Interesting stuff
Interesting stuff
that's a great video and very good timing. I have been asking around about winter boat storage with full tanks with stabilizer added vs draining the tanks and storing empty. The guys that say to store full state that it eliminates condensation. And the empty guys say it prevents the fuel going bad and that plastic tanks do not condensate. I kinda did both and put stabilizer in one of my tanks and ran it through my 250HPDI on my last trip out so the fuel in the system is treated and then siphoned all the fuel I could get out on my 521vx. I'm sure there is some fuel left in the tanks but my boat has never had anything other than Non Ethanol in it and watching that video makes me feel like I am on the right track.
I always keep all my fuel tanks full to the top. The problem has always been the fuel left in carb bowls and lines that have any exposure to air or possibility of evaporation. The closed fuel systems in todays boats and engines are like vacuum sealing and should lessen the chance of fuel going sour.Originally Posted by Paintworx
How would the fuel system beyond the tanks know the difference between full and mostly empty tanks. My other option was to fill the tanks for winter and then siphon off in the spring using the stored gas in our trucks and cars... That sounds like best case but also a pain siphoning 50G of fuel from the boat. My thinking is that in the spring I will fill up with fresh Non Ethanol.
Great Post Bloodman! Thanks
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Storing with full tanks to avoid condensation was important back when fuel tanks were all made of metal. This also avoided the bottom of the tanks rusting if stored empty. Yes, a plastic tank might condense a tiny bit of water, but nothing compared to old metal tanks. All of my boat dealers have always recommended storing with an empty tank and then filling in the spring with fresh fuel.
"The man of system is apt to be very wise in his own conceit; and is often so enamored with the supposed beauty of his own ideal plan of government that he cannot suffer the smallest deviation from any part of it…He seems to imagine that he can arrange the different members of a great society with as much ease as the hand arranges the different pieces upon a chessboard.” Adam Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments
The lesson I learned about storing with full tanks of fuel, is they can't be completely full. My Ranger has plastic 32 gallon tanks and I filled them up when I was storing for a couple of months last winter. The problem I had is that I filled the tanks during the day and when it got colder over the following months, the gas tanks must have contracted slightly because some fuel had leaked out the filler neck. The only thing I could figure is the colder temps caused the tanks to shrink a bit, while the gas didn't and it pushed the fuel out the only way it could go.
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Or you guys could just move to the south and fish year round! Problem solved ��
Great video though I have a gas station that sells 100g gas, I only use that in my truck and lawnmower
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2019 Mercury 250 ProXS
Surprised this thread and vid are not getting more comments...are we not to worry as modern engines are built to withstand the effects/impact of a limited level of ethanol in our fuels?
Boilermaker I am surprised as well. I kinda feel like most people have opinions based on things they have heard or been passed down from generations before but I don’t know if there is a “right answer”. I do think that it is clear that running Non Ethanol fuel is worth the hassle and expense. I feel very fortunate to have purchased my Ranger 521vx from a guy that never ran a drop of ethanol fuel in it. I think I’m gonna stick with the Treat the fuel, run it through the system, then drain the tanks and store mostly empty with the remaining fuel treated, Top of with fresh Non e in the spring. Hopefully if there is any water in the system the filter/separator with catch it.
Good video. I have watched a number of this guys vids. Fun stuff.
I burn only non-ethanol fuel in the Boat, and all my small motors never had a problem.
Ethanol Free Gas? There's An App For That
Just like everything else these days, there's an app for finding ethanol free gas. Here's a look:
- Pure Gas: Free on the App Store, the Pure Gas app finds the 100 closest gas stations that sell ethanol free fuel according to your location.
- Gas Buddy: Another free app, Gas Buddy has historically been used by drivers as a means to find the cheapest gas possible to save money at the pump. But the latest versions of the app are configured so that users can edit and see station details, like whether or not stations sell fuel with ethanol blends.
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I’m ripping carpet out of my boat and just watched that video. It’s a good one. Dad and I just discussed fuel the other day. There is no ethanol free 87 by me, 89 yeah, but that’s an hour away. Dad has been running ethanol free 91 in his xp150, and I have been running e10 87 in my xr6. We both use stabil marine. Neither of us have issues, but I’m wondering now if I should switch to 91, even though it’s not recommended to run premium in my engine. I do pre mix my oil. I do go through quite a bit of fuel. The only time gas sits in my tank for any length of time is during winter, and that’s awhile, like 5-6 months.
Everyone has their own opinions, beliefs, etc. regarding fuel and additives. What I have done for years and (knock on wood) works for me is that during the season I burn 87 octane that is mixed with a maximum 10% ethanol. Towards the end the year I'll run the tank low and fill with non oxy ethanol free 91 octane to store over the winter. Each fill up no matter when, gets a treatment of marine Sta Bil.
To each their own, but this works for me with heavy use April thru November, and then it sits mid November thru mid March (depending on Minnesota weather).
I like that idea. Might start doing that.
If you have a close option of non-ethanol fuel that is the way to go! As for additives in any fuel, the consumer should know what's actually in it.
http://www.bbcboards.net/showthread.php?t=864900
Interesting stuff Mike.. Thanks for all the info.
Your welcome Jim. Most folks don't know what's in those additives. The theory behind allot of them is a thin film of oil would reside on the surface of the fuel and reduce water absorption. It doesn't work that way.
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