Removing gas from tanks

B

Big Mac

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Nov 2, 2003
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C Dory Year
2001
C Dory Model
22 Cruiser
Vessel Name
Mary Ellen
Interested in what meathod some of you use to remove gas from tanks in a 22' cruiser for winter storage? I have siphoned in the past but would like a faster meathod, perhaps a pump of some kind. Thanks in advance for any ideas.
 
I purchased a small 12 volt fuel pump at the auto parts store, added wire with battery clips, 5/16" gas hose and the tank fitting that matched the boat's fuel hose connector.

To drain tanks, connect the pump hose with the tank fitting to the boat's fuel hose and put the end of the output hose into a gas can. Then clip the wire to the battery posts. That starts the pump, no switch needed, but a switch could be put in the wire.

Small pumps take some time to move the fuel from tank to gas can, larger pumps would work faster. Depending on the hose length, this pump could transfer gasoline from the boat to a vehicle's tank.
 
I try to run out as much fuel as I can. However, whatever remains in the tank (a few gallons) I just leave there with some fuel stabilizer for winter storage. In the spring, I fill up the tank before running the engine. Never had a problem. My boat is usually in storage for 4-5 months.
 
I go the other way. Fill them up splash some Sea foam and wait for spring. It has worked for the last 9 years with no trouble.
 
P.S. I also don't spend a lot of time worrying about ethanol or non-ethanol gas. If I get fuel from a fuel dock, it is likely non-ethanol. However, most of my gas is bought from whatever gas station is on the way/closest to the ramp.
 
Chris Bulovsky":3lj0jnj4 said:
I go the other way. Fill them up splash some Sea foam and wait for spring. It has worked for the last 9 years with no trouble.
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I'm with Chris on this one. Nearly full tanks and you get less condensation. Add some stabil. Run it in the spring.
 
Times one more (X1+) on the store filled, with Blue Marine Stabil, the heavey dose amount. I also add Startron. Have stored for as long as 7 months on season, and started with no problem. I usually store for about 3 months. Have not had a problem. I am basing what I do on the advice from my Yamaha mechanics.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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Plus 3 on the full tanks and I usually add some Seafoam before first use
 
I like to store empty (with the dregs being non-ethanol fuel plus stabilized), but that's because I will typically trailer a long way to a cruise (from storage), and I don't need the extra 300# smack on the transom. Not that the trailer couldn't handle it, but... just no need. So far I've usually managed to run dry, and once siphoned (bit of a pain especially on side with dog-leg in filler hose). So I'm reading this with interest as I'd like to have a way to easily drain the tanks when I want to.
 
Dittos on topping off with fuel, an empty tank just condensates when temperatures yo yo back and forth through freeze a and thaw.
Fortunately here in Alaska we don't have corn alcohol in our gas so no additives are really necessary for long storage, I do however pour a few cans of seafoam in the the tank each spring.
Sad part is gas was about $1.20 higher when I filled the tank back in September.
 
A couple of things come to mind:

The amount of water vapor in the tank should not change that much. Without changing the fuel level in the tank there is not that much air movement because the vent is pretty small and at the end of a hose. The water may condense and evaporate again and again, but the total amount won't change much.

Any water that does condense and runs down the tank walls will sink to the bottom of the fuel (gasoline floats). I doubt if this water will evaporate up through the fuel when the temp rises again. Once this occurs the condensed water content of the air in the tank is removed and the air is "drier". There is not likely to be a large exchange of air to the tank to bring a new load of humid air. There can be some exchange as the air volume changes with temperature, but it's not like all the air is expelled and a whole new load flows in.

Filling the fuel tanks in standing airplanes is done mostly to prevent corrosion of the metal tank walls due to water condensation rather than to prevent water contamination of the fuel. This not a problem with plastic tanks you find in boats.

The amount of water you may end up with in the fuel system is probably not going to affect anything. I have left my car parked for months at a time in various places in the country (winter, summer, hot, cold) and it never occurred to me to take any special precautions to protect the fuel or fuel system. I never had any problems starting and running the car after these periods.

