The shelf life of all STA-BIL® brand products is 2 years after the bottle has been opened, provided it has been tightly capped and stored in a cool, dry place. If the product has not yet been opened, you should use the color of the fluid as an indicator. If the product is still bright red, it is fine to use. If the product has turned to a very dark red (or brown) color, we recommend purchasing a new bottle. It will not harm anything if you use an old bottle of STA-BIL® brand, it just won't be effective.
All my lawn and garden equipment must be garbage by now because I never drain or put additives to any of it for years. Yet they all start and run fine with exception of one snow blower which I mixed fuel incorrectly... thus my mental block with additives poor old snow blower, Homie fried it.
SECoda wrote:Holy hindered phenols. No chemistry majors here? You know what happens to bread w/o preservatives - especially with a lot of moisture. You can still eat it. Why is it so hard to believe that gas can oxidize slowly too? Gas stabilizers work by stabilizing otherwise unstable aromatic hydrocarbons. Ever smell old gas - it sours? Gum and varnish in gas are oxidized hydrocarbons that turn into something else. Sta-Bil really works but it only slows the oxidation process down from a few months to 12-15 or so. I think I currently own a few dozens different engines and keeping up with all of them to be run every few months and have the fuel refreshed with new fuel isn't practical.
The good news is even if you ignore the varnish and gum buildup for several years or more you can probably salvage it with Seafoam if it starts having early symptoms (like won't idle). In airplanes we avoid engine risk as possible but they are only scooters. Battery's are still an issue if you don't run it much in the winter. Most folks probably trade their scooters after a few years and make it the next persons problem.
Homie, I am disappointed in you. You killed a snow blower? What did it do to deserve to die? I am sure it didn't suckered snow, since it's job is to blow snow. It was faithful to you and didn't eye any of your other newer and younger engines. It blew it's little piston and tried it's best. You should be ashamed of your self. It was faithful till the end.
Currently own:
Red 2013 Honda PCX150 Givi tall windshield & tailbox - Lots of extra lights Custom seat from Thailand - Bad Boy Airhorn Takegawa Lowering Shocks - Michelin City Grip Tires Headlight assy upgraded to LEDs w/HS5 main bulbs NCY variator, drive face, and rollers
Mel46 wrote:Homie, I am disappointed in you. You killed a snow blower? What did it do to deserve to die? I am sure it didn't suckered snow, since it's job is to blow snow. It was faithful to you and didn't eye any of your other newer and younger engines. It blew it's little piston and tried it's best. You should be ashamed of your self. It was faithful till the end.
It's too easy to grab the wrong fuel can for 2 stroke engines. I don't even have a 2 stroke weed eater anymore... no, NO! nothing 2 stroke! I'm done with everything 2 stroke The new snow blower is the same brand Cub Cadet but no mixing fuel with oil. At least I'm loyal to the company that provided me with such a good blower for many winters.
poor old snow blower, Homie fried it.
Why is it so hard to believe that gas can oxidize slowly too? Gas stabilizers work by stabilizing otherwise unstable aromatic hydrocarbons. Ever smell old gas - it sours? Gum and varnish in gas are oxidized hydrocarbons that turn into something else. Sta-Bil really works but it only slows the oxidation process down from a few months to 12-15 or so. I think I currently own a few dozens different engines and keeping up with all of them to be run every few months and have the fuel refreshed with new fuel isn't practical. 
