Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

So...an engineer I know at an outboard manufacturing company said this when I asked him about fuel savers: "We recommend the use of fuel stabilizer, but make sure it is not alcohol based... the red stuff." "Alcohol sitting over extended periods is never good on fuel system components."

I asked him this question because I've been told now more than once by engineers and product managers at small engine manufacturers that they DO NOT recomend using stabil or any fuel savers unless going more than a year before using again.

Which ones are alcohol based?

Sta-Bil MSDS sheet says it is 95% natpha (you know, white gas/starter fluid/mineral spirits, etc. type of fuel distillate), and 5% "proprietary ingredients".

One of the ingredients in Seafoam (according to their MSDS sheet) is IPA (isopropyl alcohol) to help suspend water.

I have always used Stabil, The red type but now they say the new blue type is best for Marine use.