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I am going to be gone for an extended period of time and will be leaving two cars here in MX. I do the same thing back in the states and add a product called Stabil which is a fuel stabilizer and is designed to help keep fuel from going bad for long periods of time.

I have looked at all the new parts places here Lakeside including Autozone. I even tried Walmart none of these places had ever even heard of it. Anybody out there ever seen it? I guess if I don't find it I will simply fill the cars with premium fuel and take my chances.

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I store cars for friends offseason. The ones that put premium in start much easier than the ones that use regular after six months. Just an observation.

So where does one get methol hydrate or Stabil Mexican brand whatever that is??? Hopefully without going to Guad.

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That is strange, because regular does not have the inhibitors present in premium to prevent knocking, or pre-ignition.

Oh well, most folks think premium is superior, when it is actually less explosive under compression.

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Methyl Hydrate manufacturers describe it as de-icing agent/antifreeze for removing water from gasoline, or as a paint brush cleaner, but they don't describe it as a fuel stabilizer for protecting stored fuel from separating out as the nasty orange residues that gum up carbureators and fuel injectors.
http://www.recochem.com/products/paint_thinners_solvents/methyl_hydrate

The 2 most common commercial fuel stabilizers describe their mixtures as oily-naphtha substances that keep the orange varnish residue from separating out from stored fuel, clearly not de-icing hydrates:

Seafoam: 40-60% Pale Oil, 25-35% Naptha, 10-20% Isopropyl Alcohol
Stabil: 95% Kerosene, 5% Additive Mixture

Autozone had Lucas brand Fuel Stabilizer - but did not carry Stabil. Lucas fuel stabilizer looks like this:

https://www.filtawash.com.au/images/lucas-oil-fuelstabilizerlge.gif

The MSDS for Lucas says it is 60%-100% heavy parrafinic, which fits a BMW forum discussion that describes Lucas as kerosene - since kerosene qualifies as a heavy parafinnic. Lucas is yet another popular commercial fuel stabilizer that does not use methyl hydrate as a fuel stabilizer.

Methyl hydrate has very different chemistry from the parrafinic/naphtha formulations.

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Premium could have other stuff added other than octane enhancers. I don't know but the cars put away with nothing but a topped off tank of Pemex premium start up easier six months later than the ones filled with regular. I thought it was behavior of cars but pretty sure premium holds up better over time. I know for example up north Chevron premium does have more fuel cleaners in it than regular from chevron. I own a rare European 1.4 L Nissan that has 10 to one pistons in it and burns premium. You ought to feel the lost of power from retarted timing when someone fills it with regular. Mexican premium is pretty good. Agree many folks waste money on premium but if it has a better additive package and you car sits a while it might not be a bad idea to use premium. Note European octane rating are three higher than here. So my car need 95 European octane rating which is 92 here. US ratings are the same as here. Don't know about Canada.

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Gas pumps in Canada, the USA, Mexico and Brazil report octane ratings that are an average of the Research octane and Motor octane measurements (R+M)/2 , as an octane rating.

The R = Research octane number is determined at just 600 RPM (low idle), using cool fuel and highly controlled (artificial conditions). Aussies, Brits, and Europeans publish just the R value on their pumps - which runs about 8 - 12 points higher than Motor (M) values.


The M = Motor octane number is determined at higher RPM (900 RPM), using hot fuel and the variable ignition timing used by all modern motors.

Since the US, Canadian, and Mexican octane value reported on the pump is (R+M)/2, our reported values run about 4-6 points lower than the European R values (recommended fuel octane listed in manufacturer's manuals) for the same fuel.

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Why use a fuel stabilizer when storing fuel? ... It's about running a clean fuel system, not just about whether the motor starts easily.

The main problem with stored gasoline here in warm Mexico (different from cold Canada or cold parts of the USA) is the sticky orange residue that separates out over time. This gummy varnish coats & builds-up on the moving parts of our fuel pumps, and this gummy varnish coats & builds-up to clog our fuel injectors - dramatically lowering the fuel efficiency by clogging the injectors:

clogged-injectors.jpg?w=960&h=566

This shows how - your motor may start OK after sitting with stored fuel - but that the injectors get partly clogged and do not spray efficiently - costing you years of lower gas mileage.

injector-with-techron.jpg?w=640

Which would we choose: A motor with clean valves and clean highly-efficient fuel injectors - by using a good fuel stabilizer and occasionally fuel system cleaner or do we prefer partly-clogged injectors, gummy fuel pump that fails earlier, and dirty intake valves?

The fuel system stabilizers like Stabil, Sea Foam, and Lucas for just $5 a bottle offer us years of higher fuel economy, and longer fuel pump life.

Note that the advice for using methyl hydrate above does not offer the protective benefits of a fuel stabilizer, because methyl hydrate is a fuel de-icer (removes water), but water is not our issue for stored fuel here in Mexico (or most of the USA) - the gummy residues that separate out of stale fuel is the bigger problem. (think "Gum-out" carbureator cleaner - and the vile orange varnish that clogs our fuel system).

Finally, the vile orange varnish that separates out of stored fuel still forms when the fuel tank is either full or partly empty.

The years of subsequent improved higher gas mileage makes it worth it to many of us to go to Auto Zone and buy either the Lucas Fuel Stabilizer or Sea Foam Fuel Stabilizer to preserve stored fuel and protect our motors.

For the OP: Stabil is good, but I haven't found it here in the last 3 years, and Lucas or Sea Foam work as well -or better.

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