Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

I've heard many opinions on this in the last month. I'm of the belief that opinions are like azzholes, and everyone's stinks...except mine! :D :evilb: just kidding



So, what are those of you who winterize going to do. Fill 'em to the top.... or run 'em empty???????



I've always filled up with some stabilizer in the tanks, but that was before the E-10. :rolleyes:

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

I dunno dude.... I left mine half full this year... forgot to go to the gas station before bringing the boat home.. :rolleyes:

I'll just drink beer and hope! :drink:

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

Mine are half empty right now :D


..but I'm hoping to run the boat a few more times in the next few weeks. Not sure what to do, but I'll drink beer all winter anyway. :drink:

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

3 words........store it EMPTY... :(

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

I would store it empty, we have had bad F^%kin probs with that **** already in my dads boat, also alot of other people around my area that I know.. Anyway beer is good :drink:

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

Empty.

Ethanol makes the fuel hold a lot more humidity over time... Even a civil servant can understand that.

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

You know I blame E-10 for everything that has gone wrong with my boat in this season . I blew a motor with less than 30 hours on it at the nyc poker run. Merc built it and they couldnt have messed up that bad that it would spin a rod bearing that fast. Must have been the fuel. I can only run for like 1 mile at wot without cooking the oil. Must be the fuel . My brand new starboard battery won't stay charged. Must be the fuel. My trim indicators don't work anymore. Gotta be the fuel. My bilge is extreemly clean. Must be the fuel leaks. :evilb: I'm gonna leave it as low as I can and change the fuel filters more often (I did 3 times this season) and top it off with some fresh fuel before I hit the water in the spring and have a couple beers with panther. What the heck do I know , I pimp rides for a living. :drink:

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

I'd say choice 2 on empty and why take a chance. But then again choice 3 is looking good.

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

Mercury says leave tanks empty during long periods of storage.

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

Here's what I have done this season:
Added PRI-G and Stabil to existing fuel. Ran the boat until I was as empty as I could get it. (maybe 10 gal per tank)
Then I have added about 10 gal per tank of aviation fuel.
Additive should stabilize fuel, while AV gas is also very stabile and would dilute any ethanol.

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

exactly what i did and it will also not eat thru the fiberglass tank. best of luck to you

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

Living in the midwest, we've had nothing but E-10 available to us for many years. I've done it both ways and from experience I can tell you it doesn't matter. Whether I've filled up or left it with around an 1/8 to 1/4 tank, the boat has always run fine the following spring. Just make sure to treat whatever gas you do leave in the tank with Sta-Bil. I'm to the point where I now leave about 3/4 tank of fuel in the boat when I put it away in the fall. This is so when we get the occasional 60 degree day in Nov. - Feb. I can break the boat out for a winter cruise and not have to worry about getting fuel.

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

above and beyond the ethanol issue, to me its more about the octane points lost during storage. when i store i'll put between 1/4 and 1/2 tank of super with stabil and marvel mystery oil, then in spring i'll treat with an octane booster as well as more super...my 502 mpis only need regular

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

where can we get aviation fuel around here i like that idea as well

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

I'm lucky here in Appleton, Wisconsin. Many of the local gas stations have ethanol free fuel. I add some Sta-Bil and top off the tank.

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

Store as empty as you reasonably can. Add Pri-G to remaining fuel. Fill tank with fresh fuel in spring.

Ethanol fuels start to separate after 30 days. In an aluminum boat tank, it attracts moisture which then corrodes the inside of the tank creating aluminum scale. If the fuel filter doen't catch it, it will clog injectors.

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

Store boat as empty as possible, we are starting to see the effects of the E10 mixture from folks that haven't used there boats, they do make a gasoline restore that works great its made by Starbright, my sons car wasn't running right he ddn't use the car for about 2 months and she wouldn't rstay running I added the additve in and she straightened the car out in 2 days.

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

Okay, looks like empty it is, let's put on some jackets this weekend and head for the Narrows for lunch :D :drink:

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

Too much octane is not a good thing! If you get really bored I'll give you a guys number and he'll give you a nice like 2 hour dissertation on octane. Run the regular. If it don't knock your good to go!