You could install sump drain valves (like airplanes have) in the fuel tanks if you are concerned with water content. These would let you remove the water and provide a means to drain the tank. However, if water contamination was that big a deal you'd think they'd already be there.

The other question is how often have you found any water in your water/fuel separator bowl? Never found any in mine.

Except for the thing about the airplane fuel tanks, these are all IMO.
 
Two comments:

Modern automobile fuel tanks are 'sealed' with a vacuum/pressure valve and so not inhale/exhale like a boat tank.

Bottom drains or withdrawals on gasoline tanks in boats are not allowed by USCG rules.
 
Larry H":27olkafu said:
Modern automobile fuel tanks are 'sealed' with a vacuum/pressure valve and so not inhale/exhale like a boat tank.
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Boats built after July 31, 2011 designed to comply with CARB & EPA USCG safety standards are also fitted with a VOPR gas cap and do not have the traditional "open" vent. Air is only allowed in or out of the tank to equalize pressure. I have pictures of my fuel cap and fill hose in my album.

Extreme care should be exercised when transferring fuel from 2 ungrounded containers. A good friend of mine suffered severe burns when a static spark ignited fuel he was transferring.

Regards, Rob
 
Add me to the fill up list. I top up the fuel tanks, add blue Stabil, and put her to bed. Never been a problem come Spring.

Martin.
 
Robert H. Wilkinson":2hdrhwix said:
Extreme care should be exercised when transferring fuel from 2 ungrounded containers. A good friend of mine suffered severe burns when a static spark ignited fuel he was transferring.
Click to expand...

Could you elaborate on this a bit? Since you say two containers, do you mean the fuel tanks or one fuel tank/one siphon tank?

I took an (apparently) extra step and grounded the metal fuel fillers on my boat. Does that change anything? (I touch the filler with any metal filler at a fuel station, but have to admit I don't totally understand the ins and outs of static electricity.)

I certainly wouldn't want to start a fire due to static.
 
Apparently pumping/transferring gasoline at more than about 10 GPM can cause a build up of excessive static electricity which can lead to sparks (an engineer who builds gasoline distribution systems told me this).
 
I've done it both ways. That is some winters I've put it away empty, other winters I've filled it up. My CD-22 has the plastic tanks. When stored empty, I ran one tank out of fuel, and the other one down to just a gallon or two. I also did this with an older SeaRay with a Metal tank. Never had a problem either way. But when stored full, I always stored with non-ethanol and with Stabilizer in it. As for advice for pumping it out, I finally bought a small 12 vt. electric fuel pump to help get the fuel to my kicker from the main tanks. I have an extra output connector on the main fuel filter, and I connect a hose with the little electric "booster" pump on that. I can also use it to drain the main tanks if I desire. (Or to fill up my generator's internal tank.) I just keep an extra male fitting to attach to the female fitting that would otherwise connect at my kicker motor. Works great. (Pumps slow, but a bit faster than just syphoning! Colby
 
Also, regarding 10% ethanol in the fuel. I've run it most the summers, without problem. (I believe most engines after the mid 2000's are made to handle it.) Correct me if I'm wrong. But some of you have mentioned using SeaFoam, which is a great product. But isn't it basically alcohol (ethanol?). Which is also the main ingredient in most gas driers/cleaners/lubricators?
Colby
 
Wouldn't it be a good time to remove all gas and clean the tanks then replace fuel filters so the next launch you only need to add gas ?
 
Last time I used a kerosene manual siphon pump with an added hose on the intake for length. I was able to slide that down to the tank bottom through the fill port and discharge down into 5gal cans. This worked at least while on the trailer but did take a few cans and some time to drain them completely. You do need quite a few gas cans or vehicles to take the fuel.

By the way these also work really well for transferring fuel from a 5gal can to the boat without spilling. It says it "pumps" .55gal per minute but when siphoning it is at least triple that rate.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_34415-1699-DH-1 ... Id=3032704

I used one of these once for the same purpose and while it does allow for siphon after initial pumping, the fuel flow was really slow and a 5 gal can took about 10-12min to fill. Too slow...

http://www.harborfreight.com/multi-use- ... 66418.html

Greg
 
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