Recommended fuel additive?

[mlts22]

Bought gas at a gas station a few blocks away from where I normally go. Filled my generator up... noticed it surging.

What is a recommended additive, if there exists one, that might be able to undo what that five gallons of marginal fuel possibly did? I know about SeaFoam, but am wondering about other brands and offerings. Generally I have zero issues with surging/hunting, so this was an odd exception.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

To end the confusion of what I meant, the opinion of one person versus the reality of a mass of millions of unsaid experiences is a pretty patch of thin ice to put all one's weight on.

I have had "gumming issues" with alcohol laced gasoline, even when using a Racor N-series element in a fuel water separator filter in gasoline service. I will kiss someone's moonie if they can find a filter that has a finer filtration than 1 micron, and is made for automotive use.

None of the "Top Tier" gasoline sources of sale are to be found in Central Texas or East Jesus, without alcohol? Chevron or Shell or Union only with alcohol added?

The ONLY reason alcohol is used as an additive is that it apparently combusts, has no hydrocarbon emissions issues, and has bought and paid for just about everyone in government regulatory positions. Doubt it? Look at corn futures versus the timing of introduction of booze into gasoline. Go to foggy bottom or your state capitol. Peruse the strategic location of the corn/alcohol industry's office to your legislature.

HAVE FUN!

Google the history of automotive fuel in BRAZIL

Then attend a midget sprint car race or the Indy 500. Your tears of joy cannot possibly be related to exhaust emissions of alcohol fueled race cars. The emissions the cars spew are NOT ANALYZED, or categorized in government emission categories.

Ethyl Corporation wanted to introduce HI-TECH 2000 Manganese component additive for fuel but no studies were ever conducted by the government. Why? The bulging pockets of legislators "lubricated" by Archer Daniels Midland and the corn lobby were so huge it did not allow Ethyl Corporation to get within earshot.

[mlts22]

So far, I've found -one- place in Central TX selling E0 gas. That is Lowe's, where they sell E0 + preservative by the quart in a metal can for $7.50 each.

I've been recommended Star-Tron (comes in a clear bottle, blue fluid) which I might try this go-around. So far, the best luck I've had is using Sta-bil which has kept my generator running without surge issues even when it sat for 3-4 months.

[NinerBikes]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
HE ISN'T KIDDING!

Dadgummitanyhow !! Lousy solar for a couple 3 days, so had to build a fire in my little EU1000,.....hasn't run since this time last year,.....4th pull, fired rite up,....on guess what,....right ! gas bought right here last year in AZ !
So much for todays god awfull e10 gas lasting only 3 months.
And I have yet to drop the bowl on a carb in the last 5 years that wasn't spotless inside.

G Trailer has it all right, only he wasted a lot more time and words than I ever would have on thei thread.

If you guys would pour clean gas into your motors, and quit blaming (and whining) all your problems on todays fuel fuels, you would be happier....??? but prolly not !


You can bank on a reference ratio of "1" versus what.....a few billion other unsaid opinions as being total, absolute, unquestionable pontification er I mean FACT. Dammit I said FACT!

Some experience, from a guy that's making bank with ethanol in your fuel.

Small engine repair shop and Ethanol in your fuel.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

HE ISN'T KIDDING!

Dadgummitanyhow !! Lousy solar for a couple 3 days, so had to build a fire in my little EU1000,.....hasn't run since this time last year,.....4th pull, fired rite up,....on guess what,....right ! gas bought right here last year in AZ !
So much for todays god awfull e10 gas lasting only 3 months.
And I have yet to drop the bowl on a carb in the last 5 years that wasn't spotless inside.

G Trailer has it all right, only he wasted a lot more time and words than I ever would have on thei thread.

If you guys would pour clean gas into your motors, and quit blaming (and whining) all your problems on todays fuel fuels, you would be happier....??? but prolly not !


You can bank on a reference ratio of "1" versus what.....a few billion other unsaid opinions as being total, absolute, unquestionable pontification er I mean FACT. Dammit I said FACT!

