Disposal of 300-gallons of Old Gasoline

Repair or modification of Boston Whaler boats, their engines, trailers, and gear
Lee Teetsel
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Disposal of 300-gallons of Old Gasoline

Postby Lee Teetsel » Sun Jun 11, 2017 12:06 pm

[Three threads begun by TEETSEL have been merged to one thread on this same topic--jimh]

I have a 2001 Conquest 295, and, due to uncontrollable circumstances, have had to leave my boat out of the water since the storm Sandy. [The 2001 Boston Whaler 295 CONQUEST has] twin [fuel] tanks made of aluminum, each 150 gallons , and each full of gasoline. [The boat] is in Stafford Township, New Jersey.

I have [b]een putting in stabilizer in each year since [some year, apparently the year of the storm called SANDY}.

How [can] [300-gallons of gasoline be disposed]?

Where do I take [300-gallons of gasoline]?

What is the best way to remove it safely from the tanks?

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Phil T
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Re: What to do with old gas

Postby Phil T » Sun Jun 11, 2017 3:40 pm

Is it straight regular grade or ethanol-blended?
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Whalerdog
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Re: What to do with old gas

Postby Whalerdog » Mon Jun 12, 2017 5:19 pm

Pay a service to suck it out. [The cost] isn't cheap [to] get rid of legally.

porthole
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Re: What to do with old gas

Postby porthole » Mon Jun 12, 2017 10:36 pm

In New Jersey I would recommend getting a price from Budget Boat Towing and Salvage Or Northstar Environmental. It will not be cheap.

If the 300-gallons of gasoline belonged to me, I would pump out five-gallons at a time and mix it in with the gasoline in the fuel tank of my vehicle.
Last edited by porthole on Sun Jul 16, 2017 9:33 am, edited 2 times in total.
Thanks,
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rtk
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Re: What to do with old gas

Postby rtk » Tue Jun 13, 2017 6:07 am

I had about 70 gallons of stale fuel because my boat was not used for two years. My engine repair shop arranged for the boat tank to be pumped by a service they use when they need to dispose of contaminated fuel. The disposal fee per gallon was a bit more than the cost of the replacement fuel.

In my county in New Jersey, they will accept fuel at special hazardous waste disposal days that they sponsor at no cost, but there are limits on how much and there is only one or two days per year that they sponsor this event.

Rich

jimh
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Re: Disposal of 300-gallons of Old Gasoline

Postby jimh » Tue Jun 13, 2017 11:28 pm

I recommend contacting your local municipality to see if they offer some hazardous material disposal service. I suspect that, even if they do accept hazardous materials like gasoline, they may have a limit on the volume of gasoline they are willing to accept. A volume of 300-gallons--which is what I assume is the volume of gasoline you want to dispose based on your description of having two 150-gallon tanks at full volume--may be more that a municipal waste facility will accept.

How old is the gasoline? You mention the age of the gasoline only in reference to some sort of reference to a severe weather event. I am afraid in my mind I have no specific recollection of the epoch in which that event occurred. It would be much clearer if you referred to the age of the gasoline by the number of years that it has sat unused in the fuel tanks of your boat. Also, mention what has been done to prevent ingress of water into the fuel.

floater
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Re: Disposal of 300-gallons of Old Gasoline

Postby floater » Sat Jun 24, 2017 3:09 pm

Last year, I had 200-litres of fuel contaminated with water. I acquired some empty deep-fryer oil jugs, filled them up, and took it all to the local dump's Household Hazardous waste section. They took it all in one load!

This year I had 100-litres of gasoline contaminated with water. I let the mixture settle for a week, used the 'jiggler' auto-siphon, and removed the top layer of gasoline. Now I'm taking the milky-water-gasoline lower layer to the dump again.

