cleaning a I/O boat's gas tank that has sat for about 2 yrs.

[schiker]

Mercruiser 3.0 powered SeaRay bowrider. Uhhhggg, has it been that long since I took this thing out? Well time flies when you have 2 kids under 4 yrs old and no time for the boat.

When I put it up to winterize it I bought non ethanol premium fuel, added marine stabilzer, and fogged the carb/engine with marine engine fogger. But I want to clean the tank out and add fresh gas to the tank. So I took the line off to the fuel pump and siphoned out as much gas as I could through the gas pickup. The gas actually appeared pretty good still clearish not as cruddy as old stale gas as I have seen before that has sat.

But I bet the last bit in the tank might not be as good looking. I plan on adding a gallon or 3 of fresh fuel with a fuel drier additive, seafoam, and or Starbrite starton additive let it sit while I wash and clean up the boat better and prep gear etc then siphon out this purging gas.

Then to crank it up I will add a few gallons of new fresh gas with the appropriate amounts of seafoam and stabilzer to start this thing up tomorrow I hope.

Does that sound like a good plan? Any suggestions to improve it suggestion for product to add to the tank for purging and cleaning? Taking out the tank and really forcefully cleaning it is not something I want to do. The boat was stored inside a garage with a cover over it since it was ran last so I don't think the tank is awful just old stale gas in the tank and maybe some water (the gas station advertised non ethanol fuel but who knows for sure again it did look good for 2 year old gas).

 

[CtChevy427]

The plan you have outlined sounds like a good one. I don't see you having any problems.....

I let a gas powered auger sit for about three years with fuel in the tank. Opened the the shut off and started pulling. Fired up after a dozen pulls and never stopped.....

 

[schiker]

Seemed to work. I put about 2 ish gallons of purge gas with a bottle of heet and a little seafoam. I shook the boat on the trailer off and on for a minute then waited about 2 hours and siphoned out the purge gas it looked fairly clean.

The battery is weak even after sitting on 2 amp trickle charge for 8-10 hrs. I cranked it for a few seconds not wanting it to crank up just yet then poured a little gas in the carb and it cranked right up. It was real rough for 3 minutes or so I guess until the new gas flushed through the carb then it idled fairly well for not haveing run in a long time. As usual it should run better and better. Now its wait and see what works and what doesn't and see what the marine spirits want for appeasement this summer. Hope its not an arm or leg or the boats getting parked again real quick.