Forum Discussion

pianotuna's avatar
pianotuna
Nomad III
May 04, 2016

stabil gas treatment vs seafoam for storage

Hi Folks

The device:

Yamaha 3000 sIEB generator

The fuel:

Always premium

The test:

In winter 2014 I used stabil gas treatment for five months of storage. The generator was run for 30 minutes to allow the stabil gas treatment to get to all areas of the generator. Then the tank was topped up with premium fuel.

In winter 2015 I used seafoam instead for six months of storage. The generator was run for 30 minutes to allow the seafoam to get to all areas of the generator. Then the tank was topped up with premium fuel.

The results:

For spring of 2015 stabil gas treatment made the generator hard to start (four attempts before success) and it continued to be an issue with it taking many seconds to ramp up to full speed. Eco switch was off. I treated it with Seafoam and the issue disappeared.

For spring of 2016 the generator started within 2 seconds and ran smoothly and at full speed almost instantly. Eco switch was off.

I know what I'll be using for storage purposes in 2016!
  • Trackrig's avatar
    Trackrig
    Explorer II
    May 04, 2016
    I got a Honda 2000 from my brother that had sat for five years with regular gas, the fuel wasn't turned off, the carb wasn't drained - it started after five pulls on the old gas. Did change the oil, but other than that, it starts and runs fine each year with nothing done to it.

    Bill
  • Sam_Spade's avatar
    Sam_Spade
    Explorer
    May 04, 2016
    But your test proves absolutely NOTHING about the stability of the basic fuel using the two different additives. Maybe there were other factors present. For instance, SeaFoam has some mild cleaning abilities. Are you in the habit of giving the gen a dose of carb cleaner a couple of times a year ? If not, maybe it was overdue for some cleaning.

    AND unless your manufacturer calls for it, the use of premium fuel is a total waste of money and can contribute to some rough running issues in itself.

    Is it safe to assume that you used the recommended amount of both ??

    Nothing wrong with SeaFoam as a stabilizer; that's what it was originally designed for. I've been using Stabil for about 20 years off and on in mowers, tractors, trucks and other equipment and haven't had a problem yet......that wasn't attributed to something else failing during storage.

About Technical Issues

Having RV issues? Connect with others who have been in your shoes.24,205 PostsLatest Activity: Feb 23, 2025