I got this fuel stabilizer because I store extra fuel for my equipment (riding mower, push mower, portable backup generators, engine driven water pump). I would like to store larger quantities and have it last longer so I need to add a stabilizer to make it last. This kit claims to stabilize fuel for up to 2 years and remove water. I know there are other fuel stabilizing additives on the market that interact with fuel on a chemical level to prevent it from changing composition and becoming ineffective for combustion, but what I found interesting about this product is that it claims to physically remove water. Nothing on the package or their website lists any sort of active or inactive ingredient, but there is some sort of substance inside the white filter cloth material. So how does this filter remove water, which is hydrogen and oxygen, from a closed container of gasoline? From my experience with military aircraft, water is drained through a sump in the bottom of the tank until the water is gone and fuel starts to come out. So then how does water get in fuel?
As some of you probably know, fuel will float on top of water when the two are mixed. Since most fuel systems draw fuel from the bottom of the tank to send it to an engine, water in the tank would get sent to the engine causing the engine not to run. Water gets in fuel primarily from condensation during temperature changes, but may also be introduced in other ways depending on your location and storage method. Bottom line, you do not want water in your fuel.
So, to try to see how (or if) this works, I set up a test where I put 2 inches of water in a mason jar, filled the rest with fuel (87 octane) and installed one of the two stabilizing filters from the kit. I marked and measured the water level on the side of the jar and closed the lid just as you would close the cap on your fuel tank. I checked the jar after 12 hours and found there was no change in the water level. The only noticeable difference was a couple of bubbles had collected next to the part of the stabilizing filter that was submerged in the water part of the mixture. Not sure, but it appeared to be air escaping from the filter element. I opened the lid to vent the jar then closed it again. After 24 hours, it looked the same, with no change in the water level.
While I did not expect to see all 2 inches of water removed, I was hoping to see a measurable decrease in the water level that would indicate this product works. Unfortunately I saw no indication that this will remove water and I do not recommend this product for this purpose. Since the manufacturers packaging and website doesn’t say what’s inside the filter element and how that substance is supposed to work, I can’t recommend this for any purpose.
Cons: no ingredients listed, does not work