Sea Foam vs Sta-Bil vs Marine Sta-Bil - What is the best for boats??

I was told by a local small engine facility owner that Sea-Foam ruined the guts of his boat motor by stripping all of the lining out of his fuel lines and causing his gaskets to become brittle and come apart. He said that he only recommend Marine Sta-Bil for all boat motors.....I have access and only use non-ethanol gas in my boat as well as all of my cars and yard equipment so my questions are:

1> Has anyone ever heard that Sea-Foam is BAD for a marine motor?
2> Should you use regular Sta-Bil with ethanol gas and marine Sta-Bil only if your gas contains ethanol?
3> Has anyone ever used Sea-Foam in their vehicles oil? The can says it does all kinds of good things to the inner's of the vehicle motor?

Thanks for the comments and feedback......Mark

I can't speak about Sea-Foam or the marine Sta-Bil, but I have use the regular Sta-Bil in my boat since 1997. Every October on my last time to use my boat I make sure that the gas tank is topped off and I put the recommended amount of Sta-Bil in the gas tank. I then disconnect my gas line and let the motor run the gas out of the carbs.

Come next Feb. when I crank the boat back up for the first time I have not had the first problem.

I've had marine mechanics tell me not to run the gas out of the carbs when I winterize my boat and I've had other marine mechanics tell to definately run the gas out of the carbs when I winterize my boat. I have chosen to latter approach and it has worked perfectly for me.

No to first question.think he had a problem with ethanol he is blaming on Stabil. Sea foam is a cleaner and could have cut loose some things that had been broken down by the ethanol. If you are sure you have non ethanol gas run ethanol when not running motor for a while. If having to run ethanol gas use marine in every tank. I use regular in all small engine gas every time I buy gas for them. Have had no problems with cranking after sitting all winter and they seem to start better every time I start them. I never run carbs dry any more and have had no problems. Carbs used to gum up because of lead in gas and additives that went with it. Same thing with misers. I have read the can about putting it in engine not sure if I would do it myself. It will clean anything that your oil runs through,litters, bearings and such. If you have newer engine you shouldn't have anything gummed up to start with. Maybe on old engine. With lifter noise. Understand one thing, any place you have a seal like crankshaft ends there are seals and carbon builds up around seal lip. Run cleaner through in oil will cut that carbon loose and can create oil leaks.

I have used stabil and marine stabil in my boat since new in 04, and don't make the effort to find 100% gas since I use stabil or the marine version. I used the original version until I found the marine version just a year or so ago. I have not used sea foam in the boat but would not think it would hurt anything if used in reasonable quantities. Some people don't bother to read the directions, or do read 'em, and then think 2x as much is better. I do not run the gas out of my 60hp at the end of a trip or end of the season, never have, and I have not had any issues with my carbs or plugs. I use the stabil to maintain the quality (?) of the gas since a tank of gas could last me all summer long since I dont use the 60 that much. I use the TM 95% of the time, and stay within site of the boat ramp alot as well. My 60 starts everytime, with little effort and no trouble.

Putting seafoam in the engines oil is for cleaning the oil passages out of gunk, sludge, etc. If you have a 4 stroke, then add some seafoam to the oil and run the motor for a few minutes then CHANGE the oil. If you have a 2 stroker, then putting some seafoam in the gas/oil mix probably won't hurt (up to a point) but the motor will probably smoke more than normal.

I use Marine Stabill because my mechanics said too, as far as the differences I dont know but he makes his living working on em and runs it in his.

I use seafoam and sta-bil. Sta-bil is used to prevent water from falling (separating) out of the fuel. One of the big negatives of Ethanol fuel is that the alcohol in the fuel draws moisture creating the problem. Seafoam is used to decarb the engine while it is running or you can mix a strong mixture (separate tank) and do it once a year. Seafoam has been around for sixty years now. If it caused problems they would have shown up by now. We have to decarb now because the ethanol fuel does not burn as hot as regular fuel creating the carbon. I was amazed how much better my outboard ran after using seafoam in one tank of fuel.

