Gas stabilizer. What is it?

[nels]

Does anybody know how gas stabilizer works? I assume it is a film, like paraphene, that floats to the top of the fuel and seals the vapors from leaving the fuel? In another thread we talked about alcohol gas causing rust in fuel tanks as the alcohol and water from the air mix easily. Would any stabilizer also help this problem? tomnoller posted a good article about this on the other thread.

[Bud]

I use either Marvel Mytstery oil or Lucas fuel additive in my cars as the gas in So Cal has ethanol and other unfriendly to cars additives in the gas. I believe that the oil keeps the gas tank, fuel pump and carburetor from corroding as it counter acts the effects of the trash gas. I've been using both additives for years with good results. Bud

[sweetolbob]

Sta-bil is 5% active ingredients and 95% petroleum distillates. The distillates are essentially miscible (soluble) in gasoline.

The 5% are mostly free radical inhibitors, like MEHQ, which inhibits the formation of long chain hydrocarbon derivatives (the goop in the tank, usually caused in the presence of oxygen). Basically Polymer Chemistry gone wrong.

Bob