Need help, what to do?

[Striper Sniper]

Hey guys, I have around 300 litres or 2/3 tank of fuel left in my boat, FROM LAST YEAR!
So, what should I do:

1. Top it off with fresh fuel and add Stabil. (the fuel from last year was treated)

2. Pump it out, burn it in the wife's car.

3. If I pump it out do I leave the tank empty over winter or fill it and have old gas next year again......

4. Is there an easy way to pump gas out of a boat..............

Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated and may I thank you in advance for your thoughts/suggestions!

SS

 

[Fish Assassin]

Lauch the boat and do a crab and prawn run. With a lucnh lay over. Then top the tank again and add Stabil. My Thought.....

 

[TheBigGuy]

Siphon all the gas out and leave the tank empty. Mix the old gas with new gas and run it in the car.

 

[Duffer]

My mechanic told me just treat whatever fuel you have left before storing the boat for the winter. Then fill it up with fuel in the Spring and away you go. So far no water issues seems to work fine. He did recommend leaving atleast half a tank 220 liters in it for the winter.

 

[trophywife]

add stabil, fill it the rest of the way with high octane fuel. less air space =less condensing, and yes you will lose some octane over the next months in storage, add octane boost in the spring before trailering to launch to mix it in.

 

[Hit em Hard]

I am winterizing my boat next week as well. For the fuel I was told to add fuel stabilizer and top off the tank to prevent condensation. Seems like a good idea to me. Anybody else have any ideas?

 

[Hit em Hard]

add stabil, fill it the rest of the way with high octane fuel. less air space =less condensing, and yes you will lose some octane over the next months in storage, add octane boost in the spring before trailering to launch to mix it in.

Thanks trophywife. we must have hit the post button within seconds of each other.

H.E.H.

 

[TheBigGuy]

If the gas in the tank was ethanol blended fuel you do not want to leave it in the tank for extended periods of time.

 

[Striper Sniper]

If the gas in the tank was ethanol blended fuel you do not want to leave it in the tank for extended periods of time.

Hey TBG, the last time I topped it off was at the Co-op in Comox with Marine gas. Do you know if they have ethanol in their marine fuel?

SS

 

[TheBigGuy]

Topping the tank with supreme is fine as long as (non-ethanol) marine gas was in the tank in the first place. Ethanol blended fuel will absorb water vapour from the air over time. If the fuel is ethanol blended , it's better to empty the tank. IMO.

 

[TheBigGuy]

If you topped with marine gas it shouldn't contain ethanol.

 

[Hit em Hard]

If you topped with marine gas it shouldn't contain ethanol.

I topped up with marine marked mid grade in Ukee I assume it does not contain ethanol. I hope I'm right.

H.E.H.

 

[Despy]

Not an expert here but have read on another forum related to boat repairs and info that it is a mistake to use higher octane gas in motors not designed for it. Apparently the higher the octane, the slower the burn so it requires higher compression motors to get proper detenation.Also if your motor has had the timing set for regular gas, it will need to be retimed if you add premium.

 

[SpringFever2359]

add stabil, fill it the rest of the way with high octane fuel. less air space =less condensing, and yes you will lose some octane over the next months in storage, add octane boost in the spring before trailering to launch to mix it in.

X2 ...this is what I've done for...well dont care to say how long, and I've never had any issues with fuel...EVER
that and fuel filter change at the beginning of the season...

 

[TheBigGuy]

X2 ...this is what I've done for...well dont care to say how long, and I've never had any issues with fuel...EVER
that and fuel filter change at the beginning of the season...

Hey Guys.

I'm not trying to start an argument, just inform. Things have changed, in a lot of places. You're lucky to have marked gas available available on the Island. Around town most guys that aren't moored end up having run ethanol blended gas. Marked gas is hard to come by in the greater Vancouver area.

I'm just trying to let guys know that a tank full of e-10 gas is not the same as marine gas when it comes to long term storage.

 

[Whole in the Water]

I fill my tank up and add fuel stabilizer. In the spring, when I use the boat again I put some methanol to help take up any water that may have condensed ove the winter.

 

[Charlie]

Don't ever mix any type of ethanol fuel with any type of regular gas. You may not like the results. It will turn into some real nasty gunk that will totaly block-up your entire fuel system. Mixing the two and letting it set, is one of the biggest problems people have!

Ethanol, along with methanol is hygroscopic absorbing water vapor directly from the air. When either is saturated - both WILL phase separate. Do NOT use either if you are planning a long time storage (meaning a year or so). Most phase separation found is from boats that have been setting for years. You won't like the end result - it will phase separate. That is just a matter of time and when.

Regular gas is lighter than water; therefore, the water will settle to the bottom of your tank. That is the reason for those pick-up tubes not going to the bottom of the tanks - Just drain it. With ethanol (or methanol) different story. They both will phase separate and there is NOTHING available to reverse that separation. If that does happen, drain the entire tank and - just use it to light a bonfire. It is done!

Storage over the winter months is NOT really long time storage; however, you still need to protect any fuel from that water exposure, meaning humidity and condensation. All fuel will last years, if kept in sealed containers. Unfortunately, your boat fuel system has vents and is not sealed. When you are done for the year, just add a fuel stabilizer, fill the tank (to reduce any condensation), and guit worring about it. If it does separate, it was exposed to way to much moisture and again - just use it to light that bonfire.

"Methanol is hygroscopic, meaning it will absorb water vapor directly from the atmosphere. Because absorbed water dilutes the fuel value of the methanol (although, it suppresses engine knock), and may cause phase separation of methanol-gasoline blends, containers of methanol fuels must be kept tightly sealed."

 

[Whole in the Water]

Charlie you mis-understood what I said. I don't store the boat with methanol in the tank. I put it in just before I use it to help deal with any possible water in the tank. Done it for years never had a problem if I put fuel stabilizer in the tank before I store it for several months.

 

[spring fever]

I'm not sure you are getting Striper Snipers problem-he has approx 80 gals of stabilized fuel from 2010-it was marine gas-does he add more stabil and put another 40 gals of marine fuel in to top up-or should he siphon as much as he can and burn it in the car, The boat currently runs fine on this fuel but he needs to store it until spring. Personnally I would siphon as much as I could-fill it with new marine and stabilize-just a gut call though!

 

[TheBigGuy]

Ya, I think most guys missed that part. The fuel in his boat is already a year old. If it was me I'd be looking to use it up before it get's much older. But that's just me, I usually burn the old gas in my wifes car.