# winter storage with gas??????



## zookeeper (Oct 5, 2011)

My question is what is the correct way to store a boat for the winter with gas ? i was told to fill the tank and the correct amount of stabilizer. This is for a I/O motor. And is there anyone that can shrink wrap boats in the Cleveland area that are not robbing us and will stand behind there work......would really like some input............Thanks


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## RJohnson442 (May 14, 2013)

Fill it completely up and add stabilizer. Unless you have a closed cooling system you'll need to winterize the motor also.


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## Misdirection (Jul 16, 2012)

RJohnson442 said:


> Fill it completely up and add stabilizer. Unless you have a closed cooling system you'll need to winterize the motor also.


+1. You should change your engine oil, out drive oil, fuel filter, drain the exhaust manifolds and block and fill with antifreeze. Then fog your motor with a fogging oil and remove your batteries and keep them charged over the winter. Sorry, can't help you with the shrink wrap, I do my own...

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## jimski2 (Jul 23, 2010)

Moisture especially in a harbor environment enters your fuel tank every day and night as the gasoline expands with air temperature changes. It condenses on the cold sides of the tank and enters your fuel. The tanks are cold as the refrigeration effect of evaporating fuel and alcohol leave the tank. Alcohol will mix and carry the fuel and moisture through the system but the water and alcohol separate when the boat is idle while stored. The water from the bottom of the tank will be first sucked up to your engine and it will not operate in the spring. Drain the water separator if you have one before cranking the engine in the spring. Stabil claims to end this separation deal and you have to add it according to the amount of gasoline in you tank. A full tank is recommended by these people maybe as a sales incentive but that is your decision to have to deal with old gasoline in the spring. No matter how much gasoline you have in your tank the expansion with temperature changes is the same since a small tank amount will expand more than a full tank overnight. The ten per cent alcohol mixture that Washington type people force us to purchase has a shelf life of a couple of months as the alcohol evaporates fast so it leaves the water behind. I have abandoned my built in tank and now use portable six gallon tanks that have a vent that seals the tank to prevent the exchange of air with temperature changes. These tanks shrink when cold and expand on hot days in the sun but are claimed to be safe on the hot days. I failed to open the vent one day and the fuel pump on the engine shrank the tank down to half its normal size before the engine slowed and I noticed it. The tank returned to its normal shape luckily. Your automobiles have a vapor control system to end the exchange of stored gasoline vapors with an activated carbon filter to capture the vapor but your boat tank has is open to the atmosphere.


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## CarpetBagger (Sep 21, 2009)

I always keep mine low and loaded with fuel stabilizer...Fill up when the season starts with as much fresh gas as shell take

Id rather be starting off the season with NEW FUEL than full of gas from 4-5 months ago...


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## RJohnson442 (May 14, 2013)

CarpetBagger said:


> I always keep mine low and loaded with fuel stabilizer...Fill up when the season starts with as much fresh gas as shell take
> 
> Id rather be starting off the season with NEW FUEL than full of gas from 4-5 months ago...


Depending on how big the tank is this is also a good option. If its gonna cost you 200 bucks to top it of the I'd run it low. If its almost a full tank fill it and add some octane booster in summer. Whatever water is in there will just decoke the carbon on the pistons in the summer till the old gas is gone. Getting all the water out of the block is your biggest worry. I had gas sit for 10 years in my cutlass and still ran fine. Pumped 10 gallons out into my Jetta and in my lawnmower both never missed a beat. That whole gas goes bad is a myth. It may drop in octane rating but it wont go bad to the point of not firing.


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

I run mine as low as possible as well and load up with marine stabil. 6 season later first push of my starter and it fires up without issue and runs perfect. 

I too would rather have fresh gas rather than 3 month old treated gas.


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## 34181 (May 6, 2012)

I stopped by Marine Tech Concepts in Port Clinton with the same question. Jeff in parts explained to me the gas we have today starts to break down within 2 weeks. in the good old days you were to fill tanks before storage, Jeff suggested run as low as possible on fuel, fog engine, put stabilizer in remaining gas. In the spring fill with fresh gas. Jeff offered to show me the results of junk gas we have today turning to varnish and the tanks and carbs he is currently working on.


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## Roy Page (Mar 10, 2011)

So I am going to jump in here and stir the gas tank.
Having lived in the old country [England] till 1998, I had never heard of or seen any fuel stabilizer for sale or recommended to be added to gas tanks when equipment was stored over the Winter.
Here in the US of A, it is seen and sold in many stores and I think a large percentage of folk use it.

Fast forward 15 years ......

My boat tanks hold a total of 230 gallons and I keep the tanks full almost all the time. A full tank has less air, which contains water, to condensate into the tank and fuel. I fill the tanks to the very top before the boat is hauled for the Winter [Inside unheated storage]

I have never added any fuel stabilizer to my boat or any other gas powered unit such as my grass mowing machine which I also fill up when it is stored away.
And ... never had any problems to start or run the engines in the Spring.

