Store with gas tanks full or empty?
 

Here in the North, the boating season is almost over :( and it's time to thiink about winterizing. I usually store the boat with the fuel tanks full to prevent condensation build up and add then stabilizer. Today's gasoline is so crappy, sours so quickly, and in our neck of the woods, has 10% ethanol added(attracts moisture) that I am thinking it would be better to leave them empty. Any thoughts?

Re: Store with gas tanks full or empty?
 

If you have a metal tank I would store full but put stabalizer in before you put the boat away, if not then I would store with limited gas.

Re: Store with gas tanks full or empty?
 

The last few winters have been crazy with huge temp fluctuations. If I fill the tank and a REAL warm day comes, the gas expands and spills out my vent. So, I'm just going to stabilize the gas that is left in there and fill up in the spring. I'm only winterized for about four months.

Re: Store with gas tanks full or empty?
 

Always full and add stabilizer. Last year I also added a piece of pvc pipe to my vent and brought it out of the swrinkwrap , because every spring as the temps increased the gas would expand and run down the side of the boat leaving a mess. It worked out great.

Re: Store with gas tanks full or empty?
 

Old school here, fill tank alittle over 3/4... to allow for expansion in the spring add stabilizer now and octane booster in the spring....

Re: Store with gas tanks full or empty?
 

I have a built-in fiberglass tank. Prefer not to keep full over the winter as per manufacturer's recommendation.
I have an 12 VDC Weldon Fuel pump setup to pump the tank as dry as possible. I use to fill them up for winter storage.

Re: Store with gas tanks full or empty?
 

Rlw the problem with that is you will get condensation ie water

Re: Store with gas tanks full or empty?
 

Full, plus, its my 160 gallon backup in case of a shortage. Price will likely be higher in spring too.

Re: Store with gas tanks full or empty?
 

I read a while back on another thread about the problem of gas coming out of the vent during storage. It is not the gasoline (liquid) that is expanding to any significant degree, but rather the vapor in the gas tank. Say you have a half tank of fuel and the trailer is cranked up with the boat is nose high. There is a lot of trapped vapor in the front of the tank that will expand on those warm days and literally pushes the gasoline out the vents. Putting the boat nose down so the vent taps into the vapor pocket allows it to "vent" (no pun intended) and you don't push liquid out. Makes sense to me... Just need to have the boat stored indoors so no other liquid (rain water) gets trapped into the nose down boat hull...

Re: Store with gas tanks full or empty?
 

That's exactly how I feel! My tanks are aluminum...I have a problem putting "alcohol" in my aluminum tanks. Besides, your right about the stuff going bad so quickly! I have been stabilizing what is left at the end of the season (usually less than 1/2 tank)...fogging the motors...and hope for the best!

Re: Store with gas tanks full or empty?
 

That would depend on where the vent hose enters the tank. Mine enters at the very front of the tank so nose up to let air out would be better.

I actually fill them to about 100 gallons of the 120gallon capacity. I have to run at least 92 octane an dthats the highest octane I can get at the pump here. In the Spring, I add 10 gallons of 114 octane to bump it back up.

Re: Store with gas tanks full or empty?
 

as empty as possible, with stabil,, I would rather have 100 gallons of fresh gas in the beginning of the seaon.

Re: Store with gas tanks full or empty?
 

Not worried about condensation as much as I am worried about delamination.

Re: Store with gas tanks full or empty?
 

Bob Teague had a question thrown at him like that(in Powerboat), he said with the quality of todays fuels he does not recommend leaving that much fuel in your tanks for that long of a time period.I think he said around 1/4 tank.

Re: Store with gas tanks full or empty?
 

If your winter is long then you have a real concern. If they're relatively mild and somewhat short I don't think it's big concern for newer boats, but may be for ones that have been thru a few winter's. Stabilize whatever you've got in it, and get it running as early in the spring as possible with Dry-Gas additives and octane booster. Change your filter/s once or twice in the spring just for added measure.

Re: Store with gas tanks full or empty?
 

1/2 full, I was told by my engine byuilder that gas only has a 6 month octane life so I top it off with 93 in the spring and take it easy through the first tank.

Re: Store with gas tanks full or empty?
 

and add dry gas in the spring.

Re: Store with gas tanks full or empty?
 

I think the liquid does actually expand. I filled my tank on Sunday and ran the boat for about 1.5hr. I had to of used at least 15 gallons. Yesterday I went to fill it up before going boating again and it only took 3 gallons to fill? We had a substantial change in temp and barometer between Sun and tues.

Re: Store with gas tanks full or empty?
 

I had about 10 gals in my 100 gal tank for 2 years put in 45 gals of 93 sat, took it out ran good now back in the garage until spring cause I need some glass work over the winter :(

Re: Store with gas tanks full or empty?
 

A local dealer said the latest thinking is less worry about condensation and more concern about fuel degradation. Therefore, stabilize whatever is left in the tank in the fall and fill with fresh fuel in the spring. I always used to fill the tank with stabilizer added in the fall. No more.

Re: Store with gas tanks full or empty?
 

Actually, you're right :rolleyes: I just looked it up. Gasoline expands .7% for every 10°F increase in temperature. For example, 100 gallons of gas will expand to 103.5 gallons with a 50°F increase in temperature. This increase in volume can cause the problem of gas pushing out the vent if the vent has a liquid seal. As long as the vent it tapped into the vapor pocket allowing the vapor to purge out (and in) of the tank, should have no problem... :drink: Vapor expands to even a greater degree. More reason to be sure the vent does not have a liquid seal....

Re: Store with gas tanks full or empty?
 

Startron Enzyme Fuel Treatment(Starbrite),has anybody used this. I am trying to get some further feed back before I use this product this winter. They claim that by using highly specialized enzymes they can modify how gas burns (more complete and uniform combustion). They also claim that it cleans fuel delivery systems and combustion chambers,stabilizes fuel chemistry,disperses water and reduces emissions.What do you think? I use too fill tank and use stabilizer,but with 10% ethanol in gas,I am still undecided.