Should I Use a Fuel Stabilizer

There is no shortage of products that claim to revolutionize the performance of your engine. Mowers and small engines are no different. You can get everything from antiknock agents that increase fuel’s octane rating, to additives with specially formulated enzymes designed to clean the entire fuel system. Many products falsely claim to be the silver bullet for your engine’s problems, but few are as helpful as fuel stabilizers.

Fuel stabilizers are important because of the increasing amount of ethanol found in gasoline sold across the country. While the addition of ethanol makes fuel burn cleaner, it can have adverse side effects if not used properly. The problem is that the ethanol draws moisture from the air over time. This moisture collects in the bottom of your gas tank and can wreak havoc on your entire fuel system. If left sitting long enough, gas can experience phase separation – a process by which the accumulated water separates from the rest of the fuel in the tank. Once completed, phase separation cannot be reversed. You’ll have to take your machine to a nearby small engine repair center and have it professionally drained. Avoid this hassle altogether by using fuel a quality fuel stabilizer.

Stabilizers work by breaking up water molecules that have accumulated in the tank, and allowing them to mix with the rest of the fuel. Check this out yourself by pouring some stabilizer into a cup of water. You can see the stabilizer go to work as the water begins to form tinny beads right before your eyes. This is the same process that allows your machine to easily burn through gas that would otherwise be problematic.

Fuel stabilizers don’t just help your engine burn through gas that has accumulated water over time. They also extend the life of your machine by reducing the amount of strain it is put through. You see, just because your engine is running, doesn’t mean water hasn’t accumulated in the system. Small engines are tough; they are capable of operating with a little bit of water in the line, it just takes a bit more work. This additional strain wears out the components of your engine. Additionally, constant exposure to watered-down fuel contributes to the corrosion of your carburetor, fuel injectors and other small engine components. Fuel stabilizers address all of these concerns.

When it comes to cars, like many other things, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. By increasing efficiency and reducing the levels of corrosive elements inside the engine, using a fuel stabilizer just twice a year has been shown to boost performance and extend the life of small engines.

By: Kyson Crowell