave fuel in the mower/other tanks year 'round.  I've seen some great things from Seafoam.

I try to get non-ethanol when I remember, but don't always do so.  I haven't had any issues with carbs on anything.  My weed whackers may have some issues with fuel lines, but I can't say for sure.

But I would never get over 10% ethanol for anything.  My new-to-me truck is able to use up to 85%, but I don't think I'll ever use any.

Thanks for your answers.

I use non-ethanol + Pri-G in any gas that I'm not using right off.  Seems to work very well.  However, around the farm, we go through gasoline pretty fast with mowers, tractors, etc so it gets used within a year.

I've been using a stabilizer/cleaner in everything I have that burns gas for the last thirty years. I don't have carb trouble with ANYTHING and I've never had to have injection service on any vehicle, and I've had two that were among the most needy of special care in the world - a Honda Odyssey with Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) that is known to cause oil fouling in the 'off' cylinders and resulting in sometimes major repairs including engine replacement. The other one I still have, and I love it - a 2017 KIA Sportage SX 2.0L Turbo. This is a first generation DI engine and like all the others, it carbons-up the intake valves because the fuel in the intake stream doesn't pass over them. This continues until suddenly you realize its using oil and running rough because the rings are now carboned-up and stuck. Many makers have been hit with this including Audi, and KIA loves to copy them. Now both of these vehicles have high chances of causing big trouble but the Honda didn't, and I traded it at 90K because we didn't need a van anymore, and it was coming up on some major maintenance work. I had always used the fuel treatment and Mobil1, plus after 55K, I went to Mobil1 Hi-Mileage. The last change I used Mobil1 Hi-Mileage/Extended Performance (20,000 miles) It never used any oil and it had its original plugs and running smooth. Naturally I had no intention of running any oil for 20,000 miles, but that tells me they are confident in the oil maintaining viscosity and the additive package being effective for that long, so for my 12 month oil change at probably 4000 miles, I would have total confidence in that oil. For the KIA, I had been using synthetic since about 10K miles, and on the last change I went with the Mobil1 H.M./Ex. Perf in that too. I could tell the difference right away in engine sound, quietness and power - I think the turbine is spinning a little more free. Anyway, I like this Sportage so much that I'm willing to spend on it to maintain performance and appearance, and since the engine is running so well, it gives me confidence in spending money on it for the long term. On this one. I think the combination of the fuel treatment and the special oil has been sufficient to keep the carbon under control. If more help is needed, there are spray treatments now for the DI engines that you use into the throttle body that will clean them up.
In my view, especially if you use E10/15, you must use a stabilizer for that fuel and you will also benefit from a cleaner fuel system and everything that goes with that. I use Startron mostly but will use Sta-Bil 360 from time to time.
For the outdoor power equipment, I don't do a damn thing on the last use of a mower in the late fall but put it in the shed and lock the door. Next spring I take it out and start it right up. I put the stabilizer in the gas can when I get the gas (I always use Premium) so its always in the mower gas. I use synthetic oil in them too, Castrol Edge Hi-Mi 10W-30. My two 21" mowers are 21 years old and 17 years old.

D_man was already here. He knows way more about fuel additives than I do.

Non eth gas with seafoam has always worked for my stored engines.

I've had really good luck with Amsoil fuel stabilizer.
I forgot about a 5gal can that sat on the back porch in the weather for close to 2 years.

put half in my mower can and the other in my truck that was on E.
both ran fine. I did run the truck back to almost empty and filled up just to make sure, but it ran fine for the day with old, weather exposed gas.