Fuel Additive or not for storage

txroadrider · 09-19-2015, 05:02 PM

OK Everyone, Opinions needed. When storing the RV over the off season. Should I fill up the fuel tank and use additives to keep gas good OR run the generator dry and keep it dry until needed? Which one is better??

JamieGeek · 09-19-2015, 05:10 PM

I thought there was no off season in Texas? LOL

Our Axis has only wintered once so far; currently getting it ready for its second winter. For the first winter I put a full bottle of additive in when the tank was 1/2 full and then filled it to the top. Since we have freezing temps here I also ran both engines frequently (at least twice a month) as well.

**EA37TS** · 09-19-2015, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by txroadrider

OK Everyone, Opinions needed. When storing the RV over the off season. Should I fill up the fuel tank and use additives to keep gas good OR run the generator dry and keep it dry until needed? Which one is better??

I fill the fuel tank and add a fuel stabilizer as recommended. I then run the coach and generator to circulate the treated fuel through the system and I have not had any problems. I have been doing this for years with my outdoor equipment as well.

Here is a quote from Onan's FAQ on RV generators

"Gasoline — Depending upon your location in the country, gasoline can start to deteriorate in as little as 30 days. Treat the entire fuel tank with gasoline stabilizer. Run genset for two hours at 50 to 70 percent load. This process will circulate the treated fuel through the entire fuel system."

As a note, the location of the country determines the amount of Ethanol in the gas. Higher levels of Ethanol tend to gum up faster thereby causing problems.

groswald · 09-19-2015, 05:41 PM

After doing a boatload of research I've found that there are two opposing camps and absolutely no conclusive evidence on either side. So based on nothing whatsoever I use Stabil at the recommended dosage. Add it to a less than full tank, fill the tank completely, and run both the engine and the genny long enough to ensure it reaches the injectors and carb. Then top up if needed to eliminate as much air space in the tank as possible.

Regards,

Randy

Fred g · 09-19-2015, 06:19 PM

I use fuel stabilizer and make it a point to exercise the generator, slides and jacks every 4 weeks. Onan does recommend exercising the generator every 30 days.

Fred

Oneilkeys · 09-19-2015, 09:48 PM

In South Florida, I have used Sea Foam in my RVs for the last ten years. When I had issues with my the generator in my first RV (wouldn't start, stalled constantly) my local mechanic told me he could tear it down and clean it, but if I would just run a couple of cans of Sea Foam thru it, it would be fine. Boy was he right. I have used it regularly ever since and have never had a problem with my generators. Helps the big engine too.

blw2 · 09-21-2015, 01:08 PM

We are occasional weekend RVers, so my coach usually sits 3-4 weeks or occasionally longer between trips I rarely know when it might be 6-8 weeks....

So I always use stabilizer so there's no question if treated fuel is in the engines....

The only exception is if on a long multi-tank trip, then I'll treat the 2nd to the last tank on the way home. Then treat the top off fuel before storing it too.... (I always try to keep the tank full when i park it)

Runeasy · 09-22-2015, 12:00 PM

Everyone who responded here seems to have a solid plan for using stabilizer in their fuel systems - and it must be working. I do wonder, however, why this idea of fuel stabilization is a relatively new concept. I try to stay informed about such things and I can't recall this even being an issue 10 years ago. I mean who here used Stabil in their lawn mowers, generators, or other power equipment until recently? Is this really a problem?

blw2 · 09-22-2015, 12:54 PM

I don't think that it is a new concept or a new problem..... although I suspect that it may be a bit worse.
I remember as a teenager working on all sorts of engines with my dad and friends, from cars, to lawn equipment, to rebuilding several outboard boat engines. Many times we'd find carbs gummed up, problems fixed by "shooting a little carb cleaner" through the jets....
Or fixing an engine that won't run by simply draining the old gas out of the tank and using fresh....

I could be all wrong, but I get the feeling that gasoline is somehow dirtier now.
Regardless, there are many more different variations in "blends" than I think we had "back in the day"

And no doubt the ethanol that they have forced on us is a negative in so many ways.

And again I could be wrong, but I suspect that engines can sometimes be a bit more delicate than they used to be..... better in so many ways, but sometimes crude and tough can be better.

And my last thought.... there are likely many of us that use it that arguably don't need to..... myself included. The engines in an RV aren't like the small engines in lawn equipment, that seem to be much more sensitive to this issue, and also my gas doesn't sit all that long either..... a few months at the most. Maybe it wouldn't be much of a worry unless it sat for much longer.

But Because the stuff is available and because I can, I choose to try to avoid the potential problems

Dragon70 · 09-22-2015, 02:05 PM

How would you run the generator dry? Is there a fuel shutoff somewhere that I'm unaware of. Short term storage fuel problems really started when they started adding ethynol.

Oneilkeys · 09-22-2015, 02:12 PM

In Florida, I have been adding a stabalizer to my dingy outboard engines for 25 years. In the hot sun, the fuel goes bad in several months. In the outboard, the fuel evaporates, leaving a varnish residue that gums up the needle valves. A fuel stabalizer helps slow that process down. The same thing happens in your generator, especially if you do not exercise it regularly. Ethanol has made the problem worse because it attracts water and eats rubber and fittings. If you are out using your RV and generator, you probably don't need stabalizer. When you park it, it is a cheap, easy preventative.

