Dry Gas

[FreeBeeTony]

Every year I seem to have a problem with water in the fuel.

I store it filled w/ Stabil added........

Even if I change the filter/seperater I seem to have a problem with water........pings/spits/backfires occasionally for the 1st few runs......last year Don's "scavanger trick" seemed to help greatly.

I am possibly attributing this to the Ethanol issue. This year I was going to add some dry gas before I even put the boat in the water.........any thoughts?

It kinda sucks when you put the boat in for the 1st time.......back away from the ramp all excited..........and the damn thing starts to spit/sputter/backfire.....kinda ruins the mood..........., even though I know it's just water.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Dry Gas

Dry gas is not much different than rubbing alcohol..It does the same job.
Condensation in the fuel tank sucks....

 

[Bondo]

Re: Dry Gas

Ayuh,... Or carry a couple spare fuel filters....

I always do,... Even now that I finally Fixed the tank vent issue....

Screw off the Wet 1, drop it into a Zip-lock baggie,+ spin on a New 1... All Fixed....

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Dry Gas

Check the tank vent to make sure your not adding the water when you wash it, also check the filler cap for a missing O ring seal or poor sealing allowing rain water to get in

 

[JustJason]

Re: Dry Gas

The drygas thing makes me laugh.

Look at it this way. The gas you buy nowadays is 10% ethanol already. So if you go and buy 30 gallons of gas, what you are really buying is 27 gallons of petroleum, and 3 gallons of alcohol.
That being said..... does anybody really thing adding 16 ounces of ethanol/methanol/isopropyl drygas to a semi full tank of any amount is going to make a difference?

I'm with Bondo and Bt Doctur...... keep a spare filter onboard and figure out why water is finding the fuel tank.

 

[FreeBeeTony]

Re: Dry Gas

Glad I could give you a chuckle Jason...................

 

[JustJason]

Re: Dry Gas

Nothing personal tony.....
Just something i find funny. drygas to me is snake oil stuff.
I had a guy call me last week and I said the same thing to him. He had a 40ft sea ray with twin 350's. Fuel tank was 100 or 120 gallons or something like that. Cust said the tanks were filled last november. Engines ran rough, he said he put in 1 bottle of drygas as per the autozones guy recomendation. He called to ask me if adding more than 1 bottle would hurt anything.
I said the samething to him.... do you think adding 16 ounces of alcohol to your existing 12 gallons of alcohol is really going to do anything?

Ethanol has been the bane of my existance over the last few years. What the manufactors need to do is demand a higher grade of petroleum with more BTU's and NO ALCOHOL. If big oil can deliver then we will really start to see both HP gains and fuel economy rise.

 

[mark1905]

Re: Dry Gas

Also make sure to only run high octane fuel in your boat. Less % of ethanol, the less it absorbs water.

I buy the 3 packs of STP fuel treatment and just use a bottle every fill up to keep the moisture at bay. Works wonders..

 

[Rocky_Road]

Re: Dry Gas

Also make sure to only run high octane fuel in your boat. Less % of ethanol, the less it absorbs water.

I buy the 3 packs of STP fuel treatment and just use a bottle every fill up to keep the moisture at bay. Works wonders..

This doesn't work in Florida...all grades of gas are 10 percent ethanol. This does, however, offset the octane loss that is normal from age.

Stabil has a marine (E-10) formula, that seems to work good for me. It only takes 1 ounce per 10 gallons, so I can afford to use it all year around!

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Dry Gas

speaking about getting water in an engine.I had the job to determine exactly how it happened at home on a hose. customer was thinking the worst when his very young son came around the house with the hose. In the process of helping his had clean the boat , he stuck the hose inside the thru hull exaust to help clean it.this led to a hydro-lock, water in 3 cylinders and water in the oil.No damaged parts but a gasket kit was needed to put everythign back together.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Dry Gas

Also make sure to only run high octane fuel in your boat. Less % of ethanol, the less it absorbs water.

I buy the 3 packs of STP fuel treatment and just use a bottle every fill up to keep the moisture at bay. Works wonders..

Percentage of Ethanol is unrelated to octane (in that they don't reduce the alcohol for higher octane fuels). It's mandated by the EPA and individual state regulations. It can be up to 10% but it can be less. (except for E85)​

In all the years I have been boating I have never drained any water out of my fuel tank......and I have used a LOT of "cheap" gas.​

If you're getting water in your fuel you should check your supplier.​

I've stored both my boat and my airplane with less than full tanks and have never gotten water from condensation or any other source.

There are some that don't think condensation is all that likely...
http://www.yachtsurvey.com/myth_of_condensation_in_fuel_tanks.htm​

I'd be willing to bet you're getting water into the tank thru the vent or from the supplier....​

 

[Euro95]

Re: Dry Gas

How do you guys manage to still have fuel in your fuel tanks at the end of the season?

 

[FreeBeeTony]

Re: Dry Gas

My vent is OK, new filler neck/O-ring, being stored filled so condensation should be minimum. I only have this problem in the beginining of the season and get all my fuel during the season at the same place I fill up at the end of the season.........so should not be the supplier.

This year I did use the Marine stabil............maybe this will help some...........

 

[Bondo]

Re: Dry Gas

I only have this problem in the beginining of the season

Ayuh,... So When do you normally change the Fuel Filters,..??

I think more runability issues are from fuel Filter related reasons than Anything else.....
Mine are,+ that's why I carry a spare in a baggie...

 

[FreeBeeTony]

Re: Dry Gas

I change the filter in the spring.