I want to know if Stabil fuel additive is nothing more than mineral spirits with some red dye. It sure smells like mineral spirits.
Many products that we pay alot for are comprised of inexpensive , common substances and marketed to make huge money.
One is the Mary Kate on and off bottom cleaner. I make my own solution up with hydrocloric acid that cost's 1/4 the price and works better !
Just yesterday, I bought a spray bottle of etching wheel cleaner for $5 at Autozone and discovered that I had to blast through the whole thing and still the wheels would not come clean. I read the ingredients and found out it too had acid in it. I added more acid and the more I added the better it worked. So I must have bought a bottle of water with some acid in it. They love that ! They dont want us to figure out we don't always need these marketed moneymakers. BBB

From the MSDS, it's

95%
Chemical Name: Hydrotreated light naphthenic distillate solvent extract
CAS Registry Number: 064742-53-6
Synonyms: Naphthenic petroleum oil; Distillates, petroleum, hydrotreated light naphthenic; Mineral oil, petroleum distillates, hydrotreated (mild) light naphthenic; Mineral oil, petroleum distillates, hydrotreated (severe) light naphthenic; Petroleum distillates, hydrotreated light naphthenic

and 5%
Chemical Name: MSDS: Proprietary or trade secret additive/ingredient(s)
CAS Registry Number: 000000-00-8
Synonyms: ***No information available at this time***

I am sure it is 90% hype an 10% actually useful. There is iso-alcohol in the last bottle I bought.

Is the secret additive red dye ?

The dye and probably some alcohol to absorb water. Nothing magic.

If you're using Ethanol fuels, do not add anyadditives like Dry-Gas that has alcohol in it. You'll only be compounding the problem.

I've been told locally that it's okay to use Stabil in ethanol. In addition to that, I'm using the new Star-Tron additive, and the new Pri-G additive until I'm comfortable and can back off one or the other. I've had some fuel related issues which has cost me two boost pumps with some ugly looking fuel which is now clean finally. Not happening again.

Products like Stabil contain antioxidants and polymer inhibitors which reduce polymer formation that gums up the gasoline and causes the stale smell, etc. Also, the olefins in gasoline will react with oxygen and other trace contaminants in the fuel convert to other undesirable elements in the fuel. Only part per million levels of the chemicals are needed to do the job so the naptha is added to ensure good mixing. Of course if you had a product that only required a few drops per tank you would be suspicious about that also hence the naptha carrier.

I believe that this particular product works well based on experience with lawnmowers, leaf blowers, generators, ATV's etc.

What's the difference between naptha and mineral spirits ?
Interesting to note, at Ace hardware the naptha can states that it dissolves gum and varnish ! Pretty interesting huh ? Maybe that's why it helps in the gas !
The naptha can states it has mineral spirits in it.
Arent these all just aromatic hydrocarbons, one of the first things after lacquer thinner, heptane and benzene that boils off the crude oil ? Thanks for the input guy's... BBB

I'm not sold on the star tron yet. Microbial growth was a problem in diesel years ago but has not been a huge problem since the parrafin was removed, (the algae lived off of the parrafin). But were talking gasoline here, not diesel anyway. I have bought some fuel activator as well as water- zorb. It's all a huge joke if there is a real water in fuel problem. I just put a quart of wd 40 in the tank of a troublesome boat and it's running fine since. A friend who own's a local marina for about 40 years told me about this one. Also they fog motors out by putting marvel mystery oil in the carbs. No problems..... BBB

What is with all the additives??? I have NEVER used any additive although I live in CA. and freezing is not an issue. What's the deal with everyone talking about algae (Microbial) growth? If I have never experienced it here in the warm climate then where? I have my boat laid up all winter and use it 1-2 times a month in summer. Never had a problem. Blown 800-850 HP set up to run on 91 octane and in Ca we have the worst alcohol enriched gas there is.