[NinerBikes]

RJsfishin wrote:
Dadgummitanyhow !! Lousy solar for a couple 3 days, so had to build a fire in my little EU1000,.....hasn't run since this time last year,.....4th pull, fired rite up,....on guess what,....right ! gas bought right here last year in AZ !
So much for todays god awfull e10 gas lasting only 3 months.
And I have yet to drop the bowl on a carb in the last 5 years that wasn't spotless inside.

G Trailer has it all right, only he wasted a lot more time and words than I ever would have on thei thread.

If you guys would pour clean gas into your motors, and quit blaming (and whining) all your problems on todays fuel fuels, you would be happier....??? but prolly not !

And just where do buy gas, knowing whether it's dirty or it's clean?

I just cleaned out the fuel bowl and jets on my Eu1000i on 2/4/14. I've owned it a little over 2 years. I cleaned it out when I first got it too. Nothing but clean fuel run through it in the Los Angeles Market, nothing but Chevron Regular. I've changed the motor oil on it twice, once when I first got it, and the second time about a month ago. I've not run more that 3 gallons of fuel through it in all that time.

There was varnish and gunk in the bottom of the float bowl, and a few black tar like specs. Not a lot, but I know it wasn't there from when I wiped the bowl out spotless the last time I cleaned the carb up when I first got it.

Quartzsite does not get pollution control grade high density population fuel like all of Southern California gets,with all kinds of cr*p additives to keep the air clean, but your fuel system gummed up. It has a short shelf life, and needs a high turnover rate to stay fresh.

As I said before, buy your fuel in low density population fuel stations in small towns. The fuel lasts a lot longer in storage. Store the fuel tanks on your generator darn near topped off and full. Less air in the tank, less oxidation reactions between fuel and air/moisture in the tank.

[John_Joey]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Yeah, I am grumpy-assed today. As Steve Martin says "WELL EXCUUUUUUSE ME!"

Nobody bothers to read the OP's comment posted VERBATIM below. The quotes are mine...


"I know about SeaFoam, but am wondering about other brands and offerings"

I tried SEA FOAM and it DID NOT WORK to cure surging, stalling, hesitation, and BAD gas mileage. Four cans, four times in a row. Wasted my money.

After another 2 weeks of putting up with a cranky Mitsubishi V-6 I added one bottle of CHEVRON TECHRON FUEL INJECTOR CLEANER and the problem vanished and STAYED AWAY for more than a thousand miles.

So that is IMHO as an ALTERNATIVE to SEA FOAM

Gee, and all this time I thought you were Sneezy. :B

Lucas is good stuff. Other then being cheap Sta-bil is my last choice. Chevron is good stuff and my old MH loved it.

[RJsfishin]

Dadgummitanyhow !! Lousy solar for a couple 3 days, so had to build a fire in my little EU1000,.....hasn't run since this time last year,.....4th pull, fired rite up,....on guess what,....right ! gas bought right here last year in AZ !
So much for todays god awfull e10 gas lasting only 3 months.
And I have yet to drop the bowl on a carb in the last 5 years that wasn't spotless inside.

G Trailer has it all right, only he wasted a lot more time and words than I ever would have on thei thread.

If you guys would pour clean gas into your motors, and quit blaming (and whining) all your problems on todays fuel fuels, you would be happier....??? but prolly not !

[Airstreamer67]

Gdetrailer wrote:

Airstreamer67 wrote:
Quote: "It is their word against yours and there is no way for you to prove or disprove if the fuel they are selling is indeed alcohol free. Perhaps you should come up with a alcohol testing kit?"

Do a google search. There is a very simple technique to test for alcohol in gasoline. I do it myself to assure my stored fuel is free of that stuff. There are several stations in my area that sell alcohol-free fuel. A google search finds them readily.

:R

Yeah, right. They CAN'T put anything wrong on the Internet :h , pretty much ALL those reported alcohol free stations on the Internet websites are bogus (I have read many reports from folks stating that the stations listed near them DO NOT sell alcohol free gas).

If you believe them then boy do I have some prime ocean front land in Arizona to sell you...

