drain fuel tank to winterize
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Category: General Correct Craft Discussion
Forum Name: Common Questions
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URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=27901
Printed Date: November-27-2024 at 1:32am
Topic: drain fuel tank to winterize
Posted By: harriss28
Subject: drain fuel tank to winterize
Date Posted: September-23-2012 at 5:16pm
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I know its recommended to fill tank to 95% and add stable. Since my tank is near empty, would it be ok to empty the tank instead of filling it. Can I add fuel stablizer to only 5 gallons of fuel and run engine? Thanks, Shawn |
Replies:
Posted By: LaurelLakeSkier
Date Posted: September-24-2012 at 12:57am
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I've been siphoning all the gas out of mine for winter storage for the last 5 years or so. It seems to work well starting off the season with tank of fresh fuel. Prior to starting the practice, I ran a test with an empty 6 gallon gas can sitting in the boat all winter to check for condensation - none showed up. ------------- The world is full of youth—what we need is a fountain of smart! |
Posted By: Gary S
Date Posted: September-24-2012 at 1:19am
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I have always drained mine,one because I'm too cheap to leave 20 gallons there doing nothing and two I'm to cheap to leave 20 gallons in to go bad. My tank is coated and the fact that we cannot get gas with out alcohol worries me,I would think but I'm not sure that it might even attract moisture? It's also inside so I don't think it goes thru as great of temperature swings. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1711&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1966&yrend=1970" rel="nofollow - 69 Mustang HM SS 95 Nautique Super Sport |
Posted By: gun-driver
Date Posted: September-24-2012 at 11:57am
Yes it will!!! THERE ISN'T A FUEL STABILIZER MADE THAT WILL ELIMINATE PHASE SEPERATION I syphon out as much as I can then in the spring put in 5-8 gallons take the boat for a trip around the block(to mix new fuel with any that was left in from the fall) then syphon that out and use it in my daily driver. Any fuel that was left over the winter will be junk come spring. |
Gary S wrote:Posted By: TRBenj
Date Posted: September-24-2012 at 1:09pm
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Fuel tank construction is something to consider as well. If I had boats with plastic tanks, Id be running the entire system as close to empty as possible and then refilling in the spring. On older (aluminum or steel) tanks, I get more concerned with moisture and therefore, corrosion, if left completely empty. Last year I tried leaving 1/2 to 3/4 of a tank in the boats, treated with marine stabil (I had bad luck with the regular red stuff in years prior- the gas wouldnt keep over the winter). It seemed to work out ok. If possible, topping off with fresh fuel in the spring would be ideal. ------------- |
Posted By: quinner
Date Posted: September-24-2012 at 1:28pm
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Today's fuel is similar to a girlfriend, the longer it hangs around the more useless it becomes, fresh stuff in the spring is always the way to go!! ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1143" rel="nofollow - Mi Bowt |
Posted By: Riley
Date Posted: September-24-2012 at 1:32pm
| I store ours with empty or near empty tanks. I syphon out what's left at the end of the season. You just got to remember you syphoned the tanks dry in the spring. On my BIL's boat, I was certain I didn't syphon his tank dry, but it would not start this past spring. After dinking around with it at the ramp for a 1/2 hour, we finally determined it wasn't pumping any fuel because there wasn't any. |
Posted By: 81nautique
Date Posted: September-24-2012 at 1:38pm
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I agree with Tim on this one as I've always filled my aluminum tanks for winterizing but with the new boat and plastic tank I'm going to run it as low as I can this year and then treat the remainder. I also think I'm going to replace my fuel filters in the spring after a few hours of running instead of at winterizing, can't see putting new fuel filters on and letting gas go bad in them over the winter. I'll run the old fuel out and then change them. Now as a devil's advocate for how long gas will last I am still running on the same tank of gas in our motorhome since July 2011. We only go 2 miles per weekend and I just can't run it out of gas. I keep treating it with ethanol stabil and it still runs like a top. It's down to about a 1/4 tank so I'm going to go for a drive and burn it out then I'll add some fresh before winterizing it but I'm amazed it fires right up and runs great. I wouldn't do this in my boat however but most of you have seen the Bounder.  ------------- You can’t change the wind but you can adjust your sails |
