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tractor fuel additives

R

randy1

Member
Good morning friends. What if any fuel additives do you use in your old tractors? I use the etenol eliminator in all gas i buy for mowers, sidebyside and old tractors. also lead additive. just curious about what you guys use
 
We are fortunate that a local wholesaler supplies ethanol free gasoline.

Use it in all the antique tractors.

Occasionally add Lucas and/or SeaFoam to the gas in the tractors.
 
I run E10 regular in everything I own that has an engine with spark plugs - tractors from the 40's and 50's, vintage garden tractors, chainsaw, string trimmer, ATV's, and daily driver vehicles. Sta-Bil or any other brand of stabilizer is the only additive I use for the machines that don't get run very often. I personally believe that many of the other additives out there are more-or-less "snake oil".
 
Use 15 percent ethanol in everything, nothing added, no problems. In my old car, I fill it with ethanol gas overwinter to absorb any condensate. Ben
 
(quoted from post at 03:47:23 06/12/17) I run E10 regular in everything I own that has an engine with spark plugs - tractors from the 40's and 50's, vintage garden tractors, chainsaw, string trimmer, ATV's, and daily driver vehicles. Sta-Bil or any other brand of stabilizer is the only additive I use for the machines that don't get run very often. I personally believe that many of the other additives out there are more-or-less "snake oil".
Click to expand...

BINGO!! E10 in everything. Ever since it was first introduced in the late '70s. Additives are nothing more than snake oil.
 

I typically do not use additives. I would be interested in the name of your ethanol eliminator - I know of no products to simply eliminate ethanol in gasoline. You can add water to separate out the water ethanol phase - then pour off the gasoline portion. In this case you still have the ethanol to dispose of. Also, I know of no products containing lead - since the sale of such was banned. I have purchased leaded fuel at the local airport however, I did not know it was available again as an additive.
 

I try to avoid running ethanol fuels in 2 cycle engines, especially older (pre-1990 on back into the 1940s). I know some people run ethanol fuels with no issues, but I have had and worked on a LOT of small engines with ethanol related problems. It may depend on your local blends. As far as tractors, low grade ethanol fuels usually work fine, except when there are hoses which can't take ethanol. I haven't found any additive that kills the ethanol. I do use Berrymans B12 cleaner, which seems to work on some varnish and gum. I also sometimes add 2 cycle oil or ATF in engines that appear to have sticky valves or rings. Lucas oil additives have also been a help from time to time.

It may be snake oil, but sometimes snake oil is whats needed!
 
Just put a little sta-bulize. In come fall. Hauled and sold gas and diesel for 28 yrs. Most additives are snake oil. Did use Howes diesel additive in winter. But ran truck on no. 1 when got real cold.
 
I have been using Briggs & Stratton fuel stabilizer in all my farm and garden tractors along with all my small engine equipment. The stabilizer helps stop the effects of the ethanol. If I am going to work an engine hard I also add MMoil.
 
I am a firm believer in "Snake Oils". Have proven their worth to me time and time again and I'm the only one to whom that matters as far as my equipment is concerned!
 
"Ethanol eliminator" and "lead additive" are snake oil. If they make you sleep better at night, by all means go ahead and use them religiously, but I and most here will tell you that they do absolutely nothing but make your wallet lighter.

If "ethanol eliminator" eliminates ethanol, like someone else said, where does it go? When you put the additive in your tank it should cause the gas to shrink by 10% if it truly eliminates ethanol.

In order for "lead additive" to do any good, it would have to have tetraethyl lead in it. No lead additive has any tetraethyl lead in it. Besides most gasoline tractors by now have hardened valve seats, if they didn't have them from the get-go anyway, and aren't used enough for the lack of lead to cause any undue wear in your lifetime.

Heck, I know a guy who ran a 351 Ford engine with soft valve seats in his '78 van, towing various travel trailers thousands of miles every summer with nothing but unleaded gas, for close to 30 years, before he had to replace the heads because the valve seats were eroded enough to cause problems. That was just a couple of years ago, in fact.
 
Some additives serve a useful purpose and many do not. I have never had a problem with pump gas with "up to" 10% ethanol. So I figure trying to avoid a non-existent problem is kind of silly.

