Ehanol fuel storage

[drfish18]

When myboat is stored(225ox Yamaha) is it best to keep as little fuel in the thank? Do I change the fuel filters at the end of the season or replace the fuel filters at the start of the new season? Do I use the same fuel storage solution as I used last year or a new solution for ethanol fuel?

[Ken]

drfish,
Take a look at this article relating to ethanol blended fuel:

http://www.boatus.com/news/e10_0706.htm

If it were me, if I only had ethanol blended fuel available, I would store the boat with the tank completely empty, or at least with a minimum amount of fuel.
Then come spring, I would completely drain the tank of fuel/water and start with a fresh tank.
As far as the motor, I would add something like sta-bil to a small amount of fuel and run it thru the motor and go thru the winter storage routine as outlined in the owner's manual (fogging, etc).
I would not replace filters until next season.
Good luck [img]smile.gif[/img] ,
Ken K

[aquadj]

I'm by no means any expert on marine engines, outboard repairs, or fuel, but from the few dozen articles I've read on ethenol fuel storage there seems to be an equel number suggesting leaving tanks empty as full. Here's what common sense tells me.

There are literally hundreds of marinas with some quantity of ethenol fuel left in their storage tanks. I find it immpossible to beleive all of them can either drain them completely or risk having hundreds of gallons spoil over the winter months. If they can rely on stabalizer to preserve their fuel, why is it different for our boats.

I'm going to fill mine and treat it. I'll post the results in April.

[slim]

ethenol fuel contains alcohol which will absorb the moisture out of the air and in turn add water to your fuel. you need to run it out or drain it before storage. wait to change your filters till next season but dump the ones on there now after your initial run on the hose. no use contaminating new filters with what was in your fuel lines till the new fuel reaches the filter.

[Bazooka Joe]

Regarding gasahol attracting water... I say this does not happen. Gasoline is almost always in a vapor pressure situation, meaning light hydrocarbons are continuously being evaporated off, cloaking the liquid's surface with a vapor. Virtually none of this vapor is alcohol, so when & where does the water absorbing occur? Answer- it doesn't.

But, YES, gasahol does absorb water which is within the liquid, but only to the same volume as the alcohol portion of the fuel mixture. (10% alcohol will absorb 10% water) After the alcohol has found its water to be joined with, it doesn't look for any more- Any extra water, and it settles out.

The main danger of too much alcohol in the fuel, besides jetting issues, is that should the fuel mixture have too much of the alcohol/water mixture, the entire mix can become unstable and the alcohol-water mix will settle out. This stuff requires MUCH richer jetting, and burns very hot. If you get a slug of this stuff in your engine, you'll probably be sporting some new pistons soon afterwards.


Back to the original question. Fuel these days is really low quality and goes bad pretty quickly. I would suggest to run the tank way down, add stabilizer, and then add fresh fuel next season. If you have a full tank now, syphon it out and dump it in the car or pickup.