Off Season gas storage question

[greaseball]

With off season coming up, as boaters we put in a fuel stabilizer to keep the gas fresh. (for those of us who live in limited use areas).
My concern is that suppose I put in the stabilizer with a few gallons of gas, and not use the engine anymore. Do you think that this would mix in well enough to treat the reast of the gas in the tank?
I will run the engine to 'fog up', but from a remote tank, and will not have any reason to start up the engine to use any of the rest of the remaining fuel. What do you folks tink? thanks.

 

[tomcat27]

I've been boating for 24 years, and have snowmobiles and seasonal cars even longer. Is this a 2 cycle outboard? Or a 4 cycle? Carbed? FI? In an ideal world it's best to put the stabilizer in there (premixed with some gas to aid mixing) and slosh it around in the tank somehow. Then run the engine 5-10 mins (even on hose muffs, if needed) to circulate the stabil throughout the entire fuel system.

On my carbed outboards, I run the carbs dry and then drain the bowls.

Certainly I know people that are not so rigid in their routine and never have a problem. for the most part, 4 cycle engines are more forgiving. (dirty carbs on a 2 cycle can run the engine lean and burn up a piston) I've seen it alot with snowmobiles and never with a boat.

 

[greaseball]

This is a 350 GM block, Fuel Injected. The special fogging is for the FI system, you have to fog it with a 2-cycle oil mix. I just never used the boat recently, due to Hurricane Irene. Pulled it out of the water. The only way to slosh it around is to pull it back & forth on the trailer. thanks.

 

[tomcat27]

especially if you fog it per spec for the FI, I believe you will be just fine - that should keep the injectors clean.

 

[Vstrom]

The only way to slosh it around is to pull it back & forth on the trailer
Well there you go

 

[Donald]

Best to get the stabilized fuel into the carb.

 

[car54]

I used to work for a boat dealer that had a really good method.

We ran the tank down to empty or very close, mixed in two stroke oil (for FI fogging), ran the boat on antifreeze while allowing the fuel/oil mix into the system, then once everything was set, we filled the gas tank up with sta-bil and gasoline to dilute the two stroke fuel still in the tank. In the spring, you would get a few minutes of smoke, then perfectly smooth running without having to swap fuel lines and have a second mixed fuel tank.

I did this to hundreds of engines every season, it worked great.

 

[Ken2]

Pump the gas out and use it in your car & truck.

 

[Donald]

I would suggest Startron or blue Marine Stabil. Going for a few mile ride with boat on trailer will certainly mix up the fuel. More pot holes the better. But as other have said, you need to get the stabilized fuel into the carb and out the jets.

 

[NHHEMI]

Startron is the brand I recommend and use. Follow their directions for storage.

 

[Schmoe]

If you're only going to store the boat for one year, don't even sweat it. There are two main things: 1.) get pure gas, no ethanol and 2.) store the boat inside. Run the tank as low as you can and put in some stabile and run it some more to get that stuff flowing through the gas lines and FI. Fog it, let it stall, then park it. Done.

 

[AuthorEditor]

I think it is important to run the StaBil gas mixture long enough to get throughout the fuel system, including the carbs. I also add about 1 oz. per 5 gallons of TCW3 which is enough to help coat all the insides of the tank and other metal parts to help prevent corrosion, plus it seems to have a bit of a stabilization effect on fuel. I do this in my motorcycle and I have done it in car engines. It is amazing how oily the gas feels with just 1 oz. per 5 gallons of the TCW3. Both StaBil and TCW3 mix very readily with gas and I think in your situation you could just bounce the trailer hitch up and down a bit to get the gas to mix enough to be effective, but what I would do is mix in the proper amount for the entire load of fuel with some gas in a separate can and then pour that into the tank.