The Science Behind Fuel Stabilizers for Boats

On this podcast, PartVu Xchange Talks Boating spoke with Eric Hahn, Director of Sales and Marketing at Star brite.

Star brite is the leading manufacturer of cleaning and care products as well as engine maintenance products for boats, automobiles, and recreational vehicles.

In this episode, we talked about the science behind marine fuel stabilizers for boats. We dove into how to properly maintain fuel in a boat while it’s actively being used in season and storage.

Maintenance is relatively easy and inexpensive but is of utmost importance to the health and well-being of your boat. Follow along as we dig in to understand the science behind boat fuel management.

Want to listen to this podcast? You can find ParsVu Xchange Talks Boating on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and Stitcher.

Could you provide a brief overview of Star brite as a company?

Eric: Our manufacturing facility is in Montgomery, Alabama, and our corporate headquarters is in Fort Lauderdale.

We are a bit unique in that we make everything in-house, from making our own bottles to blending and filling. Our processes give us a unique advantage since we’re not subject to supply chain challenges, which is a big issue these days.

Please give us a brief overview of marine fuel management considerations during the season when a boat is regularly used.

Eric: Until recently, when you mention “fuel management,” most people default to thinking about storing in the cold season. However, ethanol has been somewhat of a game changer, and blended fuels have added a new wrinkle to our business.

Fuel stability is now a critical issue year around. This discussion centers around boats, but this issue is important for lawnmowers, weed eaters, classic cars, ATVs, generators, and RVs, to name a few. Basically, anything with an engine is relevant to our discussion.

Fuel management is essential for any setting where you use only some of your fuel within thirty days of purchase.

Do you define long-term storage as thirty days or more?

Eric: I define long-term storage as more than thirty or forty-five days, depending on where you are in the country. Once you exceed those time limits, it’s time to start thinking about stabilizing your fuel. Unfortunately, in the boating world, with a couple of rainy weekends and a kid’s birthday, that thirty-day mark can sneak up on you without you even knowing it.

We like to think about fuel management in terms of year-round stability, which is where our Star Tron product comes into play.

Can you tell us how Star Tron works and explain the power of enzymes in the product?

Eric: Star Tron is the only fuel additive on the market that is an enzyme-based product, so it’s unique. Most products are traditional chemical stabilizers calling for a certain amount of chemicals to be added to a certain amount of fuel. Star Tron does not.

The problem with ethanol fuel is that it is lightweight, so it evaporates much faster than standard fuel. We call it “hydroscopic thirsty,” so it wants to absorb moisture.

The enzymes in Star Tron present a unique way to address these issues since they are enzymes that start chemical chain reactions.

We designed enzymes that live in a petroleum environment. Those enzymes continually react, moving from one job to the next over and over. As the fuel sits and grows old, it gums up, but the enzymes in our product counteract that process by regularly reacting and breaking down the negative processes in older fuel.

As new water enters the system, Star Tron breaks down the water into smaller and smaller droplets relieving the surface tension, so the water doesn’t have enough power to connect to the ethanol molecule.

With traditional products, you usually have to retreat after a period of time. However, with Star Tron, your treatment starts when you fill up your tank and lasts until you refill again.

In addition to fuel stability, how does Star Tron address fuel economy, clean carburetors, and emission reduction?

Eric: It’s not all about stability. Star Tron addresses a whole host of issues. The product includes about twenty-six different enzymes, all of which are effective in managing fuel-related problems.

For example, when it comes to emission reduction, especially regarding ethanol fuel usage, Star Tron is exceptionally effective as a combatant of emission problems.

The secret to the enzymes’ inner workings is how they handle impurities. In a nutshell, they don’t like imperfections, so they take bigger impurities and break them down into smaller components.

As you burn fuel, you run it through your carburetor or injectors, and it comes out as a finer mist. A more complete burn results in fewer emissions because you’re burning fuel more completely.

Additionally, the enzymes in the product cut down on the carbon buildup on the top end of the engine resulting in better performance. For example, on vehicles, fuel mileage will increase, meaning more efficiency. In a boat, that means more distance out of a tank of gas, which ultimately saves you money.

How has REC fuel changed over the years?

Eric: The chemistry of non-ethanol gas (REC fuels) changed over the years. Current REC fuels evaporate faster than ones in the past. That’s why they call them lighter-weight fuel.

In REC fuels, the hydrocarbon molecules evaporate faster, which leads to more gum and varnish. With recreational fuels, you don’t get as much water absorption as you do with ethanol fuels which is a primary concern in the marine environment. However, you can still get a lot of gum and varnish buildup. So, treating REC fuels is important as well.

What are the primary concerns for a boat owner preparing to store their boat for a longer period of time?

Eric: When cold weather is on the horizon, people begin to think about storing their boats for extended periods, especially if you live in the country’s northern parts.

Star Tron has been our traditional stabilizer and will do its job for up to two years. It is a phenomenal product.

However, many people in the marketplace kept asking about corrosion protection. Corrosion protection wasn’t at the forefront of our minds because every gallon of pump-grade gasoline has corrosion inhibitors already included in the gas. After all, fuel companies include them to protect their untreated steel fuel lines from corrosion.

But, in the marine environment, components subject to corrosion, like injector tips, metal tanks, and fuel system parts, could benefit from some form of protection.

We’ve used Star Tron very effectively for the last eighteen years. Still, for customers concerned about corrosion, we’re introducing a new product this season called Stabilizer Plus, a new generation of Star Tron. So, it’s everything our customers are used to having in Star Tron with the added benefit of corrosion protection.

Can you explain what happens when fuel is not stored properly?

Eric: A whole host of problems and issues arise from improper storage. You may go to start up the boat after not using it for a season only to find that it won’t turn over. Or, you may be able to start the engine only to discover that it runs rough or spits smoke.

In the worst-case scenario, you may have to deal with fuel separation if you’re using ethanol-blended fuels. Fuel separation is analogous to what happens when salad dressing separates into different layers. Fuel and water separate, but they lose their ability to bond over time. As a result, the water becomes heavy and separates into the bottom of the fuel reservoir. When that occurs, your fuel pickups will suck fluid from the bottom of the tank. That fluid should normally be usable fuel, but once it separates, it turns into water and alcohol, which is terrible for an engine. Once that happens, there’s no saving it. However, you can prevent it by using fuel stabilizers for boats like Star Tron.

Separation can have an enormous negative effect on an engine. If you start to pull in water directly into the combustion chamber, you can hydro lock your engine or, even worse, blow head gaskets or bend valves, which are really serious issues. Also, if you’re pulling in partially separated fuel, you’re getting extra alcohol which will burn hotter and faster, resulting in hot spots or even holes in the engine.

We offer products like our tank cleaner that help to clean up some of those issues, but it’s best to stay away from the problem by adequately treating fuel in advance of any issues.

When is a motor so far gone that fuel stabilizers for boats may not be able to help?

Eric: Basically, when separation occurs, you probably face a problem beyond fixing. However, if you’re dealing with extra gums and varnish issues, we have products like Quick Fix, Ring Clean, or our Tank Cleaner that can help. So, if you’re dealing with a rough-running, hard-starting engine, one of those products may be in order.

What’s the cost of using Star Tron?

Eric: With Star Tron, the average cost-per-treatment ratio is pretty low at approximately five to six cents per gallon, which is pretty minimal in the grand scheme of things. It will save you time, money, and hassle in the long run.

PartsVu is proud to carry the brand new Star Tron Stabilizer Fuel Storage – check it out and stock up today.