I would not put any additive in my automobile's engine. Modern engine oil has enough detergents and additives to keep your engine clean and suspend contaminants as long as you change it at the reccomended intervals .

I have used Sea-Foam for years and have had no problems other than it's a cleaner and your fuel filter will need to be changed on a regular basis. Recently, because of the water that is attracted by the ethanol, I have started using Amsoil every other tank. It actually works really well.

All of it is good stuff.

Marine stabil only thing I use!

I used to use Marine Stabil but since the Ethanol situation I have heard a hundred different theories about how to handle fuel. I just switched to AV fuel for everything except vehicles. I go to the airport and fill up the boat and all my fuel cans and don't have to worry about it. It's a dollar a gal more but worth the peace of mind in knowing that the carb will stay clean and that engine will start two years from now if need be.

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Originally Posted by luvpt

I used to use Marine Stabil but since the Ethanol situation I have heard a hundred different theories about how to handle fuel. I just switched to AV fuel for everything except vehicles. I go to the airport and fill up the boat and all my fuel cans and don't have to worry about it. It's a dollar a gal more but worth the peace of mind in knowing that the carb will stay clean and that engine will start two years from now if need be.

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I would be careful burning AV gas in an outboard. Its 100 to 120 octane and has no lubricating principles at all. I saw a 300 Mercury a couple years ago that had AV gas run in it and it melted the top two pistons.

torch is exactly right..... the octane rating is way too high and you will burn the tops out of your pistons....also, useing avgas will void your warranty if you still have one.

I was told about a product the other day, I think they called it Startron?. Spose to remove the ethenol completely?? Yall heard bout this?

Bigger, you win the prize. Startron is suppose to be the best on the market. I put a bottle in my truck everytime I fill up. I also put a bottle in boat. My boat mechanic to stay away from sea=foam and staybil. The best investment is new gas lines and overhauled fuel pump.

There are a couple of things that folks can do to keep their boats running well.

1- Install a fuel/water separator. They look like an oil filter screwed to an inlet/outlet. They're less than $40 and take about three beers to install. They will make a world of difference, especially if you wind up with a bad tank of gas.

2- Use an additive. I prefer Startron, but just about any of them will work. The big advantage of Startron is one bottle treats about a jillion gallons.

3- If you own a motor made prior to 2005 or so, it's a good idea to swap your fuel lines and bulbs. It's my understanding that something in ethanol will cause older fuel lines to separate, collapse, and pump all sorts of crud into the carbs or fuel injection. Ethanol resistant fuel bulbs are marked as such, and NAPA has all of the automotive 5/16" fuel line that you'll need. You can also custom-cut a fuel line to your exact lengths. Makes it custom, and custom is better.

4- Run your stuff/drain your fuel. If you know that you're going to set your boat up for a while- say 60 days or more- drain out the fuel and run it in your car if you can. I cut a piece of hose long enough that I can put my fuel tank on the roof of my SUV and siphon any leftover fuel into my gas tank. I have no clue why, but my Isuzu runs like a dream with a few gallons of 50:1 in it. If this isn't an option, hook up some rabbit ears and run your boat for a few minutes every couple of weeks. Part of what messes these motors up is varnish that collects in the carbs. Keeping fresh fuel (especially fresh fuel with an additive) running through it will help negate this.

The reality of it is that we've fought these problems for years with our boats. We just called it "bad gas" instead of "all gas". Ethanol just makes these problems come at us faster.

Also, non-ethanol fuel is still available if you hunt it out. The Chevron at Jackson and hwy. 6 in Oxford has ethanol free fuel. I use Ethanol-free gas stations in the U.S. and Canada to find places that still sell the real mccoy.

Here's my thoughts: Sea Foam. Next question please.