I have several antique cars, tried for a long, long time to get ANY alcohol free gas including aviation gas (two small air ports near me, they WILL NOT SELL "AV" gas unless you HAVE a FAA tail number). Tried non alcohol racing gas (have a popular dirt sprint track within 15 miles of me), couldn't get that either, they only sell to the REGISTERED racing entries.

I can guarantee that even your supposed tests are false, alcohol laden gas HAS been sold across the US since the 1970s (remember "gasohol" which was a dismal failure, well they have been sneaking alcohol into the gas since then).

The concentration of alcohol VARIES from state to state and even county to county within in state according to what the EPA TELLS the supplier to mix the blend to.

If the EPA feels your county has too much smog then they FORCE the suppliers to provide the MAX of 10% alcohol blend to the affected area.

These are "designer" blends, so your county may have 5% (which may or may not be detected by your "test") and the county 2 miles from you will have the max of 10% MANDATED by the EPA.

Remember "Katrina", well the shortages of gas they endured caused the EPA to TEMPORARILY SUSPEND the designer blend rules in order to ALLOW OTHER BLENDS to be shipped in..

These designer blends also have a major effect on the cost due to supply and demand, that is why the prices can spike in an instant if something happens to one of the regional refineries or the supply of raw materials to that refinery.

You are more than welcome to turn a blind eye to the facts.

Thank you for the permission, but I'm not the "blind eye" guy here.

As I stated, the test for alcohol is very simple and reliable. It's based on the principle that alcohol absorbs water. I test all my stored gasoline myself with graduated test tubes, and it works.

I'm sure there are fuel stations selling fuel with alcohol which are listed incorrectly. That's exactly why I test the fuel myself before putting it into storage.

[NinerBikes]

marcsbigfoot20b27 wrote:

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
I used Techron in a lawnmower that kept stalling. Pretty basic. 5 to 1 compression flathead, meaning valves in block. Worked like a charm. Does Chevron in your neck of the woods add booze? In California, when gasoline is rated "Top Tier" the refineries do not have to add booze. In states where your legislature is bought and paid for by Archer Daniels Midland, then who the hell knows.

Combustion deposits cause running problems that have a list a lot longer than simple ping or knock. After wasting my money "-ON WHAT I-" consider to be, Snake Oil, Seafoam, I won't try it again even if it was given to me. LUCAS fuel additive seemed to work somewhat (murky results) but Techron made such a difference it was laughable. I look at it this way, you don't need to mortgage your house or risk anything but the price of a Double Burger with Fries to try it.

Seafoam dissolves carbon on pistons, intake valves and intake parts like injectors. It will not dissolve that hard green looking crud that accumulates inside carb jets. For that you usually have to physically poke, clean, scrub it off.
Seafoam works for what it's made for.....dissolving carbon deposits on pistons, valves, heads, etc.
Techron works too, used to use it at the dealer as part of a 60 k service.
BG 44K works too.

Of course you may think they are all "snake oil" unless you use the product for what it can actually do. It can't magically unclog a jet that won't let any "snake oil" into in the first place.

If you have hard green crud in the jets of your carburetor, those jets are done. They've oxidized, and will never be the proper diameter to meter fuel correctly, ever again. Buy new jets, replace them, and be done with it.

[marcsbigfoot20b]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
I used Techron in a lawnmower that kept stalling. Pretty basic. 5 to 1 compression flathead, meaning valves in block. Worked like a charm. Does Chevron in your neck of the woods add booze? In California, when gasoline is rated "Top Tier" the refineries do not have to add booze. In states where your legislature is bought and paid for by Archer Daniels Midland, then who the hell knows.

Combustion deposits cause running problems that have a list a lot longer than simple ping or knock. After wasting my money "-ON WHAT I-" consider to be, Snake Oil, Seafoam, I won't try it again even if it was given to me. LUCAS fuel additive seemed to work somewhat (murky results) but Techron made such a difference it was laughable. I look at it this way, you don't need to mortgage your house or risk anything but the price of a Double Burger with Fries to try it.