Here is an extract from Wikipedia [Remember that everything on Wikipedia can be written by anyone]

_Quality gasoline should be stable almost indefinitely if stored properly. Such storage should be in an airtight container (to prevent oxidation or water vapors mixing), and which can withstand the vapor pressure of the gasoline without venting ( to prevent the loss of the more volatile fractions), and at a stable cool temperature (to reduce the excess pressure from liquid expansion, and to reduce the rate of any decomposition reactions). When gasoline is not stored correctly, gums and solids may be created, which can corrode system components and accumulate on wetted surfaces, resulting in a condition called "stale fuel". Gasoline containing ethanol is especially subject to absorbing atmospheric moisture, then forming gums, solids, or two phases (a hydrocarbon phase floating on top of a water-alcohol phase).
The presence of these degradation products in fuel tank, lines, carburetor or fuel injection components makes it harder to start the engine, or causes reduced engine performance. On resumption of regular engine use, the buildup is often eventually cleaned out by the flow of fresh gasoline. The addition of a fuel stabilizer to gasoline can extend the life of fuel that is not or cannot be stored properly. Some typical fuel stabilizers are proprietary mixtures containing mineral spirits, isopropyl alcohol, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene,or other additives. Fuel stabilizer is commonly used for small engines, such as lawnmower and tractor engines, especially when their use is seasonal (low to no use for one or more seasons of the year)._

Just my 2 cents


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## CarpetBagger (Sep 21, 2009)

Ive done the stored full and stored empty...I dont think either philosophy is correct honestly, but too fill up a 140 gallon tank then add $50 worth of fuel stabilizer to it seems a little odd compared to going low treating with $10 worth of stabilizer then filling up to start the year after changing water/fuel seperators ect...

Generally end of the year the fuel docks are on low reserve and you can get sediments, more water, ect...Id rather get the fresh load in the spring...



Roy Page said:


> So I am going to jump in here and stir the gas tank.
> Having lived in the old country [England] till 1998, I had never heard of or seen any fuel stabilizer for sale or recommended to be added to gas tanks when equipment was stored over the Winter.
> Here in the US of A, it is seen and sold in many stores and I think a large percentage of folk use it.
> 
> ...


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## fossil (Aug 6, 2013)

Just adding Sta-bil to your tank will protect the gas tank. To prevent build up in the carbs you'll need to run the engine with treated gas before storage. You cannot seal the carb(s) easily so gas will evaporate during storage leaving deposits in the fuel bowl and ports.
Marine Sta-bil for 150 gals will run you about $12, 1oz per 10 gals. I buy the 32oz size on Amazon for $20 to $24 including shipping. Since Sta-bil has a "opened" life of two years I use the Marine type for all my gas toys, boat, lawn & garden, motorcycle, classic car and motorhome.
Been using the regular version for many years and no fuel problems with prolonged storage, even with two cycle mix.


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## Blue Pearl (Dec 21, 2009)

If you are purchasing convential gasoline from a marina that has no ethanol in it than you should keep you fuel tank full. You will lose octane but it will stop the condensation and you are better off. If you fill your boat up at the station pump than you are getting minimum 10% ethanol (nasty stuff). Ethanol fuel absorbs water year around if it gets too much water in it, it will cause phase separation which you will have water on the bottom ethanol in the middle and sub par gasoline on top. All of it will have to be removed and threw away. The best thing to do with ethanol is get as low as you can before winter and try to use a pressurized fuel tank that limits the amount of air (condensation ) in your tank. In the spring use Hydroburn which will restore the gas and remove any moisture you may have. Ethanol is very corrosive and causes a lot of dammage in engines over 8-10 years old, good idea to drain the fuel system and blow it out. The major oil companies will tell you the shelf life of all gasoline is 30 days(just covering their butts).


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## SeaDeucer (Sep 10, 2013)

I have done it both ways with no troubles. But the last few years going with the full tank w/ stabilizer. I have a 1988 searay, bought it in 1997 and pretty much winterized the same way all these years. Change oil, check lower unit gear lube, drain the water in the block and replace with antifreeze, fog the engine and take batteries inside for the winter. Knock wood, never have any problems the spring.


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## captain snake (Oct 20, 2011)

I have a 72 Searay and winterize it myself. used to fill it and add stabilizer but still had problems in the spring a couple times.now I pump all the gas out after I winterize the engine. Use a fuel pump that I hook up to the battery and the fuel line from the tank and pump it into gas cans then use it in My car.


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## Tightlines (Jun 29, 2012)

If you put Startron fuel stabilizer in your tank you wont have any problems with your fuel ever. I add startron and lucas every time i fill up. Never had any problems with startron in the tank.


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

Tightlines said:


> If you put Startron fuel stabilizer in your tank you wont have any problems with your fuel ever. I add startron and lucas every time i fill up. Never had any problems with startron in the tank.


X2!! This stuff is great, uses enzymes to handle the alcohol and water problems-NOT other chemicals or fuels! Fairly inexpensive at Walmart, TSC, others.


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## jimski2 (Jul 23, 2010)

My neighbor had water in the fuel tank of his I/O boat. We siphoned the fuel out through the supply gauge opening of the tank after removing the floor board with the hose going through the drain plug hole in the transom. A coat hanger with an old tee shirt wiped out twenty years accumulation of debris and water. Boat now runs fine.

Yes this is dangerous, be careful, have your boat and life insurance paid up.


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## Workdog (Jan 10, 2007)

K gonefishin said:


> I run mine as low as possible as well and load up with marine stabil. 6 season later first push of my starter and it fires up without issue and runs perfect.
> 
> I too would rather have fresh gas rather than 3 month old treated gas.


I totally agree with K gone and Carpetbagger! I make no special attempt to use all my fuel at the end of the season, nor do I fill up my tanks (2 X 92 gallons). I trailer my boat, so I am running 10% gas. A trip or two before my last, I'll throw in the right amount of Stabil to ensure I have stabilized gas going thru my lines and motors, and usually put the boat away with around 30 gallons in a tank.

For you guys that think you're getting condensation in your tanks, do you know how much? Are you sure? I have Racor filters with the clear sight bowls in front of my motors, and I haven't seen a drop of water in them for the last ten years I've been fishing them up here in Ohio.


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## tpklam (Jul 10, 2012)

Good to know...I had the same question...
thx


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