Gas question?

[86 ssinit]

My boat has been sitting for a little over a year. With the ethanol problem was thinking of getting all the old gas out before refilling it. Thought I had about 5-10 gallons in it but it looks like I have closer to 40. Took a picture of the gas I took out (just 5 gal). The bottle with the yellow on the bottom I took out first the blue gas came out at the end. I took the gas from the bottom of the tank. Any idea what's up I thought gas was yellow and water was heaver than gas. Expected to see water. Also I do add oil to my gas. But wouldn't that separate from the gas too?

[Mrmerlin]

the green looks like gas oil mixed,
the yellow is water

[mattdavis11]

How long did it take to find out that the bottles won't hold the gas?

[Heel n Toe]

Ask a boat mechanic about it. Also, somebody here has probably run into this before with a car that has been sitting.

You can probably add the appropriate amount of fuel treatment that has "water elimination" as one of its functions, drive around pulling the boat on the trailer for a decent distance, making lots of turns and going over some bumps to slosh everything around enough to thoroughly mix things up, then see how the engine runs. Maybe even add 10 or so gallons of fresh gas near the beginning of your "slosh run."

Something like this:

Rislone/16.9 oz. gasoline fuel system treatment

Upper cylinder lubrication
Moisture reducers
Water elimination
Fuel stabilizer

Treats 22 gallons

Rislone/16.9 oz. gasoline fuel system treatment (4700) | Fuel Additive and Cleaner | AutoZone.com

[Rot 911]

The problem isn't so much with the gas that is sloshing around in the tank and the gas that has possibly jellified in the fuel lines and carburetor. I've had to deal with it before and it is not fun cleaning everything out. Fuel stabilizer won't help as the gas is too old. If you can, I would drain the fuel. If you are reluctant to do this, I would at least pull the fuel line running to the motor and see if the gas has jellified in the line. If not, and you want to try and use the old fuel, I would dump a couple of cans of Seafoam in the tank in hopes of dissolving any bad gas in the lines. Put the Seafoam in the tank and mix it up by shaking the boat from side to side on the trailer. Cross your fingers and hope for the best.

[fred cook]

I have read and been told that once the water separates out of the gas/ethanol mixture, it can't be returned to it's original state. If that was my boat/engine, I would drain it all out and clean the fuel lines. It's no fun having to paddle back to the marina!

[VINMAN]

How many gallons does your tank hold?

.

[Joe Ricard]

drain every bit of fuel out of your tank, lines, pumps and carbs. Burn what ever you get that does not have they yellow junk in it through your yard equipment.

2 stroke oil & gas will go through a lawn mower no problem. Yellow is water I bet.

shake it and watch how it won't want to mix.

[ckelly78z]

The fuel is too old, it has started to separate. I believe that gasoline loses about 1 point of octane for every month of life, so if you filled the boat last year with premium 93 octane, it is down in the low 80s now which makes the motor run rough, or not at all.

I would drain every drop you can get out of the tank and fuel lines and slip a gallon into your mower or older car every now and then to get rid of it.

[86 ssinit]

Thanks for all the feedback. The tank is 100 gal. Yes the problem is getting rid of the gas. 40 gal is a lot of gas. The engine is an older carbureted Johnson 200. I was thinking if I got the water out I would be able to use it. The gas was treated with ethanol additive going into the tank and a stabilizer at the end of the season.

[M.D. Holloway]

classic phase separation...

[GWN7]

The problem with ethanol gas is the ethanol absorbs water from the air when it's left sitting. It's fine if you use the vehicle all the time. You could have 5-6 gallons of water in your tank (E15 gas). Drain all you can. Fill with fresh gas and add a gallon of methanol. It will absorb any leftover water in the fuel system.

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by ckelly78z

The fuel is too old, it has started to separate. I believe that gasoline loses about 1 point of octane for every month of life, so if you filled the boat last year with premium 93 octane, it is down in the low 80s now which makes the motor run rough, or not at all.

I would drain every drop you can get out of the tank and fuel lines and slip a gallon into your mower or older car every now and then to get rid of it.

This is true, but .......
Gasoline that is created through some reforming processes is unstable and breaks down over time and the 1 octane point per month is accurate for the first couple of points, then the degrading starts to slow and eventually stabilizes at around 85 or 86, prolly won't go much under that until it evaporates off and leaves nothing but wax and varnish.

But your point is valid, the gas is too old. Replace it.

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by M.D. Holloway

classic phase separation...

please elaborate .................

[GH85Carrera]

A buddy had a bunch of gas like that and could not figure out what to do with it. He put an ad on Craig's list for "free gas. bring your own cans" It was gone in just a few hours.

[JeremyD]

Originally Posted by M.D. Holloway

classic phase separation...

+1

Get rid of the gas -

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by JeremyD

+1

Get rid of the gas -

LOL, which phases?

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

LOL, which phases?

From good to bad?