Seafoam dissolves carbon on pistons, intake valves and intake parts like injectors. It will not dissolve that hard green looking crud that accumulates inside carb jets. For that you usually have to physically poke, clean, scrub it off.
Seafoam works for what it's made for.....dissolving carbon deposits on pistons, valves, heads, etc.
Techron works too, used to use it at the dealer as part of a 60 k service.
BG 44K works too.

Of course you may think they are all "snake oil" unless you use the product for what it can actually do. It can't magically unclog a jet that won't let any "snake oil" into in the first place.

[NinerBikes]

I have 3 honda Generators. 2 of them are EU2000i's with 100cc motors, and one of them is a EU1000i, with a 49cc motor, and a really small carb. Techron works on the Eu2000i's, stops the surging, but in my experience, nothing, short of pulling the float bowl off the carb on the EU1000i and blowing it out with carb cleaner in all the jet orfices, both main, pilot and idle jets, and letting it soak, really gets rid of the motor hunting and searching under hard or heavy loads. The EU2000i's have carbs and jets probably double the size of that little 50cc motor on the EU1000i. I have relegated myself to just storing the EU1000i with the carb bowl drained dry, completely. I drain the whole fuel tank, then run the motor until it runs out of fuel, then I choke the motor, and pull the starter 4 or 5 more times, to suck every last bit of fuel out of all the jets, then store it away.

YMMV, but with boat motors, I've never had a problem with any Honda outboard that I ran dry out of fuel before storage using this method of choking the motor once it ran out of fuel, and giving the starter a few more pulls.

I notice less problems with fuel when I buy gas in smaller markets, smaller towns, and not in big cities. I do live in the CARB state, it's amazing the cr*p they do to our fuel for clean air, understandable with everyone wants a big gas motor that will do zero to 60 in under 5 seconds on their daily driver. The gas needs of the tiny little weed whacker, dust blower or gas lawn mower, due to storage considerations, are quite a bit different.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Folks may want to Google

Top Tier Gasoline

Some mighty informative stuff. High sulfur gasoline even band-aided with Jim Beam and enough ether to knock a dentist on his butt is nothing more or less than adulterated garbage gasoline. Sulfur for older diesels is great. Sulfur for any gasoline engine old or new, is pure poison. Like a heaping teaspoon of sodium nitrite in coca cola while bathing in agent orange.

[westend]

In my area it's possible to buy "Non-oxygenated Premium". This is gasoline that does not contain ethanol. The Octane rating is increased by adding more ether to the gas blend.

My experience tells me that adding gasoline stabilizers and additive cleaners is not a one-blend, one-fix situation for all engines. Example: I was responsible for the care and maintenance of 125 small engines that were stored over Winter. After the yearly maintenance steps, these engines and equipment all had their fuel tanks filled and appropriate Stabil amounts added to the tanks and run to fill the carbs. At Spring startup all of the engines started and ran fine except 12 small Kawasaki engines. Upon examination, it was found that all of them had a blockage of what appeared to be fuel residue in the main jets. When the jets were cleaned all worked perfectly. In hindsight, it may be that an air passage in the carburetor body allowed enough air into the main jet to dry the fuel. Henceforth, these engines were then drained of fuel for Winter and the problem disappeared.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

I used Techron in a lawnmower that kept stalling. Pretty basic. 5 to 1 compression flathead, meaning valves in block. Worked like a charm. Does Chevron in your neck of the woods add booze? In California, when gasoline is rated "Top Tier" the refineries do not have to add booze. In states where your legislature is bought and paid for by Archer Daniels Midland, then who the hell knows.

Combustion deposits cause running problems that have a list a lot longer than simple ping or knock. After wasting my money "-ON WHAT I-" consider to be, Snake Oil, Seafoam, I won't try it again even if it was given to me. LUCAS fuel additive seemed to work somewhat (murky results) but Techron made such a difference it was laughable. I look at it this way, you don't need to mortgage your house or risk anything but the price of a Double Burger with Fries to try it.