While reading my Crusader engine manual today, I found recommendations for winterizing the 1999 vintage, gas, 502 Crusader engines if you use ethanol laced fuel. I know it is early and discouraging to think about winterization but it's never to early to plan and prepare for the inevitable.
The manual states the following:
Shut off the fuel valve(s)
Run the engine until it stalls to run all fuel out of the fuel system. Sounds like they are worried about the hoses, fuel pump, and O-rings exposed to ethanol all winter? It might be a life issue for the non metal components.
Drain all the fuel out of the tank(s) and put in stabilizer to protect any remaining fuel.
I have some challenges if I am going to try to follow the manual:
I do not have any valves between my tank(s) and the engine(s). Should I install them? There must be a reason the boat manufacturer did not install valves. I was told that valves are not recommended because there is an anti-siphon valve at the tank and the Coast Guard does not permit valving to run the engine off multiple tanks since the engine returns excessive fuel to one tank which could overflow if the draw was not from that tank. Is a single shut off valve legal.
Normally I run the engine just before pulling to fog it while it is warm and suck the antifreeze through the raw water side of the cooling system. Sounds like it will be difficult to coordinate all those activities at one time (impossible without valves).
Draining the tanks sounds like fun in a boat with over 300 Gal of fuel. Of course I'll try to run the tanks low. If there is a lot of fuel do I have to pay someone to suck it out and discard it at 3.50/gal. I suspect the marina's will not let you drain the tanks yourself since it probably is a safety hazzard at a marina.
Then you need to get fuel back into the tanks in the spring, after launch, to run the engines. Since marina's don't let you fill with portable tanks, do they tow you to the gas dock to get the aged fuel they had left after last summer?
Hope this does not spoil your season. I plan to call Crusader and get an update on their recommendations and find out if I should add valves.
The manual states the following:
Shut off the fuel valve(s)
Run the engine until it stalls to run all fuel out of the fuel system. Sounds like they are worried about the hoses, fuel pump, and O-rings exposed to ethanol all winter? It might be a life issue for the non metal components.
Drain all the fuel out of the tank(s) and put in stabilizer to protect any remaining fuel.
I have some challenges if I am going to try to follow the manual:
I do not have any valves between my tank(s) and the engine(s). Should I install them? There must be a reason the boat manufacturer did not install valves. I was told that valves are not recommended because there is an anti-siphon valve at the tank and the Coast Guard does not permit valving to run the engine off multiple tanks since the engine returns excessive fuel to one tank which could overflow if the draw was not from that tank. Is a single shut off valve legal.
Normally I run the engine just before pulling to fog it while it is warm and suck the antifreeze through the raw water side of the cooling system. Sounds like it will be difficult to coordinate all those activities at one time (impossible without valves).
Draining the tanks sounds like fun in a boat with over 300 Gal of fuel. Of course I'll try to run the tanks low. If there is a lot of fuel do I have to pay someone to suck it out and discard it at 3.50/gal. I suspect the marina's will not let you drain the tanks yourself since it probably is a safety hazzard at a marina.
Then you need to get fuel back into the tanks in the spring, after launch, to run the engines. Since marina's don't let you fill with portable tanks, do they tow you to the gas dock to get the aged fuel they had left after last summer?
Hope this does not spoil your season. I plan to call Crusader and get an update on their recommendations and find out if I should add valves.