Posted By: TRBenj
Date Posted: September-24-2012 at 1:39pm
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Haha, thats great Bruce. Im sure Ive done that at least once. I might suggest storing the boats with whatever fuel is left in them (as full as possible) and then siphoning off the old gas in the spring instead- that way you get the benefit of fresh fuel in the spring, as well as corrosion protection all winter. ------------- |
Posted By: Riley
Date Posted: September-24-2012 at 1:49pm
| What do you do with that old gas when you syphon it off in spring? I don't find condensation is a problem and with the metal tanks, I think the ethanol is apt to hurt them, especially the old galvenized tanks. Alan makes a good point about waiting till spring to change the fuel filter. Changing it in spring after filling up with fresh gas is a good idea. |
Posted By: TRBenj
Date Posted: September-24-2012 at 1:56pm
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Fuel with 10% ethanol isnt going to harm the fuel tanks much... Id be more concerned with the condensation that is apt to collect as temps rise and fall. While the fuel can start to get a little iffy after sitting all winter (the boats will usually run with it, but have a hard time starting without a shot of fresh stuff down the carb throat), I have no problem running the older gas in lawnmowers, or the truck! Especially if its diluted with some fresh stuff. ------------- |
Posted By: Gary S
Date Posted: September-24-2012 at 2:04pm
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Thats why every steel tank I have regardless of what it is on,motorcycle,tractor,car I coated since we went with ethanol fuel. Tractors I don't even drain,they will run on anything and are easy to clean if they do have any trouble.Everything else gets drained and run until they stop.  ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1711&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1966&yrend=1970" rel="nofollow - 69 Mustang HM SS 95 Nautique Super Sport |
Posted By: watrski
Date Posted: September-24-2012 at 3:57pm
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I'm amazed at this topic..... Overkill. Best thing you can do is run your boat. Fresh 1/2 tank at the end of the year, top it off in the spring before you start it. If it doesn't sit more than 6 mos. its not going to make much difference. ------------- Tubing Sucks. |
Posted By: watrski
Date Posted: September-24-2012 at 3:58pm
Label on that can says "resistant" not ethanol proof. ------------- Tubing Sucks. |
Posted By: TRBenj
Date Posted: September-24-2012 at 4:02pm
My boats sit for ~6 months on the nose (mid Oct to mid April) and Ive had one heck of a time getting gas to stay good over that period... so this topic is pretty valid to me, and anyone else with equal or longer layup periods. ------------- |
Posted By: WakeSlayer
Date Posted: September-24-2012 at 6:48pm
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Never once had a problem. Stored full, stabilized, 5-7 months, 4 boats over 17 years. Just a matter of preference, I think. ------------- Mike N 1968 Mustang |
Posted By: Jllogan
Date Posted: September-24-2012 at 6:55pm
Overkill, I thought that was our motto here? It's what makes us better than everyone else. ------------- http://correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=5792&sort=&pagenum=1" rel="nofollow - 1986 Ski Nautique 2001 |
Posted By: Gary S
Date Posted: September-24-2012 at 8:01pm
It's ethanol proof when you drain the tank and there is none left in it! Liability concerns will not let anyone put "proof" on anything hobbist installed  ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1711&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1966&yrend=1970" rel="nofollow - 69 Mustang HM SS 95 Nautique Super Sport |
Posted By: Gary S
Date Posted: September-24-2012 at 8:05pm
I'll bet too Mike your fuel is not the same that we have here in the Chicago metro area  ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1711&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1966&yrend=1970" rel="nofollow - 69 Mustang HM SS 95 Nautique Super Sport |
Posted By: Hollywood
Date Posted: September-24-2012 at 8:22pm
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No problems here. 12 years (x2 boat + car). Sometimes i forget to sea foam. ------------- |
Posted By: adamt
Date Posted: October-12-2012 at 6:22am
Now I'm confused, I thought it was the plastic tanks that would degrade because of the ethanol, not the metal. Could you explain the reasoning for treating the metal tanks please. ------------- -Adam 1973 Skier |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: October-12-2012 at 8:48am