Home Aside
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Re: Disposal of 300-gallons of Old Gasoline

Postby Home Aside » Mon Jun 26, 2017 9:17 pm

Test some of [the old gasoline] in your lawn mower. If the old fuel works okay in the lawnmower, try selling the fuel at a discount to some landscapers or lawn services. The local Evinrude dealer I deal with uses gasoline syphoned from tanks he's serviced in his Hi-Lo.

Lee Teetsel
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Pumping Old Fuel From Fuel Tank

Postby Lee Teetsel » Thu Jul 13, 2017 3:05 pm

How do you remove the lower desending units on the fuel tanks of 2001 Conquest 295 to get [gasoline] pumped out? Tipps said I need to remove them and they will remove the old [gasoline] for $2/gallon.

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Re: Pumping Old Fuel From Fuel Tank

Postby jimh » Thu Jul 13, 2017 3:21 pm

Who is Tipps? I am not acquainted with that gentleman or his firm. You mentioned him en passant as if we all know him.

Generally on Boston Whaler boats with an aluminum fuel tank there is a circular access plate of approximately 8-inch diameter that is fixed to the tank top surface with a plethora of screw fasteners and a gasket. Through this circular access plate pass the outlets for the fuel tank pick-up tubes. I think that is what you are describing with the unusual phrase "lower descending units." I have heard of sending units and of lower descending colons, but never lower descending units.

If you want to remove the circular access plate, I would first be certain to get a replacement gasket for it. If you try to re-use the old gasket there could be more problems with ingress of water into the fuel.

If you really just want to remove the fuel tank float sending unit, that is most likely attached in a similar manner at a location more forward and amidship in the fuel tank. Again, there is likely to be a gasket involved. The access plate is probably smaller diameter than the pick-up tube attachment plate.

If your c.2001 295 CONQUEST has a molded plastic fuel tank, I recommend you contact Chuck Bennett at Boston Whaler customer service for further advice regarding how to handle those tanks. I believe many of the large cabin boats used those molded tanks in preference to welded aluminum tanks, possibly to accommodate shapes that might be particularly hard to fabricate from aluminum plate.

Wweez
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Re: Pumping Old Fuel From Fuel Tank

Postby Wweez » Sun Jul 16, 2017 12:12 pm

Working on a fuel tank or holding tank is similar to proctology, without the air conditioned or heated clean room, proper ventilation, experienced helpers, and the ability to stand up while working.
I have had some luck cleaning an aluminum tank. Safe? Most of the fuel will syphon out through fuel lines.
It all depends on the access you have, and how gunked up the inside of the tank is. Mine had great access to top of tank, was shiny inside and had probably a quart of gunky gas in it. Smart or got away with it???

If you are going to do any of this, do it in the open, great ventilation, masks, spark proof flashlight, and no power tools. There will be gas vapors all over.
Disconnect your batteries before. Think this through. With your head down between your legs in the bilge, the first thing St Peter will see is your ... ok Jim " posterior". Not a great first impression.

Good Luck.

Lee Teetsel
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Remove the lower desending units on gas tanks

Postby Lee Teetsel » Tue Jul 18, 2017 8:26 pm

[TEETSEL began a third thread on the same topic. Please do not start multiple threads within days of each other on the same topic. This duplicate thread has been deleted, as it contained no new information. The reply elicited by the third thread has been added to the original thread.--jimh]

Lee Teetsel
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Re: Pumping Old Fuel From Fuel Tank

Postby Lee Teetsel » Tue Jul 18, 2017 8:34 pm

Today, Tonks in Toms River pumped out my five-year-old [fuel]---all 300-gallons.

Thank you all for your posts
Last edited by Lee Teetsel on Thu Jul 20, 2017 7:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Phil T
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Re: Remove the lower desending units on gas tanks

Postby Phil T » Wed Jul 19, 2017 8:54 am

The less invasive way is to either use the fuel supply hose or insert a slightly smaller diameter hose in the fuel fill hose to get to the tank.
1992 Outrage 17
2019 E-TEC 90
2018 LoadRite 18280096VT
Member since 2003