Old Gas

wallyw · 03-02-2004, 10:10 PM

Due to health problems I had my boat out only twice last year.

1998 18"Seaswirl with 2-stroke 115HP Johnson 1998 and 40 gallon fuel tank. Fuel/Water seperator.

Approximately 20 gallons of fuel-mostly 20 months old. Mix 50:1

Can I treat it with something? I tried emptying the tank by disconnectiong tank line and running it out of Transom drain plug. Wouldn't flow for some reason.

Suggestions anyone?

Wally

Beefcake · 03-02-2004, 10:41 PM

I have had good luck with the commercial fuel stabilizers (I try to pre-treat with "Sta-bil" if I know the boat will sit, but I have used fuel dryers - I think one was called "heat" ?). Did you create some suction to get the flow going when you tried to drain the tank? I hate the taste of gas, but siphoning only works once you get it started (you probably knew that). If no flow after suction, I would remove and check the fuel line for blockage.

If the hose is okay, you can clean the tank with Berryman's B-12 Chemtool. I'm not sure though if the Berryman's will adversely affect the lubrication of the 2-stroke oil (with a four stroke, I just put the stuff in then run it like normal - gets rid of all the varnish on everything). If nobody else can answer for sure, I would use the chemtool and then drain the tank (even if it means removing the tank). If you can get some reasonable assurance that Berryman's is okay to run in 2-strokes, I would run a tank of it as it will also clean the carb and reed valves.

Good luck! The Stevens "Boat Doc" forum may be able to answer whether you can run Chemtool in a 2-stroke.

[ 03-02-2004, 11:42 PM: Message edited by: Beefcake ]

ZaQ · 03-03-2004, 04:45 AM

I got my sled a year ago. I was having trouble with it starting and when I got it going, I hit the throttle and it would die. I knew I had a bad tank of gas. So the next day I dumped a bunch of stuff for watery gas in the tank and took the Super Z out on the Willamette and ran it around as best I could to burn off the gas. Things seemed to get better. The next trip, the same thing, get up on throttle and it would die, sending me flying to the bow of the boat. I got to the hogline with the rest of the Carrots and sat there and thunkabit. Turned out it was the wires for the engine switch on the tiller, they had broke and when I twisted the throttle they would contact each other and shut the motor off. This is one of my Carrotbrothers favorite stories to give me guff about................

Good luck with your bad gas........

N7754H · 03-03-2004, 06:10 AM

Take two or three five gallon gas cans to your local airport and buy 100LL aviation fuel. Mix that in with the same 50:1 and you will have no more problems if it is fuel related. Stablizer is not revivor.

Rauly · 03-03-2004, 08:19 AM

Man that avgas works great. We used it in Alaska all the time in our motors. It was easier to get than regular gasoline. It also worked great in our Coleman stoves and for lighting fires. Had to learn how far back to stand lighting the fires though.

Eauly