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Adam, It's the water that the ethanol attracts that will lay on the bottom and rust the metal tank. ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Posted By: phatsat67
Date Posted: October-12-2012 at 11:32am
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I've always stored with about a half tank and no stabil. Spring I fire in the drive way on the same fuel on the hose to check around for leaks. Never had a slow start cracks right off when fuel hits the accelerator pump. I've been inside the carb a few times over the time I've owned it and it looks just as new as the day I originally rebuilt it. All a matter of opinion. My 67 has been stored this way for over 10 years and there is never any rust in my tiny little micron fuel filter. As far as the Skylark goes, I may suck that fuel out over winter becuase the tank is coated inside an out. IMHO 4-6 months tops is just below the time it takes to kill todays junk fuel. As a side note all the sleds have fuel shut offs. Kill the fuel let them die. Splash of fresh pre mix at first snow and they fire just fine. They sit longer than boats with less fuel in the tank. (the fuel in the sleds does smell a little off when snow hits) Every boat at the shop here gets stabil and ran for atleast 20 minutes to circulate the fuel/stabil mix throughout the system. I would say the most important part of stabil in a carbureted application is to prevent varnish in the carb. |
Posted By: rbbordner
Date Posted: October-12-2012 at 8:37pm
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From my very novice standpoint I think overkill is great as I learn more. After reading the entire thread I'm not sure I will find a consensus on this topic, but I do still need to decide what i should do. I have at least a 3/4 full tank of fuel that has already sat for a month. It is a 10% ethanol blend. I do not know what my fuel tank is made of. I plan on shrink wrapping the boat for the winter. Hopefully i'm back on the water late April early May. I'm thinking of adding stabailizer, toping off in the spring with a non-ethanol blend (provided the two stations in my area are still offering it) and firing her up for a cold spring ski sesssion. What do you guys think? I have a 1993 Ski Nautique with a PCM 351 (you can see her as she is currently the lucky featured diary on ccf.com) RB ------------- RB 1993 Ski Nautique |
Posted By: Donald80SN
Date Posted: October-12-2012 at 11:45pm
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RB, I have heard that Shrink wrapping the boat can cause big mold issues. The air can not move around ( Inside / Out) of the boat. I realize you have composite construction, but I would be concerned about staining the seats with mold. A cover that breathes would be better. Just what I have heard over the years. Donald |
Posted By: scottb7
Date Posted: October-13-2012 at 1:20am
| I have for a number of years stored 6 months near full...I couple weeks before end of season I pay the big bucks for non-ethanol gas and treat with stabil. So far no problems.. |
Posted By: Gary S
Date Posted: October-13-2012 at 3:30am
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Don they do make vents but I don't know if they work. http://www.ebay.com/itm/SHRINK-WRAP-BOAT-COVER-VENTS-EASILY-SELF-INSTALLED-SOLD-PAIR-/110960332619?_trksid=p4340.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222001%26algo%3DSIC.CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D11%26meid%3D2703846781431222404%26pid%3D100011%26prg%3D1005%26rk%3D1%26sd%3D110946992768%26" rel="nofollow - link ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1711&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1966&yrend=1970" rel="nofollow - 69 Mustang HM SS 95 Nautique Super Sport |
Posted By: rbbordner
Date Posted: October-13-2012 at 4:16am
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I'll check to see if they vent or ever had anybody have mold issues from their shrink wrap work. Thanks for the heads up, I was told as long as the inside is dry you don't need to worry about mold or mildew. ------------- RB 1993 Ski Nautique |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: October-13-2012 at 10:03am
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I'll confirm the mold problem with shrink wrapped boats. The vents help but if put away wet, it takes a long time to dry out and the mold starts. ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Posted By: phatsat67
Date Posted: October-13-2012 at 11:55am
| I would consider wrapping if mine was stored outside over the winter. |
Posted By: rbbordner
Date Posted: October-13-2012 at 2:51pm
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Hopefully in a couple years ill have a garage. This year the boat has been over five weeks since seeing the water (wildfires killed my September ski season) and we haven't seen rain since July so I'm hoping she is bone dry. ------------- RB 1993 Ski Nautique |