Winterize: Fill the tank?

[Jerryv]

Originally Posted by teamlund

I go nuts when I hear about guys that drain the gas from their mowers, augers, ect before storing!!! Thats about the worse thing you can do!

Actually, on a carburetted engine with gravity feed and no fuel shutoff, that is the best thing to do. Otherwise fuel is continuously evaporating from the carb and leaving the gunk behind.

Jerry

[ameoba]

I will only run non-oxy gas in my boat - so there's no ethanol in it to break down. That said, I store it with an empty fuel tank. No need to let 40 gallons of gas sit for 4-5 months (December to March/April). Even non-oxy will break down to some degree - I'd much rather run fresh gas in the spring.

[TomP.]

Originally Posted by Jerryv

Actually, on a carburetted engine with gravity feed and no fuel shutoff, that is the best thing to do. Otherwise fuel is continuously evaporating from the carb and leaving the gunk behind.

Jerry

I never drain carburetors for storage....take a carb apart that has been sitting empty for about 4 months it is usually totally corroded inside. I all ways store with gas and Seafoam in everything I own and have not had a carb issue.

[yarcraft91]

Originally Posted by Jerryv

Actually, on a carburetted engine with gravity feed and no fuel shutoff, that is the best thing to do. Otherwise fuel is continuously evaporating from the carb and leaving the gunk behind.

Jerry

I did an experiment with my lawn tractor, which has a gravity feed fuel system. I put a shutoff valve just before the carburetor. When done mowing, I close that valve and let the engine idle until it quits. This season, after 10 years, I started having trouble with the carb, so I rebuilt it. Turned out to be a fuel inlet valve that hadn't been installed correctly at the factory. I saw no evidence of corrosion, dirt or gum, all the fuel passages were clear, etc. I'm thinking of putting valves on all my gravity feed fuel systems.

[rrrrrrRon]

Originally Posted by REW

Keeper,
Keep stabli in the fuel and use up the gas so that the tank is as close to empty as possible.
Go store the boat. In the spring; top off the tank with fresh fuel and go fishing. REW

This is what I've been doing the last several years.

[Ebby]

My Lund dealer told me to store the boat with either a nearly empty treated tank or a full treated tank. They said half full is the least desirable.

[PackerBacker]

I have done both. I have filled the tank and left it almost empty with stabilized gas. I did not notice a difference. However this year, there is no way I am going to fill it all of the way with the high gas prices.