I've used stabil a few times in the past but usually start things a few times each winter and have had few issues in the 40 or so years I've maintained my own stuff. But gas is different now and more care is needed to prevent problems. I bought a 97 ZX6 this past fall with only 1800 miles and gummed up carbs as it's only real issue. I went thru the carbs and got them as clean as I could and it was much better but still had a small issue just off idle. I was still happy as I got a good deal on a hell of a bike. I put stabil in it last fall as it got to cold to ride and started it once over the winter just for giggles and gave it little thought. Yesterday it was 60 degrees here and the need to ride over came me. Well I fired it up and let it warm as it is real cold natured then took off. At first it had some spluttering as it had set and needed to get out and ride as bad as I did. Well once warm and with a few miles behind us it came into its own and ran better than at any point last fall no stumble and more power overall. The only thing I can explain it by is maybe the Stabil did some cleaning and dissolving of gunk as that is all I did. I'll never know for sure but that is my story and I'm sticking too it. The bike is now back apart as I'm piping and jetting as well as a regear to only make it more deadly.

 

I totally agree on the performance of Stabil, Berryman's, and a couple of other quality fuel stabilizers. They work. I use it in a pair of electrical generators that sit many months at a time. I use it in several applications where the gas might sit for very long periods. Never had an issue with fuel treated this way. Good stuff.

 

Berryman B12 chemtool is amazing and reasonably priced. Those 600 carbs have tiny pilot jets, easily fouled by modern fuel over the winter.

 

Maybe just me, I've never had any luck with Stabil. I seem to do better just starting the engine every couple weeks, instead of pouring in fuel stabilizer. No offense; I think it's crap.

 

It's just you.

 

You're probably right! Although I'm pretty **** about correct ratio's, etc. The stuff just didn't impress me.

 

Well as I only fired my bike up once between the first of October and the end of February I'd say at the very least stabil works as advertised. But like I said even with a good cleaning my carbs still had a stumble right off idle that made it difficult to ride it was much better after I went thru the carbs but not altogether fixed. I gave up for the season with plans to address it this spring and it was either the use of stabil or devine intervention that further work on the issue was no longer necessary. I will never know for sure but I will use stabil again and that was my point.

 

FWIW.. I've had poor luck with Stabil, particularly in CA's alcohol-heavy crap gas. I've switched to using Marvel Mystery Oil and it works very well.

Rob

 

Stabil is awesome IMHO
I had an old 1985 KLR 250 and two years in a row i left fuel in it over the winter only to have the carb full of goo in the spring. Each year i had to disassemble the carb and clean every nook and cranny to get the bike running again. Actually on the second year when i was cleaning it , i dropped it and snapped off the part of the carb body that held the air fuel needle. $250 dollars later i had a new carb , and I was looking into how to prevent the gum in the carb over the winter. The next winter i mixed in Stabil. In the spring it fired right up like it hadn't even set a week. I was sold on Stabil right then. I've used it ever since and have had good luck with it.