AS SEEN IN THE JULY / AUGUST 2007 ISSUE

Since we're not all professional marine mechanics, in order for us to really evaluate the benefits of fuel stabilizers, we must first understand the characteristics of fuel. 

Fuel is actually an organic material which begins to deteriorate the moment it leaves the refinery. By the time you pump "fresh" fuel into your tank from your local marina or corner gas station, the fuel has already aged considerably. Fuel continues to age and degrade as it sits in your tank, but worse yet; the aging and deterioration process is accelerated during combustion.

So what's the big deal with fuel aging? Some things, such as whiskey and wine, age gracefully, but gasoline and diesel fuel is not one of them. During the aging process, masses of carbon, gum and resin form in your fuel. These masses become too large to burn completely and the combustion process is compromised, thus making the engine more difficult to start, reducing fuel economy and increasing harmful emissions. This can be a considerable problem for boaters who use their vessels infrequently.

The solution; stop the aging process! During transportation, storage and use, fuel is exposed to oxygen and heat. This exposure causes the atoms in the fuel to lose their balance, molecular reactions take place, and the aging and deterioration process begins. This happens to all fuel, even today's reformulated "clean" fuels. The good news is, this aging and deterioration process can be halted and even reversed. If the fuel is kept in balance - kept "chemically stable" - then aging does not occur. This is exactly what leading fuel treatments do, which is exactly why they are referred to as "fuel stabilizers.”

What is enhanced chemistry?Leading fuel stabilizers feature enhanced chemistry which reacts with your fuel immediately upon contact - working chemically within the gasoline to keep the fuel at peak stability during storage and throughout the combustion process. With the aging process halted, the masses of carbon, gum and resin do not form. Your stabilized fuel performs better and burns more efficiently; therefore, your engine(s) performance is improved.

By treating every tank of fuel with a leading fuel stabilizer, you will, in fact, enjoy the following benefits:

• More power from your engine as your fuel is combusted more completely
• Increased economy as fuel is burned more efficiently
• A cleaner engine and fuel system as deposits are prevented from forming
• Reduced maintenance costs as a cleaner engine runs stronger and longer
• Extended engine life as components’ life spans are extended

Stabilizers -vs- Additives. Many boaters ask why not just use traditional fuel additives? Scientific studies in controlled environments have proven that stabilizing fuel is the most effective way to get the most bang for your buck. Traditional fuel additives do improve combustion, but they do it by changing your fuel, boosting cetane or octane, or by adding foreign ingredients. This approach can cause an engine to run at a hotter temperature than it was designed to and in severe cases, can even cause long-term engine damage. Stabilizing fuel gets the job done safely, without altering your fuel or your engine. Furthermore, fuel stabilizers provide benefits during storage too, something traditional additives do not do.

Common questions regarding fuel stabilizers.

My engine manufacturer does not recommend the use of fuel additives or stabilizers. Why? Given the fact that so many different fuel additives and stabilizers are offered on the market, engine manufacturers have no way of monitoring or testing the claims of each product - making it difficult to determine specific stabilizers that are safe to use.

Do fuel stabilizers eliminate water from fuel? Fuel stabilizers absorb small amounts of tank condensation that can occur over an extended period of time. However, fuel stabilizers DO NOT absorb large amounts of water that can severely damage fuel injectors and fuel pumps. It is best to remove large amounts of water by either draining the tank or by utilizing a special water removal filtration system.

If I am in the islands, should I use a double or triple dose of fuel stabilizer for really tough fuel?No. Fuel stabilizers are fully effective at the recommended dosage.

What if I accidentally over-treat my fuel with a fuel stabilizer - will I be doing any damage?No. But you will be wasting money.

Since today's gasoline is much cleaner, why would I want to use a fuel stabilizer? By comparison, gasoline today is initially much cleaner than gasoline sold 10 or 20 years ago. However, today's fuels are less stable because they are produced through cracking processes versus the less efficient straight-run processes utilized years ago. As a result, today's fuels deteriorate at much faster rates - resulting in excessive carbon build-up in your engine. Given the varying length of time it takes for fuel to be consumed after refining, it is wise to stabilize every thankful to ensure maximum combustion and performance.

I have well over 1000 hours on my engine. Is it too late to start using a fuel stabilizer? No. Fuel additives can add years to "middle-aged" two-stroke engines by stopping excessive wear and carbon build-up.

My engine(s) has high hours and I'm not seeing better performance with a fuel stabilizer. Why? A fuel stabilizer is not a "mechanic in a bottle" and can't replace worn rings, cylinder liners or worn-out injectors. However, fuel stabilizers are recommended for older equipment because it will keep fuel tanks and fuel delivery systems clean, minimizing additional problems.

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