Fill the tank or drain the tank for winter season?

[Dualie]

Hey everyone,

I thought I'd post this to see what the experts have to say due to no one giving me a definitive answer.

I have a center console, powered by a Suzi 4stroke 115hp and a 66 gallon aluminum tank that is located under the deck of the boat.
I live in New England- the winter season is roughly 5 months before I will put it back in the water.

Question:
Should I fill it up and stabilize the fuel or run down the fuel to as close to empty as possible, stabilize what's left and leave it till spring. Then, fill it up with fresh fuel and burn through it!

I am concerned with phase separation in our newer E10 gas over our 5 month winter and potentially bad/stale fuel by the spring.

I have heard both recommendations- but which one should I perform?

As always, Thanks so much!
Dualie

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Fill the tank or drain the tank for winter season?

We in the midwest have used ethanol blended fuel (E-10) since 1997 with no storage problems woth discussing. Our lay up period is even longer than yours. Treat the fuel and put the boat to bed. If I need fuel for my snowblower, generator, or chain saws I suck a little out of the boat. I have never had a fuel issue. If it makes you feel better, drain it and run it in your vehicles. My boat has about half a tank of fuel and it will be just fine in the spring when topped off with fresh fuel.

 

[skeat]

Re: Fill the tank or drain the tank for winter season?

There have been many posts about this. (just recently ethanol fuel storage a few threads below). and there is a lot of info on the internet. I would hate to see anyone have problems in the spring because of improperly storing fuel. When push comes to shove, you are the one that is going to be dealing with it so I would try to make as an informed decision as I could and err on the conservative side. I, for one, drain the tank. Fuel is expensive and repairs even more so.

 

[Nandy]

Re: Fill the tank or drain the tank for winter season?

Sorry to tell you this, but you will have 2 answers, Leave it or take it out. The truth is even the "experts" you read in magazines are divided on it. There is not enought data to make a recomendation either way. We have regular gas here, I top my tanks.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Fill the tank or drain the tank for winter season?

Before I put mine up for the winter, always make sure it's full and stabilize it.
Never have a problem.

 

[45Auto]

Re: Fill the tank or drain the tank for winter season?

I would say best way to store it is full. If you have any humidity (I'm in New Orleans, so lots of humidity here) the empty space will let condensation form in your tank. Always stored my boats full since my experiences with cars about 15-20 years ago. I personally left a Toyota 4-Runner with about 1/4 tank of gas in it sitting for a year and the whole bottom of the tank along with the electric fuel pump rusted out. It had about an inch of water in the bottom of it. Left a Corona (hmmm, something about those Toyota's maybe??) sitting with a partial tank for about 6 months and and the tank rusted up so bad it kept clogging the fuel filter. Had to shake it around with a bunch of pennies in it to remove the rust then seal it with Kreem tank sealer. Had a Corvette with about half a tank sit there for 6 months and rusted the fuel pump out. It also clogged about half the injectors before the pump crapped out. Since then I've had several cars sitting around with full tanks and had no other problems, but I also make sure to drive them once a month or so.

 

[mike176]

Re: Fill the tank or drain the tank for winter season?

I would top it off for the winter and run it on the muffs a few times a month.

 

[Dualie]

Re: Fill the tank or drain the tank for winter season?

Thanks Mike, but I think that would be suicide here in the North East unless it's stored inside a heated garage...

I think I am going to run down as empty as possible, stabilize what's left maybe 10 gallons and fill it with fresh fuel in the spring.

Thanks for everyones input!

Dualie

 

[backwater dawg]

Re: Fill the tank or drain the tank for winter season?

I live in a COLD weather area and have a 1988 Regal Comm with twin 260's that I bought new and have NEVER filled the tanks---I allways run 1 empty and stabilise the other one and run it way down--I just can't see letting 140 gallons of 4$ gas sitting around all winter----never had any problems and just this summer have my carbs rebuilt for the first time--they where just plain wore out--not plugged or real dirty---I'd drain it---good luck Steve

 

[njlarry]

Re: Fill the tank or drain the tank for winter season?

I don't think it's practical to FULLY drain a marine tank as I've never seen one with a sump. I just leave as little as I have in the tank (up to 1/2 full) and stabilze it. Fill with fresh gas in the spring and change the water separator in the spring after a tank or two. Sealing the vent and fill openings might help.
As as been said, there is no authoritative agreement.

 

[mike176]

Re: Fill the tank or drain the tank for winter season?

some times i have a hard time grasping the concept of what you guys up north have to do. I love the 12 month boating season we have in florida. Ya know you live in Florida when you have to mow the grass in december. All i ever do is make sure the water is out of my lower unit when we have a cold night, then i go fishing the next day.

