Draining the old gas?
 

I am wanting to drain my gas tanks b/c I am not sure about the gas that is in them. One tank might even have water in it. What do I need to do after I get all the gas out? Would you fill them and add some kind of additive or leave them empty till summer?
Thanks.

Re: Draining the old gas?
 

I called all my friends who wanted free gas for to mix or use for mowers. Got rid for 80 gallons in a couple of hours. Both my tanks are bone dry will be all winter.

Re: Draining the old gas?
 

There is a old wives tale that says that the tanks should be full over winter to prevent condensation from building up in them. Now you're pretty far south, so I'm sure that you don't see the cold temps/high humidity like we get come spring time. If you think that there is water in the gas, then it should be at the bottom of the tank. The gas will float on top. Up here we have these little bottles of alcohol that can be dumped in to help dissolve the water. A water collescing filter will then clean up the remaining amount. Just change the filter before it fills up.

Re: Draining the old gas?
 

thanks for the input

Re: Draining the old gas?
 

The "wives tale" about condensation is not all crap. Anytime you have enough (high) humidity and the temp drops below the dew point you will condense water on any surface exposed to air. I know I change my water separator 2 times per year and the only time it has any water in it in the spring time. If the tank is full (less exposed surface area) you get less water formed. I think a full tank with additive would eb the way to go...but we are are also VERY lucky and don't really have a "off season"

Re: Draining the old gas?
 

Dont add alcohol/dry gas to your boat.

Re: Draining the old gas?
 

Fill it up and add Stabil (sp?) Then check your seperater now and before next season.

Re: Draining the old gas?
 

I often wondered if it was just a way for marina gas-docks in the North areas to empty THEIR tanks by getting us to fill up ?? They don't empty their tanks so what happens to the gas in those tanks from November until May? Condensation?

Re: Draining the old gas?
 

Tanks are below the frost line, constant temp down there.

Re: Draining the old gas?
 

The condensation factor for an in hull boat tank is nothing like what happens with the wing tanks of aircraft that are subject to extreme temperature/relative hum. changes that create the water gremlin and dictate top-off after each flight. I'd say to store it however you want but realize that fuels we have today don't store too well and I'd think that you would want as much of a fresh fuel load as possible in the spring. --- JP

Re: Draining the old gas?
 

McRaymond3,
How exactly did you empty your tanks. I have a reversable hand pump that we used for race gas drums, but I cant get a hose thru the fill. I guess I could take the pickups out and get to it that way.

Re: Draining the old gas?
 

Or in November, right? :drink:

Re: Draining the old gas?
 

Viper 31,
I haven't emptied the tanks yet. The motors aren't in the boat. I have three tanks and three switches in the bildge that when I switch them on, it pumps fuel out of the lines.

Re: Draining the old gas?
 

I never believed in filling up in the fall, I have always left as little as possible in the tank over the winter.. I would rather have 100 gallons of fresh gas in the spring, than 100 gallons of 6 month old stabalized gas.

Re: Draining the old gas?
 

I always fill mine to the top. Used to run them low but everytime I had problems with the fuel sender guage. They would rust and not work. Had to pull them out and try to free them up or just get a new one. No problems with a full tank. Lets face it the first tank is wide open.......right? A good excuse to burn off that old fuel! :D

Re: Draining the old gas?
 

I always filled and stabilized mine and never had a problem. I'm usually only winterized for about 3-4 months. One problem with filling up is when you get an abnormally warm winter day, the gas expands and it spills out my vent.

Re: Draining the old gas?
 

I believe that it takes longer than our 4 month winter for the aromatics to flash off. The time is somewhere in the 6-8 month range. That shouldn't affect most of us. Of course, I'd highly recommend AudioFn and Too Old to totally drain their tanks. That gas will revert back to crude before they use it. :D

Hyper-you are proably refering to the alcohol damaging the rubber parts. That is true with straight alcohol. We have a very tiny portion of alcohol going into the tank and it'll be ok.