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Leave the onboard Fuel Tank Empty or Full for the winter

thebubba

Regular Contributor
I have an 18 gallon built in fuel tank on my 17' Lund boat and I was wondering if it is better to drain the tank for the winter, fill it completely with fuel that is stabilized, or if it really matter on fuel level if the fuel in it is stabilized. I park my boat from October to April in a cold high desert area. We get a lot of snow, but the humidity here is rarely about 60%.
 
Since the tank is vented--and the vent is closed--you can get away with ethanol gas. Just add a good stabilizer and seal it up.

Cars and trucks are not vented. If they were, the howl of indignation from a few millions pissed off motorists would have gotten rid of that ethanol crap years ago!

Jeff
 
Either way is fine - full tank with stabilized fuel/vents blocked off or drain the tank.

Only bad way to store is part tank, no stabilizer and vents open..
 
Right.

After 3 or 4 years of ethanol crap in my inboard boat, I've found that the White Gook tends to accumulate over time. Had constant trouble with it this year, usually on initial running. Once the boat was on plane and moving, the build u in the carb got burnt (used up).

Jeff
 
I've got 2 boats with 20 gallon tanks. The vents don't seal on mine, they are open all the time. So should I drain my tanks, or leave them full? One tank has premix in it, the other is straight gas. If it matters, they fuel 150 and 200 horse outboards.
 
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