Posted: October 13 2006 at 12:02 | IP Logged

After having the marina do a 360 and tell me to run my tank dry, I got the October "Seaworthy" issue and they say to fill it up, since you can't ever tell how much is left in an enclosed tank.  The last thing I need is a fire hazard since we shrinkwrap the boat for storage!

Has anybody wintered their boat with a full tank of E-10 yet?  Did you have any problems, or know anyone who had issues leaving the tank full?  We own a 2003 Sea Ray 220 BR, and it has to be winterized next week until we can put it back on the lake at the beginning of April.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. 

Thanks.

Posted: October 13 2006 at 19:45 | IP Logged

I'm guessing like everybody.  The lobbyists and legislators never got the answers before they started passing laws - again. But here's my thinking.

1. Fumes are worse than fuel, which says the tank should be full. (I don't think shrink wrapping makes a difference unless you are leaking!)

2. E10 attracts water and will pull it from the air. (Makes me wonder why we put alcohol based gas line antifreeze in gas all those years). Anyway, if the tank is full there is less air to pull from. That's 2 for full.

3. For real old fiberglass tanks that may have a problem with E10, they should probably be empty so they don't dissolve the tanks - especially if there are seams up high, as may be common.

4. As far as the Ethanol and gas separating, well, that may say to leave the tank almost empty. They may still separate, but there will be less Ethanol.  But, I have to wonder if they will remix when you shake everything up in the spring. Anyway, the E10 is heavier and will be at the bottom and pumped out first if it stays separated. That may cause some hard starting and running, but it will get rid of the problem early on.

Finally, I've heard of some particularly paranoid folks who are planning on taping over the vent fitting so the moisture can't be sucked in by the Ethanol. Bad idea. First, and best, it won't work. It gets hot in there - 80 -90 degrees.  The air in that tank will heat up and want to go somewhere. You probably can't seal the vent, but if you could the pressure would try to blow a hose off - probably the vent hose - or find another way out. Nothing good.

I think I'm going to fill mine up.

Posted: October 15 2006 at 12:35 | IP Logged

Thanks for the info!  Knowing someone has filled the tank with E-10 for a season and not had issues is all I needed to fill mine up again this year.

I bought  Mercury's new "Fuel System Treatment and Stabilizer" that they are recommending for every fill-up and for storage and hopefully that will work out for us.

The thought of trying to shrinkwrap the boat with a more combustible tank just didn't sit well, so I'm glad to be able to keep the tank full.

The marina had to siphon all the gas out of a demo boat this summer because of phase separation, and it cost them $14 a gallon to get rid of the unusable product; hence their recommendation.

Thanks again for the reply!

Laurie

Posted: October 21 2006 at 10:53 | IP Logged

Yes, I have stored with full tanks and Sta-bil without a problem.  I am in the process of winterizing now and asked the mechanic about the fuel.  He said to keep the tank full with stabilizer.  I have a 2003 220 Sundeck.

Hilary