Actually, I've run Sea Foam in every drop in my last 2 boats and occassionally for the ones prior (back when gas was gas and boots were still in style for manly footwear). I've had excellent results.

I'm sure Stabil is great and I've heard good on Startron as well, but no product will remove ethanol period. I believe Stabil and Startron is better at preventing phase seperation of Ethanol blended gas, but Sea Foam does the same and is a superior cleaner. That said, I can't prove it. Phase seperation is where moisture from the atmosphere accumulates (is attracted by the ethanol) and settles in the tank at the bottom. Basically, when you hit the starter, you're picking up straight water. Once phase seperation occurs, it can not be re-blended.

Pick one of the 3 and use it religiously.

Also, it is ill advised to run AV gas in an outboard and I'm sure it would void the warranty on any of the motor brands. It's also ill advised to run premium gas on motors without stepped up compression. Consult your outboard's manual. They all advise against it. You're asking for a kablooey.

Wannabe...

kablooey's are not a good thing either...I PROMISE!

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Originally Posted by tritonman

kablooey's are not a good thing either...I PROMISE!

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Unfortunately you are the current Kablooey poster"child"! :(

Sea Foam. Use it in everything. Works great. Even slip a little into Deester's sweet tea bout once a week. Keeps her purrin like a kitten.

mix it like Uncle MILLIS does on the outdoor channel not over load it. Kinda like the wife a little nip will keep the interest in how I make my sippin tea!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not to steal this thread but the best thing any of us can do is buy "real" gas and then put whatever additive that works for us. Living in an area isolated from "real" lakes I am down to only one station whose pumps are not labeled "This may contain Ethanol". Arkansas requires labeling if it is possible that Ethanol has been added.

Personally I use Sea-foam and have had proven results as both a carbon remover as well as a carb cleaner/stabilizer. I have personally experienced an outboard that had sat for a year but would not idle when fresh fuel was used. Six gallons of fresh gas later and a half a can of Sea-foam it ran perfect. I would have almost bet the carbs would have had to been removed and cleaned without the Sea-foam.

Now to add something new to the discussion. How do any of us know that the gas we are buying for our motors is ethanol free gas? The following link shows a simple test tube test than can for the most part indicate whether or not you have ethanol gas and if you want to be precise with your measurements it indicates it will tell you the percent ethanol you are getting. No expensive test kits or drops to buy, just a small test tube and a small sample of gas and tap water. I found it interesting and thought I would share the link.

YouTube - Test gasoline for ethanol

Should the link not work, I found it by searching Utube for Test Gas for Ethanol.

Crappie Anglers Magizine had a short spiff about a new product called Valvetech. It's suppose to do the same that the rest do.

Wal-Mart sells a product called Startron that is supposed to take care of all issues.

I use Seafoam in the last 3 boats I have owned, great results :)

So I came across this older thread while trying to determine which product to use SeaFoam or Sta-bil, also I came across this info from another site which seemed worthy of posting as well.

by TheFamousGrouse:

