HELP please fuel question

[joeyd50]

Hi guys, I have a 1986 Skeeter Starfire 175, according to the owners manual I have a 22 gallon gas tank, there is about 2 inches of gas in the tank that?s about 5 years old, do you think it would be OK to top off the tank with fresh gas and just let the old gas mix up with new. If this would be OK should I use a higher octane gas and maybe some kind of additive? I running a 1975 85HP Johnson.
Thanks
Joe

 

[firehog6305]

Re: HELP please fuel question

that question is always asked, I just had the same problem, but with 140gals, its best to drain it out, get as much as you can out, if its easy to

 

[dingbat]

Re: HELP please fuel question

Five year old fuel is trashed. It wouldn't use it to start a fire. Drain out the old fuel and fill with new. Use the old for weed killer or something.

It's not worth the risk to run gas that old thru the motor

 

[gcboat]

Re: HELP please fuel question

Good gosh no, don't run that stuff through anything that even resembles a combustion engine. I'd be surprised if that old gas would even kill weeds !!!!

 

[joeyd50]

Re: HELP please fuel question

I got most of it out, only a trace on the bottom of tank, I'm going to top it off and see what happens. Would any of you suggest putting any fuel additive in or use a higher octane fuel?
Thanks
Joe

 

[jtexas]

Re: HELP please fuel question

higher octane is only useful for engines designed with a high compression ratio, its less likely to predetonate under hi pressure - your engine is designed for 87 octane....I like to run Sea Foam in my gas....keeps it fresher longer, and keeps carbon build-up out of your engine......

 

[studlymandingo]

Re: HELP please fuel question

Put some SeaFoam in it.​

 

[mike176]

Re: HELP please fuel question

I would dump in a can of seafoam, top it off with 87 and let her run. I dout you will have a problem. I know this sounds bad but i have actually hookedup a motor i was trying to sell to a 4 year old tank of gas and it ran well enough for the guy to buy it. The only reson i did it was because the guy kinda just showedup and i mentioned after we had a few beers i was willing to sell that boat but i did not have any gas except for the tank in my old johnboat that i had not used in 4 years. he said for the price i was offering if I could get it to run he would pay. so i grabed the tank out of the johnboat and hooked it to the 1976 70hp rude on the boat i wanted to sell. In the end i wish i had never sold that motor those old OMC motors are the best OBs that where ever made. The only resone i sold it was because the wife said i had to get some stuff out of the yard, I have tomany redneck lawn ordaments.

 

[joeyd50]

Re: HELP please fuel question

I like to thank everyone for your advice, I talk to a Johnson dealer and he recommended this stuff called StarTron over Seafoam, he sold the both of them so he was getting a sale either way, I top off the tank added the right amount of oil. I'll let you know how things turn out.
Thanks Again
Joe

 

[joeyd50]

Re: HELP please fuel question

I started it up today and it ran fine, let it run about 5 minutes, when I went to start it again it started at WOT or it seemed that way and had to shut it down, since then everytime I start it, its like WOT again. Any idea what this could be? I also posted this in Outboard Troubles/Repair.
Thanks
Joe

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: HELP please fuel question

Did you mix 1 ounce per gal like the instructions said or did you use a bottle of sea foam with a half tank??? Just trying to help

 

[Dakota47]

Re: HELP please fuel question

Throttle cable sticking or the linkage.. clean & lube

 

[joeyd50]

Re: HELP please fuel question

I haven't touch the throttle it just went nuts the second time I started it and everytime since. I'm stumped.
Joe

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: HELP please fuel question

Have you checked the cables to your carb are they broke, disconnected ??

 

[joeyd50]

Re: HELP please fuel question

WAVENBYE2, I use the SrarTron, I don't have the bottle in front of me but I did do as directed. I'm going to play with this thing again tomorrow, I'll let you guys know how things are going. Thanks for the help guys.
Joe

 

[joeyd50]

Re: HELP please fuel question

I got it running OK today, it turned out to be the linkage, when I was putting the throttle cable and shift cable on I was moving everything around, cleaned it and lubed it and it's OK. Thanks guys, but I know I'll be back. Now I got to get her in the water.
Joe

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: HELP please fuel question

Cool glad thats all it was ! Now get out there and do some boating already

 

[joeyd50]

Re: HELP please fuel question

Just in case anyone wants to know I got the boat out yesterday 7/29/07, first time with the 85HP on it, ran real good, I thought it would go faster, got up to 32.6 MPH according to the GPS, RPM was right at 5500 so I guess that's top speed.
Joe

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: HELP please fuel question

COOOL, Glad to hear everything worked out ok , I'm getting ready to head out for a couple(4) of hours myself rain finally let up and i try to go out at least once a week, I'm addicted to water >>Pat