Fuel Level Question...

[magicalbill]

This may qualify as a stupid question, but it's bugging me a bit nonetheless
I am down to 2 bars on my gauge and have approx 34 gallons left. (I normally keep my tank full with non-ethanol fuel.)

Is it OK to leave the tank at this low level for a couple weeks until I can make time to fuel it back to full? I called a service guy and he said a couple weeks wouldn't cause any problems.

What do you all think?

 

[magicalbill]

Oh, and I'm in Fla. so freezing cold is not a factor (unless you consider the 60's cold..Some of us here do..)

 

[Pay2Play]

IMO, I would think if you've been using E10 for a while you should be okay. I've been using it for a few years now and only keep tank 1/2 full through winter along with stabilizer and no issues so far.

 

[magicalbill]

pay2play;
I use only non-ethanol fuel. I use no stabil or fuel additive as I burn thru enough fuel to rotate it fairly regularly.

This is unusual and I want to make sure there is no potential for problems in leaving the tank low for a couple weeks.
Again, the question may be silly, but it's just for my piece of mind.

 

[Parthery]

You are fine...

 

[magicalbill]

Thanks Parth;
Much appreciated.

 

[DennisG01]

The concern would be warm and cool temps causing condensation - especially with an aluminum tank which will cause more of this than a poly tank. But, given the short period of time, the worst that happens is that you get a tiny bit of water in there and that's what the filter is for. If you want, through some Startron in there when you get back (can't use too much of that stuff, so don't worry about adding extra).

 

[mboyatt]

I agree, there is nothing to stress about. I am in NC, so we do get cold and hot temps here even during the winter. We recently went from the 20s one day, straight up to the 60s for a couple of days, then back down to frigid cold. This can be typical of our winter here in the piedmont. I run E10 fuel on a 1994 2 stroke 200hp Evinrude. I always add Seafoam when I add fuel, and I do have a fuel /water separator. During the winter, it is common for me to be at 1/2 tank and even less for a couple of months. The old Evinrude has always fired right up and runs like a top. I would seriously not stress about leaving the tank less than plum full. You will be fine.

 

[magicalbill]

Thanks Dennis/mboyatt;

I appreciate the replies. I thought it would be OK, but feedback from experienced owners on here helps the peace of mind.

 

[eppem]

I wouldn't worry...

EPPE

 

[wrxhoon]

I'm not in Florida (was there last week) but similar weather here in Sydney AU.
I only ever use none ethanol fuel as well ( I wouldn't touch E10), I have a 228G one tank only, I fill up every second time I take her out, use about 150 ltrs each time ( ok about 40 gals), sometimes it could stay there for a month, never had any problems at all with water. You will find the difference in temperature in day and night is not enough to give any problems, it has to be very sudden drop to produce condensation in the tank. I keep my boat on a trailer outside but with a canvas cover.

 

[magicalbill]

Thanks wrxhoon..
Appreciate the reply. I have since filled the tank and, as yourself and the others have said, I've had no problems. I just got a little nervous as I rarely, if ever leave the tank that low for more than a day or two.

The predictable dent in my bank account occurred when i filled up from near empty, but that's the norm nowadays.

 

[wrxhoon]

The predictable dent in my bank account occurred when i filled up from near empty, but that's the norm nowadays.

I would love to pay what you guys are paying for fuel!! At around the $3.50 mark per Gal It's a lot less than what we pay, try $1.50 per lt ( $5.70 gal), over $450 to fill the tank!!

 

[ROBERTH]

You should not have any issue with regular fuel.

However, it is not usually an issue with E10 as long as you use Startron and if Yamaha engine or equivalent, the Yamaha Ring Free additive together.

I have been using E10 for many years now and no issue following the above method. Never any water, never any fuel issues. Even on my old 1986 OMC Seadrive, it ran like a champ.

I have switched between the non-ethanol and E10 several times and checked performance and never found any noticeable differences.

More benefits even with regular fuel with startron is cleaning the carbon from within your engine and I found it actually improved performance in my older 2 stroke.

 

[Doc Stressor]

Well, I live in Florida and since my dry stack marina won't store my boat with a full tank, I typically run my 125 gallon tank down to 25-30 gallons before filling up. That's about every 3 weeks, but sometimes a bit longer. So far no problems using non-ethanol fuel plus marine StaBil for 4 years.

 

[magicalbill]

wrxhoon;
It isn't pretty here, either. When I filled up as mentioned, it cost me $618.00 and I have the Gulfstream. Price was around $5.10, I think. I put in a little over 121 gallons.
I'd love to have $3.50/gal gas here. Now if I would've said that 30 years ago I would have been put away. Funny how we've been mentally re-conditioned to accept the highway robbery that is and has been happening for years now. Heck, maybe that's been the plan all along. They raise it to $6.00/gal for a year and we will wind up begging for $4.00, and so on....

ROBERTH;
I have been able to get away with not using E10 as the marinas in Fla. and Michigan have non-ethanol. Therefore, I have not used any additives as I burn enough fuel to rotate it fairly regularly..Twice a month although it's not always empty when I do.

Doc;
If your storing it with low fuel and no problems, it makes me feel better if and when the circumstance rises again where I have to keep it empty. Do you use Stabil every tank? I never do anymore. I used to when I lived North and had to store it thru the winter.

 

[Doc Stressor]

Yep. I use 1 oz of StaBil per 10 gallons at every fill up. I've been using the product in all my boats since the 1970's and never had a fuel problem. When I lived out west and had no access to non-ethanol fuel, I made the switch to E10 without a hitch. That tells me that the StaBil was preventing deposits from forming in the fuel system that would have been released by the ethanol.

I double the dose if a boat isn't going to be used for more than a month.

 

[wrxhoon]

magicalbill,
I guess thats the marina price you are talking about, I was in Florida a few weeks ago and I filled my car there, I paid $3.279 for E10, I don't know what the marina price is for none ethanol fuel.
Here in Australia I have to use premium now 95 ron as I can't buy none Ethanol standard (91 ron) but I buy on the road not at the marina.
Before you get a shock we rate our fuel octane different to your rating , our 98 ron is equivalent to your 93 mon.

 

[magicalbill]

Yeah, I was talking about the marina price. it varies along the West Coast here from a little over $5.00 to $4.50 or so.

 

[grady33]

Should be fine. However make sure to use ring free and add a little fuel stabil before every fill up. Can't hurt and will probably help keep fuel fresh. Oh and :goodjob on not using ethanol fuel. Not worth risking it for a little savings.