How to Add Fuel Stabilizer to Gasoline
by Carson Barrett
Gasoline is basically just dead things that got buried before they had a chance to get eaten. Left in the open air, organisms will eventually decay through bacterial action, and desiccate -- oxidize -- to dust in the presence of air. That reality doesn't change much even after you liquefy those organisms underground, pump them up, refine them into gasoline and mix them with alcohol and 74 other chemicals. However, one chemical known as "fuel stabilizer" can give those unfortunate critters a second chance in Earth's corrosive atmosphere -- even if it's only long enough to get burned into CO2 and spat back out.
Step 1
Determine how much stabilizer you need to add to the tank. The general rule is to add 1 ounce of stabilizer for every 3 to 5 gallons of gas, but read the label on the bottle of stabilizer to see what the manufacturer recommends. If you don't know how big your gas tank is, your owner's manual should have that information.
Step 2
Add the stabilizer to the tank before you fill it. The churning of fuel going in will mix the stabilizer in better than pouring the stabilizer in afterward.
Step 3
Fill the gas tank completely. Any empty space left in the tank is a breeding ground for internal condensation and ice crystals, which will drip or melt down later to contaminate your fuel.
Step 4
Run the engine for about 10 minutes so that the stabilizer goes completely through the fuel system. If you're the fastidious type, you might opt to top the tank up again, just to fill that last bit of space.
Things You'll Need
- Fuel stabilizer
- Gasoline
Writer Bio
Carson Barrett began writing professionally in 2009. He has been published on various websites. Barrett is currently attending Bucks County Community College, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in sports management.
