I've finally come to grips with selling my hunter 28.5. Since I moved away exactly 3 years now, my wife keeps reminding of our dry storage cost. Anyway, the boat's been out of the water for 2-years. I winterized the water and cooling but took no other steps with the fuel (probably about 4 or 5 gallons more than 2 years old), didn't fog the engine, etc. I plan to spend a few days getting her opened up next week. Where do I start? I plan to get new batteries first. What do I do with the old fuel? Should I just treat with a biocide and plan on changing the filters a couple of times? Or is this too risky and should I pay someone to pump out and clean the tank? All comments are welcome.
Diesel not started for 18 months
- Thread starter rumrunner
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I would not try to start your boat
with the old fuel in the tank. To me, it just wouldn't be worth it. Get rid of all the old fuel the best way you can. Either call a mobil fuel polisher and just have him suck the old stuff out (NOT polish it and return it to the tank) and see if he'll get rid of it for you. Or, unscrew the fuel guage on top of the tank and use a fuel rated hand pump to suck out the old fuel. Most every county has a toxic waste disposal where you can legally get rid of the fuel. If you live in or near Fairfax county, where I live, I can give you their address here. Once you have all the old fuel out, change the primary and secondary filters. Since you are selling you boat, just add 3-4 gallons of fresh fuel, bleed the system, and then flip the two decompression levers. With the fuel cutoff pulled out, crank the engine for a few seconds (with that new battery) a couple of times. This will put some lubricating fuel into the cylinders. Once the boat goes into the water, remember to flip the decomp levers back, open the raw water seacock, push in the fuel cutoff cable -- and crank the engine to a start. If the engine is going to be started out of the water on the hard, connect a length of hose from the water strainer to a 5 gal bucket full of fresh water and then try to start the engine. (Do not try to hook a water hose to the raw water strainer -- use a bucket). The engine will suck up the 5 gal of water quickly so be prepared to either add more water or shut it down. If there was nothing wrong with your engine when you last used the boat, it should start right up. If your raw water pump impeller is a couple of years old, either open the pump and check it or just replace it (and the gasket). Good luck with this.
with the old fuel in the tank. To me, it just wouldn't be worth it. Get rid of all the old fuel the best way you can. Either call a mobil fuel polisher and just have him suck the old stuff out (NOT polish it and return it to the tank) and see if he'll get rid of it for you. Or, unscrew the fuel guage on top of the tank and use a fuel rated hand pump to suck out the old fuel. Most every county has a toxic waste disposal where you can legally get rid of the fuel. If you live in or near Fairfax county, where I live, I can give you their address here. Once you have all the old fuel out, change the primary and secondary filters. Since you are selling you boat, just add 3-4 gallons of fresh fuel, bleed the system, and then flip the two decompression levers. With the fuel cutoff pulled out, crank the engine for a few seconds (with that new battery) a couple of times. This will put some lubricating fuel into the cylinders. Once the boat goes into the water, remember to flip the decomp levers back, open the raw water seacock, push in the fuel cutoff cable -- and crank the engine to a start. If the engine is going to be started out of the water on the hard, connect a length of hose from the water strainer to a 5 gal bucket full of fresh water and then try to start the engine. (Do not try to hook a water hose to the raw water strainer -- use a bucket). The engine will suck up the 5 gal of water quickly so be prepared to either add more water or shut it down. If there was nothing wrong with your engine when you last used the boat, it should start right up. If your raw water pump impeller is a couple of years old, either open the pump and check it or just replace it (and the gasket). Good luck with this.
I know two men in Harford county that remove
fuel oil tanks from houses that have converted to natural gas heat. Thet drain the tank by pumping into a storage tank on their trucks and use that fuel to run in their trucks filtering wqith just the standard point of deliver filters that are always installed on fuel storage pumps. Often times those tanks have been allowed to sit for several years before a contract is let to remove them. The homeowner always asks what they do with the fuel they remove and the guys say they recycle it.
fuel oil tanks from houses that have converted to natural gas heat. Thet drain the tank by pumping into a storage tank on their trucks and use that fuel to run in their trucks filtering wqith just the standard point of deliver filters that are always installed on fuel storage pumps. Often times those tanks have been allowed to sit for several years before a contract is let to remove them. The homeowner always asks what they do with the fuel they remove and the guys say they recycle it.
Old Fuel
Just detach the fuel line fron the tank to the filter and use the manual oil change pump to pump all the fuel into a 5 gallon jug. Pay particular attention to what comes out last in ther way of dirt and/or water. The fuel pick-up on a 28.5 is angeled forward at 45 degrees and sits about 1/2" off the tank bottom so you won't get all the full out. However, if you pull out 4 to 5 gallons and not much dirt or water; replace & bleed your filters filled with new fuel and 3-4 gallons of new fuel in the tank and you should be fine.
Just detach the fuel line fron the tank to the filter and use the manual oil change pump to pump all the fuel into a 5 gallon jug. Pay particular attention to what comes out last in ther way of dirt and/or water. The fuel pick-up on a 28.5 is angeled forward at 45 degrees and sits about 1/2" off the tank bottom so you won't get all the full out. However, if you pull out 4 to 5 gallons and not much dirt or water; replace & bleed your filters filled with new fuel and 3-4 gallons of new fuel in the tank and you should be fine.
I would agree with Ross.
If it starts just dilute the old fuel with some new stuff and you are good to go. While this fuel may be a little less potient, I will bet that she will start and you are good to go.
If it starts just dilute the old fuel with some new stuff and you are good to go. While this fuel may be a little less potient, I will bet that she will start and you are good to go.
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