New gas tank?

[azsailing]

Hi All,
The boat I just bought came with a 5 gallon tank full of old gas, which looks to me to be for a 2-stroke motor. I have a brand new 4 stroke I am putting on the boat. What are people's thoughts about replacing the gas tank and line. I of course have emptied the old gas, but I would be pretty upset if any residue hurt my new expensive outboard.

Thanks,
John

 

[justsomeguy]

Never thought I'd say this, but gas is (for the moment) cheap.

Rinse the tank and gas line with a bit of fresh gas, then toss the rinse into the old gas for proper disposal.

Check the tank pick-up for a filter, too.

 

[woodster]

make sure the hose will take the ethanol gas and not destroy it

 

[alexco38]

New 4 stroke = $3,000
Old gas tank = $50

Old Gas can kill new 4 stroke.

Do the math.

 

[Chief RA]

Alexco38: You can't be that poorly informed! Can you? One of the ways to assist your 4 stroke leadless gas with its problems is to put a small amount of 2 stroke oil in the tank to lube the top end. Chief

 

[Eddie7045]

Radiator shops handle boiling out of old gas tanks.

It's one of their services. Proper and effective way of reconditioning a gas tank.

 

[centerline]

i would empty out the old gas, and use a light to inspect the tank..if it looks clean, then it is clean.... if it has any old black or brown residue in the bottom of it, that would be the gum and varnish deposits left by the ethanol gas from years gone by....

a full can of sea foam mixed 50% with ethanol free gas poured in and left to set for two days will dissolve the gum and varnish... pour it out and rinse with new gas.

the line is usually less of a problem, but it can be cleaned the same way... hold the check valve open in the end that hooks to the motor and pump the seafoam/gas thru it... let it set for a couple of days and then rinse with fresh gas....

it is my opinion that if you will be using standard ethanol gas rather than ethanol free gas, there is little need for doing anything other than rinsing the line with fresh gas.

dump out what is in the tank, and by the time you add more ethanol gas, the residue left will be diluted to where it wont make a difference... but getting some fresh gas thru the line is important....