What is fuel stabilizer?
Fuel stabilizer is like a preservative, similar to what you find in a lot of long life food. When you store fuel away that you know you won’t use for some time, a fuel stabilizer will keep your fuel from breaking down. Without it, your fuel will degrade over time which can seriously undermine the performance of your engine.
It’s ideal for owners of vintage or high performance vehicles they may store away for the Winter, or fuel for gardening equipment that would need replacing without being treated.
What fuel stabilizer can’t do is resurrect already stale fuel, it’s only effective when added to fresh fuel. Also, it won’t be as effective unless you store your fuel correctly in well-sealed containers, left in a cool and dry place.
How does fuel stabilizer work?
Petrol is an organic substance, which means it will break down over time if left. When this happens, some components in the fuel can oxidise and form a varnish like substance. If this happens within an engine, or degraded petrol is added from storage, it would likely block the fuel lines and filters.
This is especially the case for classic cars as modern fuels aren’t always particularly friendly to older engines. Using a fuel stabilizer will not only help maintain the engine components, it will also ensure a smooth start at the end of winter hibernation.