Your experiences with ethanol storage over the winter?

[Bodkin Creek George]

Forgot to mention that I change my fuel water separators in the spring since I run the cocktail through the engines when winterizing. Probably could change them after running the cocktail through but it's just the way I do it. I agree that the use of ethanol is a scam. What's worse is the price they charge for so called "Marine Fuel" that is available to them without ethanol, but they choose to sell us the other crap to make a few bucks more.

George

 

[Pgh330]

Methanol = Water -- so with this in mind.
1 I keep Fuel tanks as full as possible - now this 100 / 125 gal per side. More fuel / less condensation / water that can be absorbed by tank.
2. Kept in Marina Yard all winter (Nov till May)
3. Change Oil either Nov or Spring -- need to remove condenstation from there as well
4. Treat Gas before having boat pulled.
5. Winterize boat in water except for outdrives - Run in yard and filled antifreeze
6. Pull batteries and keep them charged over the long / cold / winter (well not so cold this winter)
7. April - replace batteries - hook up hose to out drives and start engines --
****** No Fuel / Start Problems
8. After in water at dock -- Change Fuel Filters (Generator on Tank and both "Cool-Fuel" Filters and screen" **** Remember Methanol acts like a detergent and will clean your tank and fuel lines ****.

Eventhough Mercruiser "Cool-Fuel Filters and Screen" can run about $70 per engine -- it is much cheaper than engine repairs. Water will cause your Engine to run Lean - which may cause you to burn holes in your Pistons, etc. ----- $$$$$ Very Very Expensive Repairs.

I have seen many boat owners add Fuel Filters with visable bowls that will allow them to drain the water filtered out the bottom via a stop cock. This can run about $90 per filter / housing + Installation.

 

[duckmnn]

No probs 6 years and running.Now my outboard yes. Not running issues ,but fuel lines yes. Change every two years

 

[MonacoMike]

No probs 6 years and running.Now my outboard yes. Not running issues ,but fuel lines yes. Change every two years

So in six years you never had a carb issue? Do you use an additive? Are you 100% certain your usual fuel has ethanol? The reason I ask is the signs say "up to" the amount of ethanol.

MM

 

[ThorSen]

And as more and more of you folks who store over the winter do your spring launches, it would be good if you could tell us how you stored fuel over the winter (empty tank, full tank, etc) and what your experiences were at the spring launch.
This post may be of benefit when fall rolls around again so people can learn the do's and don'ts you may have experienced with ethanol.

I’ve not yet had an opportunity to read all the replies so, apologies if someone has (or, even I) already mentioned it but:

pri-g, Pri-G, PRI-G !!!

PRI-G Proven to Inhibit Phase Separation in E-10 Gasoline:
https://www.chemical-supermarket.com/files/Fuel Preservatives/PRI TEST DATA.doc
The results are in. Independent laboratory tests by Intertek’s Caleb Brett confirm PRI-G capability to inhibit phase separation in E-10 gasoline. First, water was progressively added to the E-10 gasoline to determine the point of phase separation. Then, a sample of the same fuel was treated with PRI-G, and the test repeated. Not only did phase separation not occur, PRI-G continued to work as additional water was added.

I have no interest in the company that first formulated PRI-G for the petroleum and pipeline industries but, I have become one of their best “salespeople” <grin>. I am still amazed when I help friends (or strangers) out whose engines simply will not start after being in storage and we add some PRI-G to the tank, agitate the (boat, pwc, vehicle, atv, tractor, mower, classic muscle car, generator, you-fill-in-the-blank) and, “Voila, combustion!

I first heard about it from a bud who made it back outta the sandbox, heard about it again later from a friend who does contract work on the HVAC and generators at massive government complexes in the DC area, really got interested in it after hearing more anecdotes from some pretty serious “prepper” types and I finally found a bottle of it at, you guessed it, a marina in Solomon’s Island, MD. (Mechanic there directed me to the shore store and told me, “The engines in some of these cruisers are worth more than many peoples houses and yet many of these mill-billionaires are too cheap to pay the fee for us to suck the gas outta their fuel tanks before long-term storage so, we really REALLY rely on it!”

Thank you, Dave, for starting this thread; I’ve seen so much unnecessary damage, expense and frustration caused by ethanol I struggle at every mention of the stuff and I cannot fathom why someone has not yet organized a nationwide referendum on undoing this “ethanol insanity” (really a Congressional subsidization program gone Frankenstein on us all)

More (check out Answer # 5): https://www.batterystuff.com/kb/articles/miscellaneous-articles/pri-g-faq-and-dramatic-benefits.html

 

[Mikhail]

From what resin is made SEA RAY 268. 1987 year of manufacture, polyester or epoxy ?

 

[Loyd Dinneen]

I had an issue with my little Bayliner Capri this year. Had about 10 gals of fuel in it and seafoam but perhaps not enough and the fuel after about 6 months it had gone bad. The heat here kills fuel. I had to syphon out all the fuel change the remote filter and clean out the outboard filter. After that the motor ran. The ethenol is really bad for outboards and other marine engines and if they increase it to 15% like their talking about no outboard will be able to use it. I did see a demo on how to get rid of the ethenol in the fuel but it is a drawnout process. Looks like our only alternative will be buying the expensive fuel at the marina.

 

[ThorSen]

. . . The ethenol is really bad for outboards and other marine engines and if they increase it to 15% like their talking about no outboard will be able to use it.

I don’t consider it an exaggeration to say any increase in ethanol blended fuel would be a dagger into the heart of the boating industry. Or, a final straw on the proverbial camel’s back, if you will. At least, where ethanol blended is the only fuel really available ...

 

[Loyd Dinneen]

If they go to 15% then I will rig up a seperation system I saw on the web that involves adding water to the fuel so the ethenol separates from the gas. You then with a spout on the bottom of the container you drain off the water amount you put in and then drain off the ethenol % and your left with pure gasoline. I figure I would have to do 3 or 4 5 gals at a time for the little boat. The searay is old enough where the fuel shouldn't bother it at all.