Bad Fuel

W

westcoastv20

New member
New boat (90 V20), had been stored for two years with 40 gallons on board. Our mechanic told us to remove half the fuel. Mix in some carbon guard with high octane replacement gas.

Had a fuel polisher, tell me i should get rid of all of the gas, clean the tank, etc. Then refill with all new gas. Not sure if he was just saying that becuase he wanted to charge me to do it, or if that is good advice.

Just don't want to cause problems on the engine we just had repaired.

Any ideas from the forum?
 
removing the old fuel is always the best idea, fuel starts loosing its octane after sitting less than 90 days. you might be able to get away with taking half out, but whats a replacement power head worth? It won't take much to detonate a piston with old gas. Inboards and I/O's can be more tolerant of old gas, but why risk it. I tell all my customers to keep the tank low(the whole condensation thing is BS)and add fresh fuel right before they take the boat out, that way, they always have the freshest fuel
 
Take the old gas out and use it in your lawnmower or snowblower. They don't cost near as much as a new powerhead. Like Spare said, fresh gas is ALWAYS the right thing to do. :head:
 
if I were you, and knowing its a fresh rebuild, add some 2 cycle oil to the first tank of gas, like you did when it was on its break in, run a double mix the first time out, just in case
 
When I got the 84 I have now, it had some old gas in it along w/some water...rather than paying someone else, you can remove the inspection plate, then the sender....take a length of fuel hose w/a bulb in it and run it thru the drain hole in the transom w/an appropriate catch can under it...stick the top end of the hose down into the tank thru the opening where the sender was...pump the bulb til running and release...it'll siphon all your gas for you and save what you'll pay some one else...I used several 5 gal gas cans to catch the old stuff...

The trick is to find a place to take all the old gas and safely/legally dump it before you start pumping it out...unless you're sure there is some contamination other than old fuel in the tank, you should be fine to just put back in the new stuff w/out a tank clean-out...
 
When i got the OX i drained in the same manner as reel did, after that i used a cloth on a stick to get every little bit!
Then filled with all new (110 gal) of gas no issues!
If i am right there was like 30 or so gal in it, my son who was poor at the time (and still is) used it in his car and got rid of it all!!
 
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