Was the Stabil the problem? Or a miracle carb self-fix....?

[Toadstool]

Greetings. Sorry for not putting up a pic and doing the usual prelims- but yes, its an unashamed info-grab. My guess is that my HONDA HR173 looks the same as most others?!
I have searched for Stabil based posts but cannot find anything that says when Stabil is a bad idea, or how it might be best used, or used badly.


So!, Am seeking advice over what to do next, please?

Bought the Honda HR173 last weekend for £50. Seller's father had serviced it faithfully and it appears in reasonable state. Started from cold for demo, with old petrol in it (some also given in a supplied petrol can) that had been there for possibly 18 months. Certainly no less than a year! I was pleased with this.

Later read up on woes of fuel getting old, I promised the Honda some fresh fuel with Stabil as soon as it came in the post. I cleaned the dirty air filter.

Using the old fuel- what was in the tank- I managed to mow the whole 3 allotment plot paths, with no probs.

Put it in shed, forgetting to turn off the fuel line.
Came back next day to turn the fuel line off and noted that the tank was empty? I have used chainsaws for years and think I know the ways of a fuel starved engine- it didn't seem as though I ran out...? Where did it go?

Came back with fresh fuel (unleaded, 5L) with 15ml of Stabil mixed in. Honda started but was not at all happy. Would remain running providing full choke was maintained, or at high revs while 'bouncing' the dead-mans handle. Otherwise would die- unable to run on anything other than full choke. Basically not running well at all. I changed the spark plug. No change. This went on for about 10 minutes before I gave up.

24 hours later, I was about to start on buying carb cleaner sprays etc, but decided to change back to the previous owners (very old) fuel. I siphoned out the old (stabil mixed) fuel and put the old stuff back in.

It started as before (badly) but cleared up and now runs like a train again?


Can any experts diagnose the above?

I double checked the Stabil mix- says add 30ml per 9.5L of petrol. Maybe the stabil did it's 'magic' and it would have run OK on the Stabil mix, i.e., I did not need to go back to the old fuel...?

I know I could sneak gradually back into the Stabil mix, but am I going to damage the Honda?

Many thanks for any tips/pointers.
Tom

 

[cpurvis]

If Stabil screwed up gas, it would have been gone from the marketplace long ago.

Improperly mixed Stabil is a whole different matter.

Use up your old gas if the engine runs OK on it, then run it on new gas. Then run on new gas with properly mixed Stabil. I think you'll have no problems.

Also, you'll be better off in the long run if you use non-ethanol gas, if they have that in the UK.

 

[PIJoe]

If you're using the mower right now, why add Stabil? Is it needed for the fuel across the pond? (Only because I don't know) I just run regular non-ethanol fuel in all of my stuff and never have issues.

It's possible that there was some foreign body in the carb, or a block in the fuel filter that just got shook loose and it fired up normally.

I've never been a fan of additives, also certainly not in the fall- I just drain my equipment tanks, throw it in the truck, and get fresh fuel in the spring. I'll just run the engine until it runs out of fuel after draining it out, pull the plugs, spray some fogging oil in, and turn it over a bit to winterize and they all fire up no problem in the spring.