 

[Nandy]

Re: Fill the tank or drain the tank for winter season?

Pretty much the same here Mike. I winterize it anyways and a few years I have been busy enough flyfishing to even take the boat out in winter. But everynow and then I take it out for fishing in the winter. If I see any warning of freezing it goes in the garage. I dont winterize it again...

 

[edthearcher]

Re: Fill the tank or drain the tank for winter season?

stabil I live in wisconsin and you know how long are winters are I run stabil in every thing this time of year boat motor chain saws lawn mower weed eater, that way the gas wont varnish up as it evoprates up and screw up any carbs.

 

[hunter0527]

Re: Fill the tank or drain the tank for winter season?

I live in the north east and not sure if its the same or not, but I store my motorcycle all winter with the tank full, as full to the top as it will go. The less air in the tank the less condensation you will have the less problems later on. Since I have been doing this I have never had a problem starting the bike in the spring! Good luck!

 

[Blue Water Runner]

Re: Fill the tank or drain the tank for winter season?

Before I put mine up for the winter, always make sure it's full and stabilize it.
Never have a problem.

Been doing it that way for 20 years.

 

[SuperNova]

Re: Fill the tank or drain the tank for winter season?

The less air in the tank the less condensation you will have the less problems later on.

Hunter has it right. All the B.S. arguements aside, The reason to fill your tanks is to minimize the airspace in them. The less airspace, the less condensation, it's very simple. Also the more fuel in the tank, the longer it takes for it to turn bad, and with E-10 the more fuel to absorb what water there is, and the longer it takes for phase separation to occur. Even if you drain your tank completely and can dry it out with a rag, you will still get lots of condensation in there and when you fill it up in the spring, where do you think all that water is going to go? From personal experience; I used to work in a small engine shop and we made a very good income rebuilding carbs and cleaning fuel tanks and replacing fuel lines for people who drained their equipment before putting it up for storage. All logical arguements aside, my advice is very strong for fill it up, stabilize it if you want, but I never do. My snowblower sits for 8 mos, the lawn mower, riding tractor, weed wacker and two boats sit for 4 or five months and I have never had any trouble with any of them. Choke, prime (some), and start.
--
Stan

 

[skeat]

Re: Fill the tank or drain the tank for winter season?

It's not so much the concern about condensation as with the ethanol absorbing moisture from the air in tanks that are vented to outside air. This will separate out over time even in fuels treated with a fuel stabilizer. As the ethanol separates out it takes the octane with it. Not so much a problem for cars that are filled more frequently. The loss of octane can be damaging though to boats since they don't have knock sensors (at least not on my 89). I am in the northeast also and the thought of keeping a hundred dollars or more of gas in storage for 5+ months is something I'd rather not do. In the spring I fill up with fresh gas and avoid the hassle altogether.

 

[Esox]

Re: Fill the tank or drain the tank for winter season?

I fill mine all the way up and use E/J 2+4 fuel conditioner and I've never had a problem.

 

[amynbill]

Re: Fill the tank or drain the tank for winter season?

Hunter has it right. All the B.S. arguements aside, The reason to fill your tanks is to minimize the airspace in them. The less airspace, the less condensation, it's very simple. Also the more fuel in the tank, the longer it takes for it to turn bad, and with E-10 the more fuel to absorb what water there is, and the longer it takes for phase separation to occur. Even if you drain your tank completely and can dry it out with a rag, you will still get lots of condensation in there and when you fill it up in the spring, where do you think all that water is going to go? From personal experience; I used to work in a small engine shop and we made a very good income rebuilding carbs and cleaning fuel tanks and replacing fuel lines for people who drained their equipment before putting it up for storage. All logical arguements aside, my advice is very strong for fill it up, stabilize it if you want, but I never do. My snowblower sits for 8 mos, the lawn mower, riding tractor, weed wacker and two boats sit for 4 or five months and I have never had any trouble with any of them. Choke, prime (some), and start.
--
Stan

+2. If people are worried about tying up money in the filled up gas tank, maybe boating should be less of a priority. It could get far more expensive replacing tanks.

I was always taught by many a mechanic to fill the tank up before storing it, and depending on the size of tank to use stabilizer or not. I have always done that with all of my motorized equipment from the years I owned a landscape company (many many mowers, tractors, blowers, etc...) and with my snowmobiles, atv's and quads, winter plowing vehicles etc...

Never once had a problem starting equipment up or having to replace fuel related parts.

Ymmv.

 

[amynbill]

Re: Fill the tank or drain the tank for winter season?

I am in the northeast

I dont think I would consider Long Island a benchmark for storing in cold weather