Winter Storage with Ethanol

[Bend-Lure]

Are you guys storing your boats for the winter with full or empty fuel tanks? What is the "right" way to do it with ethanol in the fuel? I have heard people say top the tanks off, and others say to drain them. What's the consensus?

Thanks, Jeremy

[Lone Ranger]

I always have at least 3/4 of a Tank,Add Startron and Marine Stabil.Never had a Problem!!

[B-Faithful]

Jury is out. Some say full tanks lead to more fuel for phase seperation and that you should run them as low as possible and splash with fresh fuel in the spring. Others say, leave the tanks full to reduce condensation in thanks. I say just dont winterize and run your boats at least once a month

[Bend-Lure]

Well... I guess I will just keep on fishing then.

[Fish Nut]

I don’t know if it’s the right thing to do but I have filled my tanks all the way to the top no air space. Yesterday with the warm weather I had some fuel leaking out of the vent. I add marine Stabill and cross my fingers. 165gallons of fuel ouch

[Bend-Lure]

Here is what I have heard lately. E10 can absorb half of one percent of its volume in water (0.5%). If you have 100 gallons of E10 fuel then you could add up to 1/2 gallon of water to the tank, the water would be absorbed by the E10 and you would be fine. Any more water and the fuel "Breaks" meaning that the fuel seperates and the saturated ethanol sinks to the bottom of the tank. This then gets sucked into fuel lines, filters etc and causes problems. Once the fuel "breaks" there is not way to fix it other than pumping out the tank.

I have a 150 gallon tank. If I leave 20 gallons in the tank all winter and one tenth of a gallon of water (condensation) mixes with the fuel then I have a problem. If I fill the tank up, it would take three quarters of a gallon to reach saturation, and there would be less air in the tank to create the condensation. I guess I am going to fill the tank, unless someone can talk me out of it.