Winterizing the gas tank

#1 10-20-2005, 06:04 PM

My first season is sadly coming to a close here on Lk. Michigan. I will take it out of the water this week.

I plan on topping the tank off. What treatments should I add?

chumbucket · #2 10-20-2005, 06:11 PM

Fuel stabilizer is all you need. Something like Stabil. Available in any auto parts stores locally. ;)

Mulv80 · #3 10-20-2005, 06:35 PM

Stabil is good. Just remember if you are going to leave gas in the carbs allow the motor to run long enough with the stabil in the tank to make its way to the carbs.

Skools Out · #4 10-21-2005, 12:35 AM

Alot of the new 2 stroke oils have a Stabil already in them but good idea to use a bottom also.

#5 10-21-2005, 01:28 AM

Skool,
I have a 225 Johnson also. I was planning on running all the gas out of the motor, pulling the plugs and fogging. I am also going to change the lower lube oil and store the motor down to drain out the water.
Anything else??
Thanks!

Skools Out · #6 10-21-2005, 01:47 AM

i use Marvel Mystery Oil for fog oil cause it will not gum up and will burn away next year

#7 10-21-2005, 04:05 PM

I'll get the Marvel Mystery Oil.
Thanks

macojoe · #8 10-22-2005, 03:41 AM

I have been using Mystery oil for years!! I put in a squirt bottle and squirt it into the carbs while they are running, wa\hat a cloud this makes!! :o
If I am going to leave something for a long long time I will also take the pluges out fill with the oil and then give the motor a quick crank with out starting.

I add stabil to the tanks just beforew my last trip of the year. this way it gets all thur the lines and all. Then i can just top off the tanks add a bit more with out having to let the motor run.

I also remove the steering cable from to motor tube and grease it and bag it and leave it out all winter. This way it will never get stuck in the tube!!
I am lucky that I have a bracket cause I no all cables on the V20 can not come out with out removing the motor! :-/ In this case grease the crap out of it and make sure that the motor is turned so that the sterring shaft is all the way inside the tube so it is not exposed to the weather.

willy · #9 10-22-2005, 11:07 AM

Any of you guys use sea foam, I just bought it to put in my new v20, had a mechanic from the boat dealer near here tell me I should put it in regulary as it will clean my tank of crap clean my carbs and remove/prevent carbon build up in heads plus it acts just like a stabil type thing for storage. He told me guys that use it on a regular basis see a big diffrence in longevity as far as the head goes.

macojoe · #10 10-22-2005, 04:09 PM

Well I have heard good things about it, But have never used it.
IMO you have to be careful with all the add ins, don't use more then you have to. And somethings just don't work.
Like this will take all the crap out?? Were does it go?? what does a little germlin carry it out in the night when you sleep??
It takes the water out of your tank?? How is there a grelim and his budys sucking straws all night from your tank??

Don't get me wrong there are a lot of good things out there!! But it all has to run thur the motor and carbs and lines before its gone!!
So becareful of snake oils!! Sometimes its just good old hard work needed to get it done and a little hard worked never killed anyone!

I use gas, oil, foging oil, decarb addative and thats it! When my old tanks needed cleaning, I emptyed all I could then removed the tanks cleaned dryed reinstalled and started new!

This was what was in my tank that the old owner left me, and nothing would have gotten it out!!