Boat sitting for a year

[TN_seamonkey]

Greetings jet boaters,

Life happened this year and our 2017 SX195 has been sitting in the carport for a couple weeks short of a year without being started. I found this thread where a guy left it sitting for over two years and nobody really seemed to be concerned about anything besides the gas. Which is kind of a relief. After realizing that I should have fogged the engine for the winter, I had all of these nightmares about the engine needing a rebuild after sitting for a year.
It has about half a tank of gas in it (~15 gallons) and I use only ethanol-free gas that is 92 octane, I believe. I didn't treat it prior to it the long sleep, but I do have some treatment to dump in before I crank it up.
With the fuel being a year old, do you think I need to trash it, or should a treatment get me going? I can't remember what I bought for the gas, but it's mostly isopropyl, I believe, with the goal of getting the water suspended and burned out.
Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Mike

 

[AZMark]

I would dump it. I don’t think any treatment brings it back.
If you can’t then at least fill it the rest of the way with good gas before you start it.

 

[TN_seamonkey]

Yes! That's another option I was thinking about... just top it off and go burn through the whole tank on the lake.

 

[drewkaree]

I have SeaFoam, Stabil & Star Tron something-or-other, all for different purposes. I prefer the Star Tron for usage, and I'm slowly getting away from Stabil and going to switch to SeaFoam for storage after this season.

The Star Tron has been used for situations just like yours, but on a smaller scale. Mopeds have sat for a year+, add the Star Tron and run it empty, zero issues or problems thus far.

Not so, with Stabil, had a mower that required some serious work after a similar period of downtime, which is why I will be done with it after the bottle is empty.

SeaFoam for all my 2-smoke equipment, zero issues and great performance according to my ear dyno. I will be switching to SeaFoam for long-term storage treatment, and Star Tron in every gas can.

Somehow I feel like it helps for both, but I really can't verify. If I couldn't source the Star Tron, I wouldn't be troubled by going to SeaFoam for everything

 

[zipper]

Add some Seafoam, some new fuel and go out and have some long awaited fun.

 

[lazergeek]

Check your steering too. The steering cables like to seize up after sitting for a while. You will want to find that out before you put it in the water too.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

The fact the fuel is non ethanol puts things more in your favor. How does it smell? Like gas or turpentine? If it smells like turpentine then remove it.

The way I see it, it is a matter of mixing, just adding some treatment without mixing it with the fuel before starting it doesn’t do any good. At the very least you’d need to add the treatment then go pull the boat around for a half hour to get the treatment thoroughly mixed in with gas that’s in the tank. Fuel system water remover is just alcohol, as you mentioned you think it is isopropyl, it used to be ethanol if memory serves, water bonds instantly with alcohol, and by mixing the water remover into the existing fuel you will put any water in the fuel into suspension and allow it to be passed through the fuel system and be burned.

Did you ever run any fuel system water remover in the past? Did you ever occasionally have to run ethanol laced fuel in the past?

Putting myself in your position, I’m torn between adding fuel system water remover, mixing it and then just running what fuel is in the boat now out, or just going to the gas station and filling it up with 91 octane gasoline that has ethanol in it, add Star Tron at the initial dosage level and let that alcohol act as the water remover, then go out and burn that tank of fuel down and refill with non ethanol fuel plus a stabilizer like Stabil Marine, Chevron Marine, or my personal choice, Amsoil fuel stabilizer.

Here is what I think I’d do.
1- Make sure the battery is in good shape.
2- Add the fuel system water remover and go mix it up.
3-Start it on the hose in the carport and let it run for 5-10 mins. This way you will make sure the boat is going to run and if the fuel is too bad you will only have to deal with removing and disposing of 15 gallons and not 30 gallons.
4- Add fuel stabilizer of your choice then refill the tank with non ethanol fuel.
6-Take the boat out it to get the new stabilized fuel thoroughly mixed and run through the system=fun. Go burn a half or full tank and enjoy what you‘ve been missing.
7-Then add the appropriate amount of stabilizer and refill the tank.

 

[TN_seamonkey]

Thanks for your feedback, everyone! The stuff I got to put in the tank is Iso-Heet water remover and fuel injector cleaner. I've never run any water remover in the tank previously. I've only had this boat for a couple of years. I do have a trickle charger on the batteries, too, so those were good last time I checked a couple months ago. I'll definitely check over the steering linkage before I take her out on the water. Good tip!

@FSH 210 Sport I think I'll follow that procedure you outlined there. I haven't smelled the gas yet, so I'll do that in a bit.

Thanks again, everyone!

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

I would also check the pump and be sure the liner did not swell up from dissimilar metal corrosion , very common after a long period of non use so be sure the engine turns over without drag on it. We have fuel stations that sell aviation fuel if available in your area I would put a few gallons of that in but before you do anything smell the fuel because stale fuel actually smells stale. Your fuel system is open not sealed so it may have gone stale. you can put some of it in your lawn mower and see how it runs or if it runs for that matter

 

[TN_seamonkey]

@Cobra Jet Steering LLC how do I check the pump without removing the external housing?
I smelled the fuel, but it just smells like gas and plastic, I guess from the filler cap being plastic? It does smell gassy, though.

Thanks!

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

if the fuel smells ok it may be ok as for the pump if it turns without locking up you should be fine

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Any progress?

 

[TN_seamonkey]

Not yet. The vehicle I tow my boat with was in an accident 3 weeks ago and it's going to be in the body shop for probably another 6-8 weeks. Body shops are hurting from the supply chain BS like everyone else. Sucks.

 

[Russell]

Don't sweat the wait. My boat sat for 2.5 years with .50 tank full of fuel. I mixed some new fuel with it and ran it through. It runs like a champ! No issues....

 

[TN_seamonkey]

Don't sweat the wait. My boat sat for 2.5 years with .50 tank full of fuel. I mixed some new fuel with it and ran it through. It runs like a champ! No issues....

That's such a relief! Ha! Good to know. These are pretty sweet little engines!

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Not yet. The vehicle I tow my boat with was in an accident 3 weeks ago and it's going to be in the body shop for probably another 6-8 weeks. Body shops are hurting from the supply chain BS like everyone else. Sucks.

Dammit! Well hope you get your TV out of the shop soon! Please keep us posted!