Winter fuel

[billyb]

The engine cutting out thread got me thinking about the proper way to leave fuel in your tank over winter.

I always put stabil and ring free in with every fill up.

What i don't understand is why I am supposed to fillip the tank before I leave it sit for six months. I know it's supposed to prevent water from getting in the tank, but it gets very cold in central Missouri.

IF I left the tank almost empty for the winter, how much water would accumulate in the tank in six months?

As always, thanks for the replies.

 

[Gym]

The engine cutting out thread got me thinking about the proper way to leave fuel in your tank over winter.

I always put stabil and ring free in with every fill up.

What i don't understand is why I am supposed to fillip the tank before I leave it sit for six months. I know it's supposed to prevent water from getting in the tank, but it gets very cold in central Missouri.

IF I left the tank almost empty for the winter, how much water would accumulate in the tank in six months?

As always, thanks for the replies.

There is no way anybody can tell you how much water will accumulate. But it is a fact some water will accumulate. There are too many variables to quantify the amount. There are two main factors to consider. 1) Ethenol fuel is hydroscopic and sucks moisture from air. The more air in the tank, the more water vapor available for the fuel to absorb. 2) All surfaces will condensate, metal the most. The more interior tank surface exposed the more condensation will be created.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

Not worth risking! Just fill it up and know that you'll have zero issues come spring.

As for the amount of water that will accumulate..... There's not a formula to calculate it because there are so many variables. Factors are: humidity, temperature and dew points. Once the water droplets drop off of the tank and land in the fuel they will sink to the bottom and accumulate.

 

[billyb]

I guess it just sucks that I have to fill up, and the first time I use it again, I have six month old fuel for the first tank.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

Drop some Stabil in before filling it up. Six months is nothing if you use some fuel stabilizer.

 

[txav8r]

If your draining it, have to run the fuel system bone dry. That will involve much more than the tank alone and run a far greater risk that treated fuel will cause. And even in Missouri, you face warm days. It is humid in a fuel tank, and that tank is a plastic composite, and moisture will condense and add to the volume of the tank easily. It is the warm/cold cycles that creates condensation, not just a hot day. I have known guys to throw out a whole fuel tank of old fuel, just because they didn't want to run the risk of fuel line, pump, and injector damage by leaving dry. Even 2 year old stabilized gas won't hurt your engines or fuel system.

 

[Bill D]

Just think @billyb, the first thing you'll do next season is put the boat in the water, not fill it up with fuel!

 

[Gym]

I guess it just sucks that I have to fill up, and the first time I use it again, I have six month old fuel for the first tank.

Just think of it as buying petroleum futures.

 

[billyb]

Lol, yeah, I guess you guys are right.

 

[Seadeals]

I always use ethanol-free gas. It is widely available in my area. If it is a pain to find and you don't appreciate the higher cost, there is never a better time to use than the "top off" before winter storage. So far this year is offering conditions that make the precautions important. It was 28 degrees this morning and will be 72 later this week. The cold-soaked boat will love to sweat once that moist warm front moves in. There seem to be lots of big temp swings around the country so far. Fighting contamination is definitely something I don't want to deal with, especially after reading some of the issues others have experienced.