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

i run regular but just store it with super and then give it another shot of super in the spring to rejuvinate

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

empty is better but moisture can form because of all the open space.full prevents moisture buildup but the more ethanol then attracts moisture. :D I USED STAR-TRON THAT HELPS KEEP THE ETHANOL BONDED TO THE FUEL THEN STABIL. dammed if you do dammed if you don't.

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

Saturday looks like it will be in the 60's....Good enough for me!! :cool: :cool:

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

I might be up for that as well, I havent winterized yet:D

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

I agree...... Take delivery Friday morning.... :evilb: :D :evilb: :D

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

Super has nothing to do with water separation from E10.. The biggest problem is E10 is made from corn that is water based. Once they refine the E10 out of the corn. In the 80s if you don't remember they came out with Gasahal made of Corn. Almost like E10 but had more of a corn mixture, they stopped making this because of water issues in autos. they latest news they wanted to make E20 the problem being that most of your Warranties will not cover issues created by E10 or E20 and E20 most of your Marine Engines can't use. Gasoline mixtures are great in warm areas were your boats are used all the time but when you have to lay up this were the problem comes in. whether your tank is full or empty the E10 will separate it is not a Petroleum product and I would rather have an empty tank and deal with cold moisture then a full tank and deal with more separation. 10 gallons of fuel with 10% E10 will have a 1% separation 100 Gallons of fuel the same amount so you are looking at 10 Gallons of water separating. when water separates from its condensed form she will also create corrosives that will work wonders on your tank.. empty with treatment is the way to go. If you have gasoline make sure you put in enough treatment to compensate .

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

[/B]E-10 is the DEVIL :evilb: . [B]I have been f***ing with it all year. I bought my boat in Tampa this summer, filled the tanks up when I got here, put the boat in the water and it ran for about 10 min. then it died. I could see water in the squirters of the carbs. I removed about 5 gallons of water from my starbord tank and 2 gal from port. I think that the biggest problem with this fuel is if you mix old with new. This isn't the only boat that I have had this same problem with. They call me water boy :fish: :frog: Let me know if anyone has any suggestions on the mix of the fuels.

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

air port in lakewood you can bring the boat or some cans bruce hey pub tonite bruce

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

not really to worried about the water issue it is the fact that the ethanol will and has eaten wright thru the fiberglass tanks in boats and thru the bottom of the boat when stored. it breakes down the resin so be careful.

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

What's the big deal here? It's common knowledge that today's gas is crap. Pump the tanks dry for the winter, use the gas in your car, get a fresh start next spring. There will be no condensaton since the tanks are the same temperature as the air. Condensation happens when warm moist air comes in contact with a cool surface.

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

what he said !!

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

was there the other night looking for ya

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

I have read extensively on this issue:

1) Empty the tanks as much as possible before storage. The quantity of water produced from condensation will be nowhere near the quantity you get from E10 phase separation in a full gas tank and the subsequent hydration of the free ethanol, the water vapor coming in through your tank vents. Remember, ethanol mixes very well with water in mixed drinks. Everclear can only be refined to 190 proof (95%) due to the strong attraction of ethanol to water. Sealing of tank vents is not recommended due to temperature fluctuations should pressure build up and force fuel into the engine or stress seals or joints.

2) Put in additive to the remaining fuel (Star-tron, Sta-Bil) or equivalent.

3) Change your water separating fuel filters and fill up with fresh gas before the engines are started after any extended storage period. You must remove the water from the bottom of the tank to avoid drawing liquid water into the engine. Severe engine damage will occur if you try to compress water. Disconnect fuel line and turn over engine to check for water if there are any doubts.

4) If the boat is trailerable consider filling the fuel tanks from a source that does not use ethanol before the storage period. You may still need to use a fuel stabilizer even with 100% gasoline.

Andy

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

We run Avgas 100lowlead and store the tanks empty in the winter. In previous years, we had some problems with E10 gas and how it was blended from one gas station to the next.

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

Maybe this guy should just have a recording. :D

Excessive fuel octane is not bad per se, but is a waste of money, unless you are getting the octane from lead which will foul plugs and valves, then it really is bad. Ask the aircraft people about lead fouling.

I think it would be a good idea to drain the tank of ethanol based fuel. I would also put a desiccant in the tank on a string or wire to keep it dry.

Michael

Re: Ethanol (E-10) over the winter..Tanks ful or empty??
 

talk to chuck at typhoon they may have some in drums there