I agree with this. I have filled my tanks with 93 octane and used full dose marine Sta-Bil every winter since we bought our Fountain 5 years ago. I have 525's (87 octane motors) and after a 4-5 month layup never a problem of any kind. I just stay easy on the motors till gas about half gone then fill up and forget it. If some of the ethanol separates out you will lose some octane but you have 87 octane motors also and your fuel should still be way above that. Change your fuel filters and check them for water after your first trip out (pour then out into a clear glass jar) and go on. I have yet to find any water in mine when I do that every year. Sta-Bil claims their product stabilizes fuel for a year.

You say they are half full and put all that sta-bil in there. I would fill them the rest of the way and run it.

NEW POST DATED 4 WEEKS FROM NOW
" i think i got screwed on my new motors, i was running them easy and then after the first full throttle run they just seemed to lose power. there is lots of blow by and when we did a compression test there was no compression in one cylinder. when we took it apart , all the rings were broken on one piston and the top ring land was all broken and on the other motor the piston was burned right thru. the engine builder saiys its not his fault and that i was an imbecile to run year old fuel on new motors but i poured all the aftermarket chemicals and garbage i could buy in it and everyone said it would be fine . i think he should warrantee the motors, what do you think ? "

Got to agree with that, run the old fuel in something that isnt going to cost $20k to fix if it blows up.

No question about it, remove that fuel and run fresh. Go to wallyworld and buy 5-6 5 gallon gas cans. That will cover nearly +30 gallons sucked out filled to the brim. I'm sure between your vehicles and friends you can get rid of the other 30 gallons quickly. Or if you live close to me I'll come over with a 60 gallon tank and remove it all for you in one fail swoop.

Don't do it, I ran old fuel in a new motor and took out the tops of the rod berrings. Don't keep repeating history, that would be somthing our government would do.:angry-smiley-038:

I ran year old fuel in mine no problems at all (93 octane). If you are using all the orignal electronics that Mercury installed the knock sensors will back up the timing. My engines were built by Eddie Young, he also had no conserns. If you choose to remove the fuel from your tank. The easiest way to get it out, is to hook up a electric marine fuel pump to your existing fuel line from the tank and turn it on, it will suck the same amount of fuel that the engines would. I have had no problems.

so... just to be clear... your advice would be to him do something borderline line stupid that you happen to get away with, not knowing at all what kind of turpentine that he has for fuel right now and hope that the electronics that are there to save the motor when the owner is BEING stupid actually work...

yup sounds like a nice solid conservative approach to take with two motors that he just sunk a bunch of money into...

getting away with doing someting stupid is not the same as doing something intellegently.

I agree steve, too many people here giving bad advice lately. Its running a lot of the good guys off. I have been posting what I have learned and its just not working. I wind up being a smart ass and the bad guy.

LMFAO-very true