cleaning out a long unused gas tank

[Mystic Wanderer]

I will likely be buying a boat in about 16 hours - my first. The current owner has never used the main gas tank which is a 25 gallon under the floor. The person he bought it from several years back had left the gas in it for a while or something of the sort and it was bad and the current owner just pumped out the old gas and never used the tank. He instead ran a line and used a removeable type. I am thinking that at least eventually it would be much more convenient to use a 25 gallon in the floor tank than a 6 gallon. Therein lies the problem. How to make sure the tank is - for lack of a better term - clean after several years of not being used. Any concerns with just filling up and going (I expect there would be)? What should I do and/or check?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: cleaning out a long unused gas tank

i would be sceptical. if there is a access panel, i would open it, remove the fuel level sending unit, take an inspection mirror & flashlight and see what the inside looks like. is the tank metal or poly. don't have a cigarette in you mouth when you do this. if it passes inspection, it could still leak. #1 is to install a fuel/water separator type filter system. carry the portable tank, full of fuel, for emergenies. get a model specific manual for you engine ASAP. @ kencook.com

 

[emdsapmgr]

Re: cleaning out a long unused gas tank

tashasdaddy has you going in the right direction. You should also pull the fuel pickup and check to be sure it has no fractures in the pickup tube. Be sure the pickup check valve operates freely. If you have any debris in the tank, it will lodge in the check valve first and can cause it to malfunction over time.

 

[Mystic Wanderer]

Re: cleaning out a long unused gas tank

Thank you for the info. As it happened the guy changed terms and I did not buy that boat.