Sea Foam and Sta-bil are two completely different products for two different uses. What are you trying to accomplish?
There is so much misinformation and urban legends out there about ethanol and fuel additives it’s hard to know where to begin.
Sea Foam is a fuel system detergent. It loosens and dissolves varnish and other fuel system residues. It can open partially clogged injectors and remove varnish and residue that is causing a carb not to function properly. It can also help an engine more easily burn fuel with slight water contamination.
No engine needs Sea Foam in the fuel all the time. Brian is correct, Sea Foam can attract water. In addition, engines are not tested to run with high concentrations of detergents on a constant basis.
Sta-bil, on the other hand is a fuel stabilizer. It allegedly extends the storage life of gasoline and, again, allegedly helps prevent some kinds of ethanol-related fuel issues.
So a couple of things. First, if your goal is simply making sure the fuel in your tank will be ok to use next season and if you are using true Non Oxygenated fuel, then nothing is required as far as additives and nothing should be added. Non-Ox gas has a storage life that is greater than the winter months, so there is no reason why you need to add anything.
If you are having fuel-related engine problems, a treatment of Sea Foam might help. Or it might not. But constant use of Sea Foam may damage your engine.
If you have gasoline in your tank that has ethanol, you can use Sta-bil, but only in the recommended amount. Adding more, again, can cause problems.
The bottom line is that all this gunk, goo, and snake oil should never be used on an “every tank” basis. There are a couple of myths that are driving guys to do this, however.
First, understand that NO, repeat NO chemical treatment can “remove” or “eat” water that has contaminated fuel. It is chemically impossible. Water can ONLY be removed from fuel through mechanical separation. This is a fact of physics.
Secondly, no chemical can reverse phase separation if it occurs. Weather or not any additive can prevent phase separation and to what degree and under what conditions is highly debatable at best.
The bottom line is that the best way to prevent fuel contamination is to buy Non-Ox fuel, run a good fuel filter AND a good water separator (they are NOT the same thing), and use fuel within a few months of buying it.
Grouse

I was told not to put sea foam in an older motor that had never been treated . To much gunk created over past years . Was told it was ok if motor was using it from the start . I was told that 90 % of problems would not happen in the spring If you would crank your motor every two weeks during the winter . Some manuals say run the gas out before storing, some just the opposite. Easier to let my duck hunting friend use it . :biggrin

You can read something different on this all the time. I am going to keep on doing what I have been doing for years....Its working good.

But yeh....this 7 year old thread is about two different things. Sea Foam is fuel system cleaner. Marine Stabil is a fuel stabilizer. Both are good products.

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Seafoam actually works as a stabilizer as well.

Seafoam uses isopropyl alcohol as a solvent and cleaning agent. Nothing special.

Marine stabil is for the most part mineral spirits commonly used as a paint thinner and solvent.

mechanic told me startron is almost pure naptha for whit that's worth.

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Originally Posted by Snubby

Seafoam actually works as a stabilizer as well.

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Yeh, I keep forgetting that...years ago it did not say that. But anyhow I have been using it for 50 years or more on everything.

Heres the info on it.... How to add Sea Foam Motor Treatment to Gasoline, Ethanol, and Diesel Fuels – Sea Foam Sales Company

"G" so old he used seafoam in his horse and buggy:Rofl:Rofl:Rofl

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Originally Posted by spartannation

"G" so old he used seafoam in his horse and buggy:Rofl:Rofl:Rofl

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That's what I heard around here too!

Hahahaha spartannation That’s funny right there!!! I will ask him about it over coffee in the morning.


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Originally Posted by spartannation

"G" so old he used seafoam in his horse and buggy:Rofl:Rofl:Rofl

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Sparty, are you sure you got the time frame right? The way I heard it was G has been around since before the invention of the wheel? Maybe he used Seafoam in his flintstone mobile.......

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Originally Posted by spartannation

"G" so old he used seafoam in his horse and buggy:Rofl:Rofl:Rofl

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LOL :biggrin

We don't have ethanol free gas up here. Everytime I venture down south I see the ethanol free gas, but it is only 87 octane. My 95 Mariner 150hp EFI manual says I need a minimum of 89. Is higher octane no ethanol available ? Maybe I'm just not seeing it.........

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Originally Posted by Inspector Mike

We don't have ethanol free gas up here. Everytime I venture down south I see the ethanol free gas, but it is only 87 octane. My 95 Mariner 150hp EFI manual says I need a minimum of 89. Is higher octane no ethanol available ? Maybe I'm just not seeing it.........

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All I've ever seen was 87 octane in non ethanol, I have a 2.5 Suzuki that recommends non ethanol 92 octane or better. It says it will run on ethanol gas as well though, you can always add a little octane booster to the 87 :twocents

I also have two Evinrude 150's one is a 91' and the other a 93', run just plain ole 87 non ethanol in both.