Scooter Fuel Additives and Fuel Stabilizers
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There are lots of fuel additives out there on the market and we are trying ourt a lot of them. When we find the ones that have a real performance benefit, we will post them here.
There is one fuel additive that almost no scooter rider can be without and that is fuel stabilizer.
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What Happens to Fuel When it is Stored?
Gasoline is made up of many different organic compounds. These organic compounds are constantly changing over time becoming new compounds that change the characteristics of the fuel. The same molecules that make up the best parts of gasoline can react with oxygen and other elements in the environment and form new molecules that build up to form gummy residues or varnish-like films that can clog up passages in fuel lines, carburetors, and injectors.
Some fuels are treated with oxidation inhibitors to allow them to be stored for up to 3 months without generating excessive deposits. Other fuels have no inhibitors at all. In any case, storage of equipment requires some special consideration for the fuel system.
Why Can't These Problems be Avoided by Draining Fuel?
One way to avoid most of these deposits is to completely drain the fuel tank and fuel lines. This procedure poses a number of problems. First, it is virtually impossible to get every drop of fuel out of the system by simply draining. In order to remove all fuel, lines must be blown out and dried, or enough fuel will remain to cause problems. Second, draining the fuel exposes the bare metal in the tank (many scooters have plastic tanks) and fuel system to air and moisture which, together, can result in the formation of rust and corrosion and which can allow gaskets to dry out, crack and shrink, leading to fuel leaks when the system is refilled. Third, drained fuel is a fire and safety hazard and represents an environmental problem. Properly disposing of this fuel is difficult. For these reasons, draining is not the solution.
Does Fuel Stored in a Tank or Can Cause Problems?
Fuel stored in cans or tanks will also oxidize with many of the "bad acting" unstable molecules remaining in the solution. Using this fuel next season, greatly increases the likelihood that deposits will form in fuel systems while the equipment is used. In other words, stored fuel needs treatment too.
What does a fuel stabilizer such as STA-BIL Do?
Fuel stabilizers are a blend of scientific additives all of which act together to prevent fuel from undergoing degradation and oxidation during prolonged storage. STA-BIL acts as a protective wrapper around fuel molecules so they cannot combine with oxygen or other molecules to form new "bad actor" molecules. The "sweetened" fuel will perform its job thereafter as though it had just been freshly pumped into the fuel tank straight from the refinery pipeline.
How Well Does STA-BIL Work?
Better than you can imagine. On average, STA-BIL improves gasoline life 5 times. The average gasoline is extended from 3 months oxidation life without STA-BIL to 15 months with STA-BIL. Compared to any other products pretending to extend fuel life, STA-BIL is 4 to 9 times more effective according to accepted standard fuel stability tests IASTM D5251.
What Kind of Engines Need STA-BIL?
Any engine stored for 90 days or more needs STA-BIL. This includes all 2-cycle or 4-cycle engines used in lawnmowers, marine engines (inboard and outboard, snow-throwers, motorcycles, chain saws, recreation vehicles, snowmobiles, generators, pumps, golf carts, automobiles, trucks, garden tillers, lawn edgers, garden tractors, farm equipment, mini- bikes, motorscooters, you name it. If it has an engine and is stored for a season or more, it needs STA-BIL.
Is STA-BIL Hard to Use?
It's simple. Just add STA-BIL to the fuel according to the recommended dosage on the package. (Measuring is easy based on the number of squeezes through the measuring cap. Agitate the fuel tank if possible, then start and run the engine for 5 minutes or more. After that, simply shut off the engine and store the equipment away. Next season, the engine will start easily and run smoothly.
Article Courtesy of Scooter Underground www.scooterunderground.ca
Based on our experience and from a collection of scooter resources on the internet.
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