Winterizing 101

MikeD · Post by **MikeD** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 4:25 pm

I'm embarrassed to even be asking this: when winterizing a diesel, do you top off the fuel tank to avoid moisture or drain it so you can refill with fresh fuel in the spring?

Jason K · Post by **Jason K** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 5:04 pm

Not that I have ever winterized anything, but my understanding is that you want to go ahead and fill up the tank to prevent condensation.

Post by **Tim** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 5:08 pm

It's best to fill it, but add Biobor before you dump in the last fuel (to help mix it). You can get Biobor at auto parts stores, or Hamiltons, etc.

Biobor is an anti-algae compound for diesel fuel, and it's good to add some with each fillup anyway. One bottle will last you a lifetime; the ratio is tiny.

MikeD · Post by **MikeD** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 5:32 pm

Thanks guys. The PO had told me to empty it. So, no problems with "stale" fuel - especially in sailboats?

OK. Oil and filter - changed. Next, I'll run the engine long enough to warm up and run a gallon or two of anti-freeze through the water intake and until it comes out the exhaust in the stern.

What's next? Do I change the fuel filters and bleed the lines in the process? (I'm hesitant to do this before the anti-freeze, because I'm afraid I won't be able to restart the engine...) Oy.

Post by **Tim** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 5:53 pm

I usually change the fuel filters sometime in the spring. You can do it anytime, really. No need to do it before the engine is winterized; you can do it after, and bleed the engine to the secondary fuel filter (which is usually enough). If, in the spring, you find that you're airbound, it'll be a simple matter to bleed the injectors then, using the starter.

You can empty the tank if you want, if you have use for the fuel, but it's not really critical, and is an extra step that perhaps you'd like to avoid. Your fuel won't go stale over the winter.

bcooke · Post by **bcooke** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 6:02 pm

Whether to empty the tank or not seems to be a long standing debate. Your PO appears to be in the "other" camp. Myself, I stick with the fill 'r up camp under most circumstances. I am going to break my own rule this year though because I don't expect to be running the engine for 2-3 years and I would rather spend the time sucking out the water from the tank then than deal with old gas. Of course you are running diesel and not gas so even then you are probably better off keeping the tank full.

Unless you find water in the fuel strainer/filter/thingy I wouldn't worry about changing the filter until next spring but others may have a good reason to argue with me. In the future, with a little planning you can often combine several operations when you are performing the last run on the engine. This year I ran anti-freeze, oil preservative, and drained the fuel lines in one operation (again gas engine, little different).

Stale gasoline is a concern with any engine even on sailboats. Probably more so since you tend to use so much less fuel so that it sits around longer. A Bayliner sucks up its one hundred gallon tank on a weekend pretty much guaranteeing fresh gas every week. I averaged about five gallons a week on this summers cruise (sailboat) so it took a little over a month to go through a tanks worth of fuel.

Now as for stale diesel... I don't think that can happen but anyone who has been on this board a little while knows I stick my foot in my mouth pretty regularly. As the others have pointed out diesel will sprout microbes which is why they are advocating a bio-inhibitor.

I am not sure I am understanding your last statement. Why are you worried about the engine not starting after the fuel filter change and bleeding the lines? If you do service the fuel system, get the engine running again and then before you shut down stick your water intake in a bucket of anti-freeze for half a minute. That should cover your bases.

-Britton

Figment · Post by **Figment** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 6:34 pm

bcooke wrote: If you do service the fuel system, get the engine running again and then before you shut down stick your water intake in a bucket of anti-freeze for half a minute. That should cover your bases.

Actually, that half-minute antifreeze routine isn't even necessary. The purpose of running antifreeze through the motor isn't to have the system full of antifreeze, it's to ensure that the system is devoid of raw water. Sucking a bit of air into the already-purged system won't do any harm.

Diesel can go "stale", but it takes a decade or so. Even then, it'll still burn if the engine isn't too finicky. Think of buildings that have diesel fired backup generator systems. By the book, they're supposed to test-run them every 60 days or so, but few bother. The fuel sits in those tanks forever.

MikeD · Post by **MikeD** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 7:54 pm

Again, thanks for all the info guys!

bcooke wrote:I am not sure I am understanding your last statement. Why are you worried about the engine not starting after the fuel filter change and bleeding the lines?

...air in the fuel lines, and because I haven't bled the lines before. Not doubt it would/will wind up being another weekend "project" when I take that on.

bcooke · Post by **bcooke** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 9:02 am

Don't let that mesy fuel metering system on a diesel scare you. Bleeding the lines is pretty straightforward... usually. Sometimes you have to do it a couple of times to get ALL the air out and some motors do have their peculiarities. Overall though, bleeding is no big deal.

And hey, what better things are there to do on a nice weekend?

-Britton

Post by **dasein668** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 10:24 am

I've found my Yanmar to be very forgiving of sloppy bleebing... I've only once had to bleed the system all the way to the injectors. Usually after changing the filters I only bleed it at the top of the secondary.

MikeD · Post by **MikeD** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 9:22 am

bcooke wrote: And hey, what better things are there to do on a nice weekend?

I'd say sail, but that's hard to do when the boat is sitting in the side yard. :)

We'll see if MY Yanmar is as forgiving as yours, Nathan. I have a feeling they may tend to get a bit crotchety with age. I'll let you know in the spring.

bcooke · Post by **bcooke** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 9:34 am

I'd say sail, but that's hard to do when the boat is sitting in the side yard. :)

No, no, You sail on the weekdays when everyone else is working. The weekends are for puttering around on the boat. Work is for someone else to deal with. :-)
-Britton

Post by **Tim** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 10:35 am

dasein668 wrote:...sloppy bleebing...

Or maybe slobby bleeping?

MikeD · Post by **MikeD** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 10:48 am

Tim wrote:Or maybe slobby bleeping?

Ha! Looks like the spelling police have caught up to Nathan. I like it though, Tim. Very descriptive.

I can hear my wife now next spring when I undertake my weekend project of changing the fuel filter. I'm covered with all sorts of diesel and oil and bilge grunge, probably on my fourth try at it, and the expletives are spewing freely from the bowels of the boat: "Children, please ignore your Daddy's slobby bleeping..."

Post by **dasein668** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 12:07 pm

Busted! Ooops.

Post by **Tim** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 12:17 pm

bcooke wrote:No, no, You sail on the weekdays when everyone else is working.

Geez, Britton...why don't you take out an ad or something.

Remember, we don't want anyone else out there on weekdays! Shhh...

I'm gonna have to dock your pay now. I don't want to, but you made me do it.

Post by **dasein668** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 12:49 pm

Tim wrote:I'm gonna have to dock your pay now. I don't want to, but you made me do it.

Ouch! Tim, I'm not sure that Britton can afford to pay you...