Which is better, Seafoam,Stabil

Which is better for our 2cycle outboards, Seafoam, or Stabil, I have used Stabil for years but I don;t think it helps keep the eng clear. What do you all think or know...

I use seafoam...keep's things clean

They both do different things. You should use both.........

What things do they do differently?

I've been out of the business a few years, so my info. may be dated, but: Seafoam cleans; Stabil keep old gas new. The best way to get along with a 2-cycle is to mix the oil-gas by and book, and keep a fresh plug screwed in.

I use neither. I use the Mercury cocktail of Quickare, Quickleen, and Quickstor.

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I use both as well. My engine runs like a top.

I don't mean to jack the thread, but where do you get Seaform? I've checked Autozone and O'Reily and they don't have them. Academy doesn't have them either. Thanks

You must have looked past it at Autozone & O'reilly's. Also check Walmart. Looke near the engine cleaners.

Tractor Supply

Biobor treats more fuel per $ then Stabil!!

Stabil for storage, Seafoam for cleaning during use.

Happy,
Not trying to start a debate and your motor looks perhaps to be carberated so no bother. If you later do decide to run with a direct injected motor, you might consider researching marine injector cleaner companies and listen to what their opinion is, based on what they have been observing with some of the troubled injectors removed from motors regularly ran with "cleaners" such as SeaFoam.

Stabil, a very different product appears to work to stabilize the fuel like would adding more ethanol...in fact the original formula was reported to be 'alcohol' based.

Similarly to ethanol, Stabil is also said to chemically bond with or readily absorb water molecules in the fuel helping keep the tipping point of any phase separation higher. Stabil also does provide the fuel with an additive package with such benefits as increased rust protection.

Pep Boys carrys seafoam.

Norhtern Tool in Lewisville carries seafoam and it is the cheapest place to get it last time I bought it there it was 6.99 a can

Good to know. I need to check next time I am there. I have seen it at Academy, Wal Mart and Autozone. Academy in Mesquite and others in Rockwall. I remember Auto Zone being the highest. I keep some ethanol treatment around but only use it when I do not plan on using up the gas in my tank. Weedeater / chainsaw gas always gets it because it sits. Also put it in ATV. Takes a while to run 4 gallons through a Polaris.

I've been using stabil with every tanks and Yamaha Ring free with every other tank of gas as advised by my mechanic. Pricy stuff. Probably made with the same ingrediants.

http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-Ring-Additive-32oz-ACC-RNGFR-32-00/dp/B002GUCLH2

Seafoam is a Cleaner and it keeps the carbon from building up.

Stabil Marine formula will help stop phase separation in your fuel when it sets a few weeks.

actually Seafoam does both. It is a stabilizer and cleaner.

X2.....cleans, stabilizes, and removes water. I use Seafoam only. Stabil will congeal after awhile in the bottom of your fuel tank and gunk up everything. I know cause it happened to me.

Lucas in every motor Ive owned for over 25 years,the rest of their products are questionable
Great Injector cleaner with just abit of lube for the top end
Seafoam is a good product,it is a very aggressive cleaner that will knock loose "chunks" on neglected motors and "chunks" aint a good thing in rotating assemblys or fuel delivery/process's.

Consistency is the key to using these products use them in acouple tanks of fuel before OCI and all the trash goes out the drain hole at service time.

My boat mechanic told me to use Seafoam.

I was using stabil but I noticed I had lost a little power. I put in some sea foam and started running smoother and got my top end back.. Just sayin.. But im new to owning a boat but I did notice the difference.

Northern Tool sells Seafoam every day for $6.48 a can.

Peruse this........
http://www.fueltestkit.com/is_gas_additive_safe_with_e10_list.html

The problem with gas as I understand it (after poking around on the wild world web) is that (1) the lighter parts of gasoline evaporate during storage leaving a heavier less potent fuel, (2) gas breaks down during storage via oxidation, (3) ethanol in fuel absorbs water and deteriorates some fuel lines and gaskets.

I can't see any of the products helping with #1 since they cannot stop evaporation and there aren't enough added distillates in that little bottle, although it's the primary ingredient. Seems adding fresh gas (maybe premium) to the old gas is the only way to "freshen" it up. (2) I'll have to take their word for it as I don't understand fuel antioxidants. Looks like Stabil may have an antioxidant in it's secret sauce. Star Tron uses an antioxidant enzyme and SeaFoam has none that I can see. (3) Ethanol itself is a great solvent which is why it eats some plastic/rubber fuel lines and gaskets and pumps. It would seem that Ethanol cleans your carbs/injectors while running, but I'm guessing it's not so kind while sitting in the fuel system for 6 months since it can absorb water.

So if you run your boat frequently and keep your gas fresh, how much of this stuff do you really need? This is just my $.02 worth, I don't claim to have a full understanding of fuel treatment.

Here is the breakdown of what's in Stabil, Seafoam and Star Tron.

Stabil
Petroleum Distillate - 95%
Additive Mixture - 5%

Seafoam
Pale Oil - 40-60%
Naptha - 25-35%
IPA - Isopropyl Alchohol 10-20%

Star Tron
Proprietary 0.5%
Solvent Naphtha 95%


MSDS sheets here

Stabil

Seafoam

StarTron

Don't use seafoam to clean clogged injectors. I tried that and it pushed more gunk from my fuel lines and tank into the injectors! The stuff is great if you use it on a regular basis though. I put it in all my motors once a month now. That's both me and my wife's trucks, dirtbikes, and lawn equipment. Haven't had problems yet. If the motor is going to sit I recommend either clearing it of fuel or running it dry with stabil in the fuel. Just my

Just purchased a gal. sea foam O'rellys,51.00 and some change. Hewitt, Tx.

Aside from fuel injector issues (a relatively new thing to outboards), it's just a shame that we have to deal with all of this. And we are dealing with it simply because we tried "gasahol" (as an independent fuel source, yeah right) and now all of the corn growers (big business, not mom and pops in the midwest) are hooked on the gov't corn subsidies. Phase separation is not common, but when (if) it happens, kiss your two stroke goodbye. Not such a big issue with four strokes (straight ethanol with some water is just a huge drop in power (BTUs). So there, politics and physics in a 50:1 ratio. Gosh, have I really grown so bitter in old age?

Personally, keep the fuel tank near full (less air space [humidity]) and marine stabil.

I use both, stabile every fill up and seafoam ever other fill up.

seafoam

Stabil (BioBor, StarTron) to stabilize gas and reduce problems.
SeaFoam to "strip" problems out of the system once they've begun/occurred.
Be careful with SeaFoam, if it's an older system that hasn't been thoroughly cleaned out in awhile, SF could cause stuff to come loose and clog lines/injectors/jets.
In kitchen terms, Stabil and company are the "sponge with dishsoap", SeaFoam is the BrilloPad.
Just my feelings on the subject.