FILLEM UP OR NOT

[DALE KNAPP]

DOES IT REALLY MATTER IF I FILL UP MY GAS TANK OR NNOT DURING WINTER STORAGE? THE LAST FEW YEARS I HAVE KEPT ABOUT 1/4 TANK IN MY 884 SAVAGE AND ADDED STABIL AND RAN IT AT THE LAKE TO BE SURE THAT IT GETS IN MY ENGINE. IVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM DOING IT THIS WAY. EVERYTHING I READ OR HEAR SAYS FILL YOUR TANK UP DUE TO CONDENSATION.CAN ANYONE SETTLE THIS ISSUE FOR GOOD? HAVE I JUST BEEN LUCKY? IVE NEVER HAD ANY TROUBLE STARTING UP AGAIN IN THE SPRING AFTER THE BOAT HAS SET 2 OR 3 MONTHS? JUST WONDERING.



THANKS,

DALE

 

[Mike L.]

Dale, Most things I've read about wintering say to

keep the tank full, yet my Tracker dealer says 3/4 full

and stabilized so you can mix it with fresh fuel in the spring. Go figure...

 

[Russ Charles]

A full fuel tank will prevent condensation inside the tank. The avaition community has followed that practice for years. Tanks are always kept full, or if empty for maintenance, purged with CO2.



Russ

 

[Barry Loos]

A full stabilized tank of gas is the best way to go. The load of fuel keeps the condensation to a minimum and the stabilizer does the rest. Water from condensation in the fuel is not good for an engine. Usually in the spring, the first few times I go out, I'm too cold to notice a performance difference. Then as I use fuel I just keep topping it off with fresh and the engine does fine. I has worked for me for a long time.



Barry

 

[Staci Matheis]

Over any one or two winters, there may not be enough condensation forming in your tank to make a difference...... But enough water will accumulate over a period of time to cause problems.



Like Russ said, even small, private airplanes have drains built into their tanks that come out the bottom of the wings. Every time you fly, you drain out a small amount and check it just to be sure that there is absolutely no water there.......



Now, losing the engine on your boat may not have the same fatal results as in a plane..... But why take chances? Next Spring, you'll eventually add more gas; why not just do it now?



me!

 

[Roger Chambers]

Like Scott says "why take chances". I follow the manufacturers procedures for winterizing and storage. Fill tank full, add stabilizer, run motor 10 to 15 minutes to distribute stabilizer to fuel system. Also, I have installed water seperator fuel filter and change every spring.

 

[Andrew Zuber]

I posted this same request a while back and the answers were basically the same...

I had the dealer winterize my boat last week and here's what they said...

If you have a metal tank it is best to keep it full...more condensation problems with the metal...

If you have a plastic tank it doesn't really matter if you keep it full or not..

az

 

[Staci Matheis]

Andy -



Yes, if you have a metal tank you have to worry about corrosion that you wouldn't have with a plastic tank......



BUT, even with plastic, water will condense - and you DON'T want that running through your engine.



Keep It Full.



me!