Metalman · 09-27-2015, 01:18 AM

I have been storing motorcycles for many years and always use Stabil. I also use stable in my four wheel vehicles that are stored for the season. I would recommend using Stabil according to the recommended mix. Then run the RV and generator to be sure that the stabilizer has reached the injectors and carburetor. I understand that Onan wants the generator to be run once a month under a full load and that should be done in most climates, but I don't think I would start a generator just to exercise it when the temperature is much below freezing. It is not necessary to start and run the RV periodically during the winter. Doing so will do more harm than good.

Oneilkeys · 09-27-2015, 02:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Metalman

I have been storing motorcycles for many years and always use Stabil. I also use stable in my four wheel vehicles that are stored for the season. I would recommend using Stabil according to the recommended mix. Then run the RV and generator to be sure that the stabilizer has reached the injectors and carburetor. I understand that Onan wants the generator to be run once a month under a full load and that should be done in most climates, but I don't think I would start a generator just to exercise it when the temperature is much below freezing. It is not necessary to start and run the RV periodically during the winter. Doing so will do more harm than good.

Winter? Is that when it gets below 70 degrees?

**fhenn** · 09-27-2015, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oneilkeys

Winter? Is that when it gets below 70 degrees?

No that is when you have to turn off the AC

Fred g · 09-27-2015, 01:37 PM

Metalman,

I totally disagree with running the generator in the winter will do more harm than good. Read the owner's manual on all Onan generators and it will explain the need for exercising the genset. Ask any Tech and they will tell you the same thing. Temperature, high or low, does not exclude the need to exercise it. As far as the RV goes, my opinion is, if something is made to be moved, than it should be moved. When there is a nice day, I put down the jacks, put the slides in and out. If the roads are free of snow and ice, I take the MH for a short ride just to make sure everything stays lubed. Every mechanic I have talked to, agrees that it is better to run it than let it sit. I would think that the systems on an RV are a little more complex than a motorcycle and would think that you are comparing apples to oranges.

Fred

**EA37TS** · 09-27-2015, 03:09 PM

I totally agree with Fred.

Also, the 2014 F53 owner's manual recommends starting the vehicle every 15 days and running at fast idle allow it to reach operating temperature. After reaching operating temperature, with your foot on the brake, shift the transmission through all gears.

davidgebo · 09-27-2015, 03:20 PM

Todays gasoline has so many EPA required additives that make it break down much quicker than gas in the old days. There is also, seasonal gas formulations, and region specific gas formulations required by the EPA Nazis. So, even for short-term storage, a good stabilizer, preferably Stabil, is encouraged. It is really cheap insurance. Additionally, WaWa gas stations offer ethanol-free gas that is great for any engine that is used occasionally, such as chain saws, weedwackers, lawnmowers, generators. This fuel is much better for any such gas engine, as the ethanol destroys fuel system components.

The Guidrys · 09-27-2015, 06:19 PM

I "winterized" my unit for 2-3 months. I'm in the heart of refineries so non-ethanol fuels are readily available. That is all I put in my coach, boat and lawn equipment for obvious reasons. It will stay stable for 4-6 months without any additives.

I do run my coach, generator, and systems for 2-4 hours every 2 weeks during the off season.

Nursx2 · 09-28-2015, 12:48 AM

Stabil every year with a full tank of gas and it has never failed me. I use it in all my engines from sports car, lawn mover and trimmer - perfect product!

Metalman · 10-01-2015, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fred g

Metalman,

I totally disagree with running the generator in the winter will do more harm than good. Read the owner's manual on all Onan generators and it will explain the need for exercising the genset. Ask any Tech and they will tell you the same thing. Temperature, high or low, does not exclude the need to exercise it. As far as the RV goes, my opinion is, if something is made to be moved, than it should be moved. When there is a nice day, I put down the jacks, put the slides in and out. If the roads are free of snow and ice, I take the MH for a short ride just to make sure everything stays lubed. Every mechanic I have talked to, agrees that it is better to run it than let it sit. I would think that the systems on an RV are a little more complex than a motorcycle and would think that you are comparing apples to oranges.

Fred

I understand that a generator engine needs to be run periodically to flush out stagnant fuel form the carburetor and the float bowl, and to keep the slip rings on the generator from corroding. However, I have three generators that are stored through the winter months and cannot be started during that time, since no one is home. One generator is about twenty years old, one is fifteen years old, and one is about five years old. None have had any problems. I have also tried to start an Onan generator in the middle of a NH winter and the strain on the starting circuit was evident.

Running the motor home engine enough to thoroughly warm it up and eliminate the the moisture in the exhaust system is good, except that the moisture accumulated in the crankcase takes more time/heat to completely boil off. Each time the engine is started and then stopped, particularly in cold climates, moisture accumulates in the oil and forms acids and other corrosive compounds.

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