Unleaded gas "lead replacer" had its time when it helped preserve valve-seat life in some cases. Now? Not so sure. If an engine has had valve work since 1973, it likely was done with hardened parts that do fine with unleaded gas. Even an old engine that has never been rebuilt will likely have work-hardened valve-seats. So unless you have an old, never rebuilt tractor and use it hard, all day long, I doubt any "lead replacer" will do a thing for you.

I DO add two-stroke-cycle oil to my diesel fuel for my tractor and pickup truck. I know 100% it does not hurt. It is prevented wear? Maybe and maybe not. I am not a chemist and do not check lube-levels in the pump fuel I buy.

I have no idea what "Sea Foam" is supposed to do for anyone except make their wallet lighter.
 
I just bought a 5 gal can of CENPECO motor klenz on an auction last week for $10. Was still sealed. I guess I'll try it till it's gone.
 
Have a brother in law that does not to his lawn mowers in fall and in the spring they don't want want to run right 9 even with fresh gas)but if he adds seafoam to the fresh gas the engines will smooth out after first or second tank of gas.I had a IH truck that from time to time the hydraulic lifter wanted to hang up and all I had to do is add a can of Sea Foam and they would free up.
 
Bruce my buddy was an Allis Chalmers dealer in Hensall for over 49 years and he always recommends ATF in a tank of diesel fuel. ATF has an affinity for water and will remove water as well as lube the pump. Also Canadian Tire has "3 in 1 " additive for diesel which cleans the injectors, lubes and removes water , I have used it many times with great results. You can't go wrong with ATF.
 
Seafoam is one of the few additives I use in gas - usually on things that been sitting for a while. Its smoothed out a lot of small engines with gummed up carbs.
 
Based on what facts? For sure not many engines today, old or new need it. At one time and maybe even a few now, some were tested to have less valve-seat recession when an additive was used.
 
There's a website that lists all gas stations that sell pure 100% gasoline, Google it. Enter your zip code. The local Kwik-Trip stations sell a 91 octane Recreational gasoline, zero % ethanol, higher octane for use in boats, motorcycles, chain saws, leaf blowers, string trimmers, my air cooled mower engines, and H & M Farmalls. I buy five gallons at a time as I need it but there's a couple gallons in each tractor that gets to be a year or two old before I use it up. I don't use any SeaFoam, Stabil, ATF, synthetic lead, Marvel Mystery Oil, or anything. Just the 91 octane as it comes out of the pump.

Some of you guys should buy a toy chemistry set like was available when we were kids if you like mixing stuff so much. From what I've read on other forums the additives cause more problems than the solve.
 
Randy, you ask "just curious about what you guys use "

I USE 87 OCTANE UNLEADED GAS in my old farm tractors.. In such low RPM low compression not hard or long used engines I don't see after market additives as necessary.

HOWEVER to each their own use whatever pleases you. If its gonna set for 6 months I might add a bit of Sta Bil or 2 cycle oil in the gas but I don't use any snake oil additives on a regular basis AND THATS MY CHOICE AND IM STICKIN TO IT LOL

For those who do its their money their tractor and their free choice so I'm NOT gonna tell them different, others can

John T
 
Most additives like the lead stuff is pure snake oils and do nothing to help any thing.

If i do use something I will mix a quart of ATF into 3-5 gal or gas and it works to clean up carbon build up and as an upper engine lube
 
Run straight e10 in everything with no problems. I started making and selling the stuff in the mid 1970's been involved in the lab testing, etc. Ethonal eliminator?? the only way to eliminate ethonal-is to buy straight gas. If the guy at the pump ahead of you put e10 in his car-do you know how much fuel you have to run out the end of the pump hose before you get straight gas??
 
I use Stabil pre-emptively in all my gas for anything that spends time sitting. No issues with ethanol. ATVs, outboard motors, chainsaws, cars, trucks, tractors, etc.
 
I ask again. What evidence is behind the claim of lead-replacement additive being "snake oil?" Back in the 70s when valve-seat recession was more of an issue - many tests proved that additives did indeed extend valve-seat life in heavy use in some engines. What proof have you seen that counters that?
 
Read the label the stuff HAS zero lead in it and ATF will do as much or more. Life it my proof and I have been messing with engine for 50 year and have yet to have problem with valves or seats
 
I did all the cylinder-head work in two Deere dealerships and saw lots of valve-seat recession. I cannot comment on whatever your hands-on experience is. I can comment on my own plus results of many tests that were posted in the 70s. Deere engines were very prone to recession issues since no hardened seat-inserts were used in most heads. Just in-place induction hardening like GM used in their car and truck engines for years. One a valve-job is done by grinding those seats - they are very soft and suffer badly from unleaded fuel. I have been working on engines for over 50 years too - so this stuff is not new to me.
 
I am not "wasting" any dollars nor do I use any lead-replacers. I don't use any of my older gas stuff hard enough where it is an issue. Besides that - near all my older gas engines have hardened valve-seats installed. My only engine that does not is my 1960 Deere 1010. On that - I did an el-cheapo valve job by just grinding the seats and valves. It had awful valve-seat recession after that. In fact it was so bad - the engine stopped running twice since the valves sunk so bad, all clearance at the rocker-arms was lost. But after awhile it stabilized and have not had to re-adjust in few years now.

Valve-seat recession was a much bigger issue in other poorer countries then here in the USA when lead got dropped from gasoline. Lots of tests showing the difference and what additives worked at the time. Kind of old news now and I have no idea what would be in a modern day "lead replacer." If I really needed it - I'd likely pull the head off instead and put in hardened seats. Better long-term fix.

I have not recommended to anybody that they pay for a lead replacer. That said, I know for sure that some of those additives helped reduce seat-recession. I see a lot of history getting re-written with things that were once news. Maybe I am cursed with a good memory and take issue with some of it.
 
I use E10 in everything and have never used additives. I've never had a problem. In fact, last week I wanted to power wash the back end of my D19 Allis to make it easier to replace the PTO seal.

My power washer hadn't been run in a couple of years, and it startled my by starting on the first pull.
 
looks like they high-jacked your thread off on a lead additive discussion.

i use AMSOIL quick shot for ethanol treatment in small engines which seem to be more sensitive to the ethanol in gas than some of older tractors. a couple of my generator customers are also using Quick Shot to help prevent ethanol issues in generators that sit around alot.

if you use it regularly you probably don't have too much to worry about.
Untitled URL Link
 
(quoted from post at 06:33:29 06/12/17)
(quoted from post at 03:47:23 06/12/17) I run E10 regular in everything I own that has an engine with spark plugs - tractors from the 40's and 50's, vintage garden tractors, chainsaw, string trimmer, ATV's, and daily driver vehicles. Sta-Bil or any other brand of stabilizer is the only additive I use for the machines that don't get run very often. I personally believe that many of the other additives out there are more-or-less "snake oil".
Click to expand...

BINGO!! E10 in everything. Ever since it was first introduced in the late '70s. Additives are nothing more than snake oil.
Click to expand...

BINGO again!! E10 in everything and have never used Sta-bil in anything.
Still using last years gas in the chainsaw.
No snake oil here.
 
I'd say save your money and skip the additives. The cost of some additives can add up surprisingly fast. Lead additive really isn't needed, even in engines without hardened valve seats. If you think you need to add Stabil to an engine's fuel tank, you will be further ahead to drain that gasoline tank and add fresh fuel. Run the old gas through a filter and most fuel injected vehicles will burn it with no problems.

What is "ethanol eliminator"? Many small engines seem to benefit from using straight gasoline instead of ethanol. I suspect that may be because the older small engines were jetted to run on straight gasoline and newer small engines are jetted to run as lean as possible. Ethanol has less energy per gallon than gasoline, so both new and old engines run a bit too lean on ethanol fuels. If you take the time to adjust either one a little richer and they will both run ethanol just fine.
 
No snake oils here, Esso supreme (91 octane) goes in everything except the M, It gets a 50/50 mix of supreme and toluene due to c/r and boost.
 
I use a few ounces of ethanol shield(if I can't get regular gas) and a few ounces of two cycle oil to every 5 gallons of gas. The ethanol shield is to prevent the ethanol from plastisizing(for lack of a better term). The oil is just a rust preventative. If you yanks would send some good ethanol down south instead of this gritty stuff we get I would appreciate it.
 
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